The menus at I Tigli in Theoria are designed to guarantee an experience of contemporary haute cuisine and at the same time offer guests unexpected paths through its balanced, high quality gastronomy. Star chef Franco Caffara’s inspiration is sophisticated simplicity: his offer constantly changes, combining deep respect for tradition, fresh, local products and rigorously simple preparation. The restaurant also produces its own bread, pasta and pâtisserie, with all the passion and meticulousness of the old days.

Il Gatto Nero is situated on the hills above the Lake Como and has an amazing view of Como’s landscape from the terrace. The restaurant is also famous thanks to its clients, both Italian and international, who love the combination of a sophisticated cuisine with a unique view. You can find the photos of Sylvester Stallone, Roberto Cavalli, Elisabetta Canalis and George Clooney, among others, in the big book that the owner shows at the entrance of the restaurant.

The lounge bar at I Tigli in Theoria is a place to go at anytime of the day for excellent meals accompanied by quality wine labels, aperitifs and fingerfood, for extraordinary cocktails, or exquisite cakes and coffee, a creamy cappuccino or a good cup of tea. The tea room is an invitation to a unique sensory experience, the perfect way to discover the real teamade of leaf infusions. This “magic” drink can be enjoyed (and purchased) in a vast range of top quality products, accompanied by sweet temptations.

The name says it all: love of natural flavours.
Fresco’s ingredients are vivacious, innovative, rich in substance and taste; its products are processed on demand or turned into syrups, purées or infusions. Fresco’s style is inventiveness, passion and an indispensable sixth sense in discovering and experimenting with new flavours. Alcoholic or non-alcoholic, with ice or with spices: it’s all a blending of quality raw materials, according to the inspiration of the moment.

A cosy place in the heart of Como, a stone’s throw away from the Pinacoteca Civica and Piazza San Fedele. Perfect for lunch or an evening drink, it offers quality products in beautifully presented dishes, delighting the eyes and the palate. It’s a nice alternative to Como’s traditional trattorias. Steeped in the atmosphere of 15th century, the café is characterized by stone arches, wooden ceilings and beams and a spacious mezzanine floor.

Nestling in the splendid landscape of Como Lake, considered one of the best hotels in Europe, the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni is the ideal choice for travellers in search of comfort. With its stunning location, offers one of the most romantic and picturesque views of the world. Celebrity guests include Winston Churchill, J.F. Kennedy, Clark Gable and Al Pacino./over the years has attracted figures such as Winston Churchill, J.F. Kennedy, Clark Gable and Al Pacino.

When Italian architectural classicism meets modern standards of luxury, the result is a unique harmony. With its breath-taking view of Lake Como, Villa Lario offers an unforgettable experience for those seeking relaxation and quiet in a timeless atmosphere. The hotel’s large park (over ten hectares) conceals unexpected scenarios, from natural grottoes on the lakeside to the shade of centuries-old cedars.

The current site of the Club was designed (in perfect Rationalist style) by Gianni Mantero and opened in July 1931. Striking details include the daring reinforced concrete springboard overlooking the lake and the rowing tank perfectly integrated in the entrance hall, which is decorated by prestigious trophies won by the Club’s athletes over the decades.

The Aero Club has the oldest and second most important seaplane flying school in the world. “A fantastic experience” is the impression people get on climbing into a seaplane for the first time and flying over one of the most beautiful places in the world, with views of hilly Cardina, Brunate and the southern end of the Lake. The Club provides training for private pilot licenses and flying activities for “ordinary” members.

Inaugurated in 1928, it’s located in Lungo Lario Marconi. The permanent exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Alessandro Volta and his scientific work. On the ground floor there are old scientific instruments used by Volta in his physics experiments. The gallery on the 1st floor is dedicated to Volta and to the honours conferred on him during his lifetime and posthumously. The exhibition presents the key moments in his life, as in a story, and focuses on certain personal and private traits as revealed in short quotations from letters to relatives.

Como’s municipal opera house was opened in 1813, when Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner were born. Its construction was begun in 1811, on the ruins of the Castello della Torre Rotonda, which was built in the second half of the 13th century. The history of this theatre and its various renovations reflects Italian traditions. It has been the stage for various artists including Niccolò Paganini, Franz Liszt and Giuditta Pasta. In 1938 the Teatro Sociale’s arena was turned into an open-air repertory theatre (designed by Carlo Ponci) seating up to 4,000 people.

The cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is the main place of worship in Como and the mother-church of the eponymous diocese. Situated near the lake, it is one of the most impressive monuments in Northern Italy.

The Silk Museum has a collection which testifies Como’s textiles tradition, with machines, documents, samples, tools and other objects used in the textile production processes that made Como the city of silk.

Villa del Balbianello is in Tremezzina, in Como province. It is at the end of the Lavedo Peninsula, on the promontory of Lake Como that took the name of Balbianello from this building. It was built in 1787 on the site of a Franciscan monastery by cardinal Angelo Maria Durini. On the cardinal’s death in 1796 it was left to his nephew Luigi Porro Lambertenghi and then sold to Giuseppe Arconati Visconti, whose drawing room was frequented by intellectuals of the calibre of Giovanni Berchet, Giuseppe Giusti and Alessandro Manzoni. The villa had various other owners, in certain periods it was partially abandoned and in others there was undergoing renovation to highlight its beauty, including the renewal of its large garden. In 1988 it was acquired by Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI).

Originally built for the Peluso family, which already owned the neighbouring Villa d’Este, it became property of Luigi Erba (brother and heir of Carlo Erba, one of the leading pharmaceutical industrialists of the times), who commissioned the building of a villa to reflect all the wealth and importance of the family. This jewel of fin de siècle architecture by Savoldi and Borsani was the summer residence of the Erba family. Its rooms inspired the sets of a number of Luchino Visconti masterpieces. Villa Erba is a prestige venue for concerts, press conferences, conventions, seminars, parties and gala evenings.