Rent a Car with Driver Milan: Villa del Balbianello
Excursion with a private driver and a luxury car
In the last few weeks many things have changed and, now, although maintaining a certain caution, it is possible to move and travel around our beautiful Italy; that's why today, Vip Limousine, rent a car with driver Milann, takes you to discover the beautiful Villa del Balbianello.
If during the lockdown some of the wonders of the FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano, the National Trust of Italy) could be visited only in virtual mode, now it is finally possible to go back in person and take part in the famous FAI days. Although the FAI days have already ended in May, some FAI properties can be visited all year round, including the Villa del Balbianello.
This villa is located on the world-famous Lake of Como and the whole world comes here to admire an ancient villa that, passing through many owners, has come down to our days thanks also to the tireless work of the FAI.
When you want to go to the lake, however, there is always the problem of the transpors. Using your own car not only means that you have to search, often unsuccessfully, for a parking space close to your destination, but also that you have to be careful while driving, thus missing the wonders of the landscape. Alternatively, you can opt for public transport, but in this case you will be bound by its timetable and will not be able to decide to go home when you want, especially if there are no buses or trains at that time.
There is, however, a third alternative: rely on the best chauffeur-driven car hire Milan, Vip Limousine, to go safely to Lenno, on Lake of Como, and visit the Villa del Balbianello. For the entire duration of your rental you will have a dedicated driver who will take you wherever you wish and, while you visit the villa and the beauty of the lake, he will be waiting to take you home. No one else will use the car in your absence.
Let's explore the Villa del Balbianello so you can plan your next visit.
Discovering Villa del Balbianello on the Lake of Como
The villa stands on the Lavaredo Peninsula, a small promontory located on Lake Como in Lenno. There used to be a Franciscan monastery in its place, but it was Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini who, at the end of the 18th century, decided to build his new holiday home on the site of the disused monastery.
At the time, the Cardinal boasted a long diplomatic career that had brought him no small fortune, so much so that he had already been able to buy the nearby Villa del Balbiano, also used as a holiday home. This first villa, which we recommend you visit, gave him the idea of buying the whole peninsula and building a completely new residence on the ruins of the monastery: the Balbianello, so called because it was smaller than the Balbiano villa.
It was thanks to Cardinal Durini that a pavilion complete with loggia, a library and a hall dedicated to music were built, where the monk received his illustrious guests, mainly artists.
After the Cardinal's death in 1797, the residence had several owners, including Giuseppe Sepolina and Luigi Porro Lambertenghi, the Cardinal's nephew, who took it upon himself to complete the project of his illustrious ancestor, restoring the church of San Giovanni and internally connecting all the buildings between the loggia and the dock.
Other improvements were carried out by Giuseppe Arconati Visconti, who devoted himself above all to the loggia and the garden, before falling into disgrace and leaving the villa in an almost complete state of abandonment.
It was thanks to the American officer Butler Ames that the building regained its beauty and the garden underwent a new renovation. In 1974 the villa passed into the hands of Guido Monzino who furnished the villa with memorabilia from his many travels. Monzino died without an heir and left the villa in the care of the FAI, which has been preserving it and showing it to art lovers ever since.
Although the building is referred to as a villa, it comprises a series of buildings surrounded by a majestic garden. Its peculiarity, apart from overlooking Lake Como, is that it is developed on several levels: the promontory in fact was not adapted to such constructions, but over the years the various owners have adapted the residential complex to the characteristics of that small peninsula, thus developing buildings and garden on several levels.
The villa is certainly very beautiful and extremely elegant, but what is most striking is its loggia situated in the middle of the garden in an enviable panoramic position. It is a rectangular building with only two rooms, the library and the cartographers' room, connected by a portico.
This loggia has not only enchanted tourists and owners of the past, but also Hollywood directors, who have repeatedly asked to film there. Among the most famous films are Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (George Lucas, 2002) and the 007 film Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006).
Car rental with driver Milan for a carefree trip
How to reach this beautiful villa? If you don't want to use the ferry, the alternative is to drive to Lenno and take a slightly uphill road of just one kilometre to the gates of the villa.
Whichever way you choose to get to the Villa del Balbianello, the problems mentioned above will remain: little parking, lots of people around and problematic public transport timetables.
By relying on Vip Limousine Milan, however, you won't have to think about anything. Once you have decided on your itinerary and departure time, one of our drivers will take you to the site with extreme punctuality and drop you off at the place you have indicated. You can then enjoy your visit to the villa without stress and without worrying about your car or parking fees. You can also take a break in one of the many restaurants overlooking Lake of Como and, to end the day on a high note, have an aperitif overlooking the lake.
When it's time to head home, you won't have to worry about driving. Days like this are beautiful, intense and tiring, so all you have to do is sit back in our luxury cars and enjoy the journey home, surrounded by comfort and elegance.
You can also choose the luxury car of your choice from our fleet, all of which are luxurious, elegant, comfortable and extremely safe. We have a strict policy on the safety of our cars, changing them every two years and always before they have reached 20,000 km: safety comes first.
Considering that the Covid pandemic is not yet over and that good behaviour is still required, we assure you that our cars are safe in that respect too. Our drivers always wear masks and the cars are thoroughly cleaned after each use.
For more details, please refer to our service list. If you would like to receive more information, or place an order, the offices of Vip Limousine Milan are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year: contact us!