COMO casts its SPELL
Signature Travel & Style|Volume 44
In Northern Italy's Lombardy region, Lake Como has a way of casting an intoxicating spell over visitors, and perhaps the greatest seductress of all is the newest villa to grace her shores, Villa Passalacqua, writes Natasha Dragun.
Natasha Dragun
COMO casts its SPELL

There’s a moment as I enter my suite, La Sonnambula lilting from the stereo, when I imagine the clock has been wound back a couple of centuries to a time when musicians composed opera instead of hip-hop, and couples declared love after a flute of prosecco sipped under the spell of a full moon.

My suite’s signature scent is all roses and romance, and it wafts into the balmy night through whitewashed shutters that open to dreamy views of Lake Como, dusted in the reflection of stars. A symphony of dusky pinks, my enormous room is like a shrine to Italian design: think etched Barbini mirrored cabinets, Como silks, original stucco and ceiling carvings. In the bathroom, meanwhile, I discover white-and-rose Dover Aurora marble from the quarries of Louis XIV topping the vanity, hung with etched mirrors beside a luxurious window-side tub and silk taffeta curtains.

You can see how one’s imagination starts to drift soon after checking in to Villa Passalacqua.

History reinvented 

Like so many painters, philosophers, musicians and poets of his time, Count Andrea Lucini Passalacqua found himself seduced by Italy’s prettiest lake back in the late 1700s. With the assistance of Swiss designer Giocondo Albertolli who crafted the interiors, he built the now historic 1787 Passalacqua villa on its banks, and promptly went about entertaining the who’s who in its generous-sized quarters. Among them was composer Vincenzo Bellini, who visited in 1829 and couldn’t bear to leave: he wrote two of his famous operas, Norma and La Sonnambula, in the home’s music room, today Villa Passalacqua’s Bellini Suite.

この記事は Signature Travel & Style の Volume 44 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は Signature Travel & Style の Volume 44 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

SIGNATURE TRAVEL & STYLEのその他の記事すべて表示
THE NEW WAVE
Signature Travel & Style

THE NEW WAVE

Experience one of Abercrombie Kent’s extraordinary journeys by water.

time-read
1 min  |
Your ultimate guide to the world of Abercrombie & Kent - Special Edition
MOSQUES and MINARETS
Signature Travel & Style

MOSQUES and MINARETS

Morocco, Egypt and Jordan have captivated visitors for centuries and remain a magnet for today's savvy and sophisticated travellers.

time-read
2 分  |
Your ultimate guide to the world of Abercrombie & Kent - Special Edition
OCEANS of choice
Signature Travel & Style

OCEANS of choice

Embark on the voyage of a lifetime in the unmatched luxury, comfort and sophistication of Crystal.

time-read
2 分  |
Your ultimate guide to the world of Abercrombie & Kent - Special Edition
POSITIVE IMPACT
Signature Travel & Style

POSITIVE IMPACT

Abercrombie Kent Philanthropy AKP) is deeply committed to bettering the lives and livelihoods of communities worldwide.

time-read
2 分  |
Your ultimate guide to the world of Abercrombie & Kent - Special Edition
TIMELESS TRAVEL
Signature Travel & Style

TIMELESS TRAVEL

Japan is a nation of mountains and megacities where the ancient and modern meld perfectly.

time-read
1 min  |
Your ultimate guide to the world of Abercrombie & Kent - Special Edition
TEN OUT of ten
Signature Travel & Style

TEN OUT of ten

The wonders of Central and South America deliver outstanding experiences for passionate travellers.

time-read
2 分  |
Your ultimate guide to the world of Abercrombie & Kent - Special Edition
FAR HORIZONS
Signature Travel & Style

FAR HORIZONS

A&K’s Luxury Expedition Cruises put you in the heart of the action in the world’s most awe-inspiring places.

time-read
2 分  |
Your ultimate guide to the world of Abercrombie & Kent - Special Edition
THE SPICE of life
Signature Travel & Style

THE SPICE of life

Sri Lanka's dreamy, tropical landscapes and natural wonders are a feast for the senses.

time-read
1 min  |
Your ultimate guide to the world of Abercrombie & Kent - Special Edition
Deliciously DIVERSE
Signature Travel & Style

Deliciously DIVERSE

No matter the season, Europe offers a smorgasbord of memorable holiday adventures, writes Kirstie Bedford.

time-read
2 分  |
Your ultimate guide to the world of Abercrombie & Kent - Special Edition
TAJ to RAJ
Signature Travel & Style

TAJ to RAJ

From desert-dry north to tropical south, the Indian subcontinent delivers a deeply immersive, perspective altering experience, writes Andrew Conway.

time-read
2 分  |
Your ultimate guide to the world of Abercrombie & Kent - Special Edition