Villa Carlotta
Villa Carlotta
4.5
About
Villa Carlotta welcomes you with its magnificent botanic garden and art masterpieces in over 70.000 square metres of gardens and museum. The beautiful villa was built at the end of XVII century by the Milanese marquis Giorgio Clerici in a natural basin between lake and mountains, facing the dolomite Grignas and the peninsula of Bellagio.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Villa Carlotta
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
203 within 5 kms
Attractions
177 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- C M DobbieNew Plymouth, New Zealand168 contributionsA must see VillaThis villa is worth going to see. On the side of Lake Como it has a beautiful garden. Walk to the top and see the view from the olive grove. But you must go inside the museum. It truly is beautiful.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten September 17, 2023
- Curious_Traveller636London, United Kingdom501 contributionsExcellent villa and grounds - the walk is gentleHaving been very disappointed we couldn’t get in to Villa del Balbianello because of block bookings by tour groups, we were nervous. We should not have been. At 3pm on a Sat we walked in, the villa was not too busy, the house is well curated with pieces and the views over the lake stunning, and the gardens are beautiful: how they must have thrilled when they were first laid out, even more so than today. Enjoyed it and not too busy.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten September 23, 2023
- Roger RSevenoaks, United Kingdom285 contributionsBeautiful house and gardens not to be missedDo not miss this place if you're in the area. The gardens are stunning and well worth taking the longest of the clearly waymarked trail and taking your time. I saw that there is a shorter trail for people with walking problems and that there is a lift to the upper level of the garden. The rooms in the house that are open to the public are well worth a look, especially for the stunning Canova statues.Visited September 2023Travelled soloWritten October 3, 2023
- Helen SLeague City, Texas28 contributionsA pearl on Lake ComoWe loved the villa, make sure you have 2-3 hours to visit. Amazing interior, authentic furniture, and many historical documents. Beautiful gardens, the walkways are color coded for distance. We were there at 10 a.m. when the doors opened (off season hours) and almost had the villa to ourselves. Helpful staff, English speaking.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten October 5, 2023
- Andy5573Palmyra, Pennsylvania250 contributionsImpressive Villa and Grounds.My wife and I enjoyed walking the grounds of this villa and viewing the interior of the villa and its contents. We found the museum/villa extremely interesting and the walk on the grounds to be equally impressive. We took a ferry from Varena where we were staying. Recommend this villa as a place to visit if you are into history and/or architecture.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten October 30, 2023
- SCBlossomCharleston, South Carolina4,483 contributionsThe Best Villa on Lake ComoGorgeous gardens with very nice and helpful staff. The villa was nice with lovely artwork, beautiful views and exquisite sculptures. The gardens were magnificent! The contrast and beautifully maintained landscapes are unsurpassed. Plan on spending a long time strolling through the various types of trees, plants and gardens. Peek through the palm trees to view snow capped mountains. Amazing. Our favorite villa on Lake Como.Visited May 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten May 12, 2024
- Beth12 contributionsLovely experience, worth a visitLovely gardens, with wonderful views of lake Como. We found it took us less than 90 mins to do the complete walk around, but if you wanted to take the full time or go back around this would be fine. Inside was less impressive than the gardens or the outside, but still nice to see. The cellar was interactive and enjoyable. Would recommend this to anyone, definitely worth the money.Visited June 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten June 7, 2024
- kzoggerChicago, Illinois924 contributionsGorgeous Plants, Serene WalkwaysLove this place! We arrived right when it opened and it was so nice to stroll through the grounds and the museum practically all by ourselves. The tree rhododendrons and azaleas were so colorful, the rock garden was beautifully landscaped with stunning flowers, the roses and camellias were amazing...I could go on and on. Oh, and the museum is a must-see both for the beauty of the rooms and for the works of art. Absolutely worth a visit.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten June 14, 2024
- Nuha K 56Valparaiso, Indiana987 contributionsNice walk in garden with lake viewsLovely stroll in the huge garden and arbetrerum. The villa itself is ok. semi empty except for statues and some painting on the walls. Not what I expect to see in a rich huge villa ( not much furniture). The garden takes most of the touring time. It is big we spend about 2 hours exploring it.Visited June 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten June 21, 2024
- Brown_SamanthaKennewick, Washington1,729 contributionsOur favorite villa of the trip while visiting Lake Como area and beyondIt is an easy ferry ride over from Bellagio, where we based while in Lake Como. The ferry stops right in front. We arrived just before 10 am, where a small crowd had formed. There is no need to book tickets ahead, it did not take long to get them from the ticket office. This property is very large, and less popular than Villa Balbianello. Once we got inside, the small crowd dispersed quickly. We really enjoyed the enormous gardens. You could wander for hours. Very shaded and a site map was helpful navigating the gardens. There is some elevation gain, walking up and down to see the varieties of plants and flowers. Bamboo forest with a torii gate. Giant sequoia tree grove. Palm trees. Even though it was over for rhododendron, there were plenty of colorful blooms. Especially the enormous hydrangeas. A small waterfalls with cascading creek flowing down hill. The villa itself is impressive. Right from the fountains and terraces with steps leading up to the building. It has a glorious view to Lake Como. Water features and ponds with turtles swimming in them. Even two citrus covered walk tunnels. The interior was open and had furnishing as well as many stunning sculptures on display. We used two of their bathroom facilities, both were very clean. This was such an enjoyable morning, quite a contrast to Villa Balbianello's mob scene. Bravo!Visited June 2024Travelled with friendsWritten July 11, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
3,418 reviews
Excellent
2,247
Very good
987
Average
151
Poor
23
Terrible
11
Curious_Traveller636
London, UK501 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Having been very disappointed we couldn’t get in to Villa del Balbianello because of block bookings by tour groups, we were nervous. We should not have been. At 3pm on a Sat we walked in, the villa was not too busy, the house is well curated with pieces and the views over the lake stunning, and the gardens are beautiful: how they must have thrilled when they were first laid out, even more so than today. Enjoyed it and not too busy.
