How to get to Villa del Balbianello by boat.
Villa del Balbianello has no car access: you reach it on foot from Lenno (about 1 km uphill, 25 minutes), by the taxi boat from the Lido di Lenno, or on a private boat, which FAI allows visitors to arrange on their own. The public boat from Como takes you only as far as Lenno (9.50 EUR one way in 2026). The villa is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays, booking is mandatory, and in 2026 the ticket costs 15 EUR for the park or 25 EUR for villa and park.
Four ways to reach Villa del Balbianello
| How | From where | Time | Good to know | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On foot | Lenno | about 25 minutes, 1 km uphill (or a 2.5 km trail, about 45 minutes) | Partly gravel; not suitable for pushchairs or reduced mobility | Free |
| Taxi boat from the Lido di Lenno | Lido di Lenno | ask the service | Paid, not run by FAI, to be booked | Ask the service |
| Public boat (Navigazione Lago di Como) | Como | check the timetable for the season | It lands at the Lenno pier, not at the villa: then you walk or take the taxi boat | 9.50 EUR one way in 2026 |
| Private boat tour with us | Como, Cernobbio, Moltrasio, Blevio or Carate Urio (other jetties with a supplement) | 3, 5 or 7 hours on the lake | The 3-hour tour has a 30-minute stop; for the interiors choose 5 or 7 hours. Villa ticket not included | From 700 EUR per boat |
On foot from Lenno: 1 km uphill, about 25 minutes
No road for cars reaches the villa. From Lenno the path is about 1 km, uphill and partly on gravel, and takes about 25 minutes; a longer trail of 2.5 km takes about 45 minutes. FAI warns that the walk is not suitable for pushchairs or for visitors with reduced mobility. Dogs are allowed on a lead, in the garden only.
The taxi boat from the Lido di Lenno
By water, the connection FAI points to is the taxi boat that leaves from the Lido di Lenno, the one many visitors look up as the water taxi to Villa del Balbianello. It is a paid service, it is not run by FAI and it has to be booked: the price is set by whoever runs it, so ask when you book. It is not our service. FAI also allows access with any other private boat service that visitors arrange themselves.
The public boat from Como to Lenno
Navigazione Lago di Como, the public boat company (the ferry, as most visitors call it), calls at Lenno. In 2026 the single fare from Como is 9.50 EUR for an adult and 4.80 EUR for a child aged 4 to 11, a return costs twice the single, children under 4 travel free and a one-day pass for the same stretch costs 22.50 EUR. The boat lands at the Lenno pier, not at the villa: from there you walk or take the taxi boat from the Lido. Timetables change with the season (summer, autumn, winter): check navigazionelaghi.it for the day you travel.
Read the Lake Como boat tour guideA private boat tour with a stop at the villa
Our Bellagio & Villas tour (3 hours, 700 EUR per boat for up to 7 guests) passes Isola Comacina, Villa Balbiano and Villa del Balbianello and includes one 30-minute stop ashore, in Bellagio or at Villa del Balbianello. Thirty minutes is enough for a look at the garden and the Loggia with a park ticket, not for the interiors. For the 50-minute guided tour of the interiors, plus the wait for your slot, choose the Grand Lake Como tour (5 hours, 1,100 EUR) or the Iconic Tour (7 hours, 1,500 EUR), which have longer stops. You buy your own FAI ticket in advance, the villa must be open that day, and a landing at the villa is never guaranteed.
See the 3-hour Bellagio & Villas tourWhere you board
The boat is based at Brienno, on the western shore. You choose the jetty when you book: boarding in Como, Cernobbio, Moltrasio, Blevio and Carate Urio is included; Laglio and Faggeto Lario cost 70 EUR more, Argegno 100, Sala Comacina and Lezzeno 200, Lenno 250, Tremezzo and Bellagio 300, Varenna and Menaggio 350. Tours start between 09:00 and 18:00, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.
See the boarding pointsOpening days, tickets and the 50-minute interior tour
In 2026 Villa del Balbianello is closed every Monday and every Wednesday. From mid-March it opens from 10:00 to 18:00, with the last entry to the park at 17:00 and the last guided tour of the villa at 16:00; in November it closes at 17:00 (last park entry 16:00, last villa tour 15:00), and in December and early January it opens only on listed days. Booking is mandatory, online on ticket.fondoambiente.it. In 2026 the park alone costs 15 EUR (11 EUR from age 6 to 18 and for students up to 25, 42 EUR for a family), while villa and park cost 25 EUR (17 EUR reduced, 66 EUR for a family). The interiors are seen only on a guided tour of 50 minutes, in groups of up to 16: your time is assigned at the ticket desk when you arrive, and the wait can be up to 60 minutes. The villa also closes for private events and weddings. The 2027 calendar is not published yet: check the FAI site before you go.
What you see from the water, and the films
From the lake the villa can always be seen, on closed days too: the Loggia with its three arches on the tip of the wooded headland, the terraced garden and the old landing with its stone steps. A Franciscan convent stood here, turned into a villa in 1787 by Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini; its last owner, the explorer Guido Monzino, left it in 1988 to FAI, which owns and runs it. In "Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones" (2002) it is the lake retreat on Naboo, with the garden walk, the Loggia and the terrace of the wedding scene. In "Casino Royale" (2006) it is the clinic where James Bond recovers with Vesper. The final scene of that film was shot at another villa, Villa La Gaeta in San Siro, not here.
When the private boat makes sense
Lake Como Boat Services runs private boat tours with a skipper, on one motorboat of 8.50 metres for up to 7 guests. For Villa del Balbianello it suits you if you want to see the villa from the water and the rest of the Como branch in the same trip. If you only need to reach the gate, you can walk from Lenno at no cost or take the taxi boat from the Lido.
- A price per boat, not per person: 700 EUR for 3 hours, 1,100 EUR for 5 hours, 1,500 EUR for 7 hours, up to 7 guests
- On the way: Villa d'Este, Villa Oleandra in Laglio, Nesso, Isola Comacina and Villa Balbiano
- Included on board: a bottle of Prosecco, soft drinks, beer, water and fuel
- A skipper who speaks English and Italian
- Villa tickets are not included: you buy your own on the FAI site, never for a Monday or a Wednesday
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
The Loggia, seen from the lake
The view of the headland from the water needs no ticket and no opening day: the 3, 5 and 7-hour tours pass in front of it.
Frequently asked questions
In brief
Can you reach Villa del Balbianello by car?
No. There is no car access: you walk from Lenno, about 1 km uphill in about 25 minutes, or you arrive by water.
Is there a water taxi to Villa del Balbianello?
Yes: a taxi boat leaves from the Lido di Lenno. It is paid, it is not run by FAI and it must be booked; FAI also allows access with any other private boat service arranged by visitors.
How much is the ticket in 2026?
In 2026 the park costs 15 EUR and villa with park 25 EUR (reduced 11 and 17 EUR). Booking is mandatory, on ticket.fondoambiente.it.
Book your private boat tour
Choose the tour, the boarding point and the date: the price is per boat, for up to 7 guests, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
