Lake Como

By Mark Sissons Long before modern celebrity A-listers like George Clooney, Richard Branson, Gianni Versace and Madonna owned posh waterfront villas here, Lago di Como, the jewel in Northern Italy’s crown of glittering mountain lakes, was a popular retreat for Europe’s wealthy and famous. As far back as ancient Roman

  By Everett Potter One of Lake Como’s most dramatic and unique private homes has just opened as a 24-suite hotel. Passalacqua commands seven acres of terraced and manicured gardens in the village of Moltrasio, overlooking the majestic lake. I’ve visited sleepy Moltrasio on many occasions, a village about 15 minutes

Photos by Phillip N. Wheat. Text by Everett Potter. Lake Como stands alone among the Italian lakes, 29 miles of waterway sheltered by forested mountains and lined with period villas that were the stage sets for literary and operatic history. I’m lucky to be there several times a year with