Written September 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JAW
39 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
Beautiful villa set in even more beautiful gardens. The gardens were extensive and you can stroll round for a while admiring the plants and trees here. The villa is interesting also. Tip don't arrive just before it opens as we did as we arrived when several coach trips did and it took a while to queue to enter and buy tickets. (There wasn't a proper queue area so it was a mass of people trying to move forward and as you know, not everyone is very good at waiting their turn.) Well worth a visit though if you persevere and you can easily reach by ferry as there is a stop for Villa Carlotta.
Written June 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jolie
Rotterdam, The Netherlands1 contribution
Apr 2024 • Couples
Very beautiful however a group of very rude influencers made it impossible to enjoy the museum inside. They claimed alot places in the garden and inside themuseun, i couldnt enjoy the beautiful art work inside because they wanted to take videos and photo's for a very long time. They swearing to other visiters, its was not a nice experience... so keep in mind you can't see the beautiful scenes my these rude @ssholes
Written May 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Not disclosed
286 contributions
Jun 2022
Fabulous and interesting garden, with lakeside and hillside paths giving beautiful views of the garden and lake. Some paths are steep. You can walk for a long way beside the lake, roses were out and Sylvia's. There is a small cafe where you can order snacks and enjoy these sitting in the garden
Written June 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andy5573
Palmyra, PA250 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
My wife and I enjoyed walking the grounds of this villa and viewing the interior of the villa and its contents. We found the museum/villa extremely interesting and the walk on the grounds to be equally impressive. We took a ferry from Varena where we were staying. Recommend this villa as a place to visit if you are into history and/or architecture.
Written October 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PixiebelRoma
Birmingham, UK69 contributions
Sept 2019
We visited on a sunny afternoon and had a lovely time. The gardens are beautiful and well maintained. It's a lovely walk, which on a hot afternoon took a good two hours at a strolling pace. There are also nice views over the lake. We had a look inside the villa, although we couldn't access the marble room as it was being set up for a wedding reception, but we did get a look over the barrier.
If you've got a National Trust membership card, show it before you pay to get in as you get a discount (can't remember how much - 30% possibly). Even so it's not too expensive to get in.
If you've got a National Trust membership card, show it before you pay to get in as you get a discount (can't remember how much - 30% possibly). Even so it's not too expensive to get in.
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roger R
Sevenoaks, UK285 contributions
Sept 2023 • Solo
Do not miss this place if you're in the area. The gardens are stunning and well worth taking the longest of the clearly waymarked trail and taking your time. I saw that there is a shorter trail for people with walking problems and that there is a lift to the upper level of the garden. The rooms in the house that are open to the public are well worth a look, especially for the stunning Canova statues.
Written October 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brown_Samantha
Kennewick, WA1,729 contributions
Jun 2024 • Friends
It is an easy ferry ride over from Bellagio, where we based while in Lake Como. The ferry stops right in front. We arrived just before 10 am, where a small crowd had formed. There is no need to book tickets ahead, it did not take long to get them from the ticket office. This property is very large, and less popular than Villa Balbianello. Once we got inside, the small crowd dispersed quickly.
We really enjoyed the enormous gardens. You could wander for hours. Very shaded and a site map was helpful navigating the gardens. There is some elevation gain, walking up and down to see the varieties of plants and flowers. Bamboo forest with a torii gate. Giant sequoia tree grove. Palm trees. Even though it was over for rhododendron, there were plenty of colorful blooms. Especially the enormous hydrangeas. A small waterfalls with cascading creek flowing down hill.
