Stories from Lake Como
Villa d’Este: five centuries of history and cinema
Villa d’Este overlooks the lake in Cernobbio. Built in the sixteenth century, since 1873 it has been one of Europe's most famous historic hotels.
From Cardinal Gallio to the Grand Hotel
The complex was built between 1565 and 1570 for Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio, on the site of a previous convent. It passed to various owners and in the 19th century took the name Villa d’Este.
The gardens preserve Renaissance perspectives, fountains, and the famous mosaic. The transformation into a hotel began in 1873 and brought aristocrats, artists, and international personalities to Cernobbio.
The relationship with cinema
Alfred Hitchcock stayed here and set scenes from The Pleasure Garden, his first film as a director, released in 1925. The villa also appears in The Other Man from 2008.
Ocean’s Twelve is often mistakenly associated with Villa d’Este: several scenes were instead filmed in the nearby Villa Erba. Distinguishing the two residences avoids a widespread confusion.
