A rare Lake Como estate with a background story of community and botanical ambition. Villa Cipressi occupies a natural promontory in Varenna, its terraced gardens cascading toward the water in a sequence. Starting with of formal Italian planting near the villa giving way to wilder, more romantic plantings as they descend. Unusually the garden and the buildings show the narrative of the place.
The architectural complex comprises three distinct buildings constructed between the 1400s and 1800s: the oldest (15th century) now houses the breakfast room and guest suites; the 18th-century structure serves as additional accommodation; and the 19th-century building contains the reception and further rooms. Renaissance architectural elements — marble Corinthian columns, coffered ceilings, and a marble-and-wrought-iron staircase — sit alongside neoclassical additions from later centuries. Unlike many Lake Como villas, Villa Cipressi is owned by the Municipality of Varenna and managed as a hotel, its gardens remaining open to day visitors.
Interesting facts...
The estate's earliest recorded owners were the noble Serponti family, who fled to Varenna in 1169 after their home on Isola Comacina was destroyed by the Comaschi. Baron Isimbardi, director of Milan's Mint, owned the villa at the end of the 18th century and established a laboratory here. Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria stayed at the villa with his family in 1838. The Andreossi family, who acquired it in the 19th century, focused on expanding the botanical park with exotic species. In 1980, the villa was purchased through voluntary public subscription by the "People and Friends of Varenna" — a rare example of community ownership preserving a historic estate for public use. The villa has hosted numerous Nobel Prize winners (Rubbia, Bardeen, Alfven, Cooper, Schrieffer) during scientific conferences. The gardens are part of the Grandi Giardini Italiani network, recognised for their botanical significance. Villa Cipressi is one of the few Lake Como villas where visitors can walk the terraced gardens without booking a guided tour. Top tip!
Location: Via IV Novembre, Varenna, Lake Como, Italy