The villa itself is impressive. Right from the fountains and terraces with steps leading up to the building. It has a glorious view to Lake Como. Water features and ponds with turtles swimming in them. Even two citrus covered walk tunnels. The interior was open and had furnishing as well as many stunning sculptures on display.
We used two of their bathroom facilities, both were very clean. This was such an enjoyable morning, quite a contrast to Villa Balbianello's mob scene. Bravo!
We really enjoyed the enormous gardens. You could wander for hours. Very shaded and a site map was helpful navigating the gardens. There is some elevation gain, walking up and down to see the varieties of plants and flowers. Bamboo forest with a torii gate. Giant sequoia tree grove. Palm trees. Even though it was over for rhododendron, there were plenty of colorful blooms. Especially the enormous hydrangeas. A small waterfalls with cascading creek flowing down hill.
The villa itself is impressive. Right from the fountains and terraces with steps leading up to the building. It has a glorious view to Lake Como. Water features and ponds with turtles swimming in them. Even two citrus covered walk tunnels. The interior was open and had furnishing as well as many stunning sculptures on display.
We used two of their bathroom facilities, both were very clean. This was such an enjoyable morning, quite a contrast to Villa Balbianello's mob scene. Bravo!
Written July 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SiteSee21
New York City, NY25 contributions
Aug 2021
Really recommend a visit to Villa Carlotta. The grounds are quite large so you will need to set aside a decent amount of time to view. The views and gardens are beautiful however, so you will be happy to spend a lot of time there.
Written August 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kzogger
Chicago, IL924 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
Love this place! We arrived right when it opened and it was so nice to stroll through the grounds and the museum practically all by ourselves. The tree rhododendrons and azaleas were so colorful, the rock garden was beautifully landscaped with stunning flowers, the roses and camellias were amazing...I could go on and on. Oh, and the museum is a must-see both for the beauty of the rooms and for the works of art. Absolutely worth a visit.
Written June 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are parking spaces next to the street that is leading past the Villa. That is however nowhere near the amount of parking spaces that you would get in a typical multi storey parking building. And these spots will also be used by the locals.
Outside peak tourist season I would expect that some should be available.
Written September 20, 2019
mi scuso per il ritardo nella risposta, ma non avevo più acceso il pc...Vedo però che altri hanno risposto al suo quesito. Corretto: si parcheggia sul lungolago, bisogna avere un po' di fortuna...dipende anche dal giorno ed orario scelto...Buona visita ! :)
Written September 18, 2019
Come raggiungere la villa via lago da Como? Quanto ci si mette?
Written April 29, 2019
Ci sono i battelli che fanno la spola tra le rive dal lago. Da Como occorrono circa 45 minuti. I panorama dal lago è impagabile. Io ho fatto il biglietto giornaliero:se fai più fermate vale la pena.
Written April 29, 2019
Mi sapreste dire se sono già fiorite le azalee? io vorrei andarci domenica 24/3 e mi domandavo se fosse il momento giusto per godersi le azalee fiorite. Grazie
Written March 18, 2019
È troppo presto. Fioriscono tra aprile e maggio. Però se la giornata è bella la passeggiata sarà gradevole
Written March 18, 2019
about 6 years ago I visited this garden and my dog was allowed entry.Is this still OK
Written August 21, 2018
Hello I cannot recall seeing any dogs with owners on day we visited garden. Suggest contacting them for clarification Or check website for that info Good luck
Written August 22, 2018
Does somebody know what is the reduction in price for the promotion "In Villa con Batello" - I have read on the page that if you have a ferry ticket, there is a discount, but it does not state what is the exact reduction. I have found only the discount if you travel with Trenord which is 10%.
Also, does somebody know what ferry ticket you will need for this discount? Because we were thinking of taking the ferry from Como to Lenno and then go to the villa with Trombetta Express.
Written July 13, 2018
The ticket to villa Carlotta is not expensive, around €6 for garden and villa
No discounts were posted except for seniors
Written July 19, 2018
Здравствуйте! Скажите пожалуйста доступен ли сад виллы Carlotta (или часть сада) для прогулки на инвалидном кресле? Есть ли в саду туалет для инвалидов и автостоянка поблизости от виллы.
Written May 13, 2018
There is a marked accessible path around parts of the garden, even though I can't judge its quality for the use of wheelchairs... I would say that many of the paths were of good quality, but maybe not enough for wheelchairs. Visit the Villa Carlotta website and download the garden map to get more information.
Written July 9, 2018
Здравствуйте! Скажите пожалуйста доступен ли сад виллы (или часть сада) для прогулки на инвалидном кресле? Есть ли в саду туалет для инвалидов и автостоянка поблизости от виллы? Планируем посещение в сентябре 2018 года.
Written May 13, 2018
Do you buy tickets on the day or in advance?
Written May 11, 2018
Same with us. Bought tickets the same day.
Written May 18, 2018
Showing results 1-10 of 30
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing