Como

Villa Olmo

The Odescalchi family's neoclassical villa on the lake at Como, now owned by the city, with a formal Italian garden towards the lake and an English park behind.

Today
Visit duration: 45 min – 2 h
Booking: Not required
Area: First Basin

Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0

Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0
Maurizio Moro5153 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ernesto Sguotti · CC BY-SA 4.0

Why go

Villa Olmo is the neoclassical villa that the Marquis Innocenzo Odescalchi had built on the lakeshore in Como to a design by the architect Simone Cantoni; work began in 1782.

The name comes from an elm, already more than a hundred years old at the time, that no longer stands. On the lake front six columns carry a balcony, and five medallions by the sculptor Francesco Carabelli portray Greek philosophers. Inside, a large square hall leads to the grand staircase and the ballroom, with its vault frescoed by Domenico Pozzi in 1789 and Carlo Luca Pozzi's stucco statues of the Olympian gods. In 1824 the villa passed to the Marquises Raimondi and in the 1880s to the Dukes Visconti di Modrone, who added a small theatre. Since 1925 it has belonged to the city of Como, which uses it for exhibitions and events. In front lies a formal Italian garden with a fountain.

The park is free, level and about twenty-five minutes' walk from the centre of Como.
The piano nobile opens during exhibitions.

Highlights

The neoclassical lake front
The public park
The municipal lido next door

Getting there

On foot from the centre of Como along the shore, 25 minutes; or by city bus or boat.

The neoclassical lake front, with its columns, the philosophers' medallions and the clipped yews of the garden.

Accessibility

The villa and the park are partly accessible to disabled visitors.

Practical information

Address: Via Simone Cantoni, 22100 Como
Dogs: In the park only on the paths, on a lead and supervised, not on the green areas; droppings must be picked up

Facilities