Loggia

Today the trains, busses and ferries are all on strike. As a result of the strikes we had to stay in Lenno today. We decided to take a walk over to the Villa Balbianello, Lenno’s main tourist attraction, and probably the main reason for which most people visit here.

We thought it would be quiet due to the strikes. It seems people have ways of getting here despite there being no public transport. A school visit also coincided with the time we were there. Still the grounds are sufficiently large that it is able to absorb a large number of visitors. Nonetheless I am surprised I managed to get a view of the loggia with nobody in the picture.

The villa is on a promontory jutting out into the Lake from Lenno. It is quite a step walk from the village along the promontory to the villa. Maybe not so many steps, but enough of a hill to get the heart pumping.

On our return to the centre of the village we rewarded ourselves with another ice cream. Very well deserved after all that exercise.

The villa last belonged to a man who owned what was probably Italy’s largest chain of department stores selling clothing and groceries. On his death he left the villa to the state together with a trust fund to pay for the upkeep of the villa, with the stipulation that it be maintained as it was at the time of his death.

A couple of extras show some of the garden. While we were there we noticed in a section of the garden there was a fashion shoot modelling wedding dresses.