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A Piece of Heaven: The Gardens of Villa Melzi on Lake Como

The Gardens of Villa Melzi along the shores of Lake Como are by far our favorite. And it's not only because the camellias, azaleas and rhododendron were in bloom when we visited in early May, it's also because of the wonderful vibe this gardens have. Nowhere else on the lake have we felt quite the same. It's like Melzi Gardens have a guardian angel watching over them.

Part of the charm of the gardens is that they end straight in the water. There's nothing to obstruct the views. It's a blissful and harmonious continuity between the grounds of the villa and the bigger picture of Lake Como. The line of trees by the shores is magnificently pruned and during the hot summer months they offer shadow to the visitors without interfering with the views from the higher paths of the garden.

End of April, beginning of May must be the best time of the year to visit Villa Melzi's gardens though. It's a magical walk among hedges of camellias and copses of azaleas and rhododendrons that alternate with beautiful statues. The gardens are terraced, and visitors can walk along three different paths, always having the amazing spectacle of the mountains reflected in the lake on one side.

The villa was built back in 1810 as a summer residence of Francesco Melzi d'Eril, Vice President of the Italian Napoleonic Republic and it's the perfect example of Neoclassical style. But the gardens are English inspired and even have a small Japanese garden nested by the entrance from Bellagio. Given our love for everything Japanese, we tremendously enjoyed this romantic pond surrounded by a myriad of maple trees.

But then, there is this other lily pond right in front of the villa itself, a beautiful transition between the God created nature and the man made grounds.

We must have spent over four hours strolling around Melzi Gardens, taking pictures. This is a photographer's heaven nevertheless. And though the villa is not open to the public, the perfectly manicured gardens are enough for anyone to spend a full morning or afternoon here. There are benches along the shoreline where visitors can rest, and though the gardens are reasonably sized and can be seen in far less than half a day, we took our time to let all the beauty sink in, and I definitely recommend you do the same.

The Moorish kiosk by the lake is one of the garden's most interesting features, and besides the villa itself, the element that catches the eye most from the water.

The kiosk is also called Dante and Beatrice kiosk as a monument of the two stands just in front of it.

Plus some incredible views of Bellagio's waterfront can be enjoyed from here.

The gardens also host centuries-old trees and rare and exotic plants, which makes it worth a visit any time of the year. It's honestly impossible not to be captivated by the sheer opulence of these gardens.

The villa might not be as breathtaking on the outside, but it surely is pretty and blends in harmoniously with the surroundings. A walk around it and a visit to the nearby orangery, now a modest history museum, are recommended.

But for me personally, maybe the most intriguing element were the lions in front of the main villa. They all have a cork stuffed in their mouths as symbol of discretion of Melzi d'Eril family. They are also pretty cute.

And last but not least, the chapel at the very end of the gardens (that is if you come in from the Bellagio side) - the gardens have two opposite entrances - hosts some pretty statues as well. The Villa Melzi's grounds finish by the small port of Loppia where a couple of old boats, typical of Lake Como, can be spotted.

The Bellagio peninsula is full of wondrous corners waiting to be discovered. It is also one of the most beautiful places we've seen on our travels. And Melzi Gardens are nothing but the jewel in the crown. We liked them best from all the gardens we visited on Lake Como. And it's not because the Gardens of Villa del Balbianello are not charming or the famous ones of Villa Carlotta are not beautiful. They are! But the first ones are not all that big, the protagonist here being the villa itself, and the last ones are overcrowded and therefore lack the zen feeling of Villa Melzi.

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