LAKE COMO

Lago di Como: Love at First Sight

What is it about Lake Como that distinguishes it as one of the most splendid spots on the planet? Spend even an hour upon the Lario (as the locals have called the lake for millennia), and there’s no need to ask. This lake possesses a beauty that will steal your heart and take your breath away with just one look.

There is something in the actual rhythm of the place that sets it apart. Time seems to sigh and slow, returning to a pace more human, less harried. There’s something in the air, humming along the breeze, a subtle magic that sets the boats bobbing and then asks you to sit, stare, and daydream. With its 2000 years of history, illustrious villas, distinctive architecture, and stunning locales, one senses a long-beating heart in Como, keeping time with timelessness in a way all but forgotten on the planet. Here, on the lake, its music still sounds. Here, we discover it anew.

Upon this fine foundation, the future has space to stir and flourish. Whether looking at the economic prestige of the Ambrosetti Forum or the modern medical prowess of the Potenziativa Medical Center, the soil of this ancient wonderland is rich enough to give rise to cutting-edge innovation.

Lake Como: A Little History

Revisiting the Lario’s origin story transcends the centuries to its initial traces recorded in 59 BC. The area was first mentioned as the setting for critical military encampments under the direction of Julius Caesar as he made his way from Milan to the far side of the Alps. Even at its inception, Lake Como was destined for big things as it was instrumental in connecting the Mediterranean with Northern Europe.

By the first century AD, Pliny the Younger, a wealthy lawyer of Como adopted by the Romans themselves, waxes poetic in his historic letters to friends about sparkling summertimes spent lakeside. Much of his literary fortune was born along the banks of the Lario. Clergymen and aristocrats alike, admiring the famous Romanesque features of the area, constructed residences studded with ornate columns, mosaiced detailing, and marble sculpture. Manicured gardens and sprawling grounds ensconced these villas, slender cypress suspending one in a spell drawn between shore and sky. It was here that Pliny enjoyed his otium, Latin for a sense of space, calm, and leisure, allowing contemplation and academic endeavor. This disappearing idea is ripe for revival, one by which modern life could surely benefit. 

It is perhaps in this spirit that the Lario thrives. Whether it’s the echo of cultures centuries-old, the ageless love of the land felt by the farmers, shepherds, masons, silk producers, and fishermen that inhabit it, or the modern excellency that has come to define the area — here, on the Lario, everything has its place; everything has its time.

In 2014, the Huffington Post crowned Lake Como as the most beautiful place in the world. Accolades aside, the lake owes some of its celebrity to celebrities themselves. When one of the foremost coveted bachelors on the planet found himself head over heels for the lake, the world couldn’t help taking notice. None other than George Clooney surrendered his heart to a historic property worth 10 million dollars, a cost worth ten times that amount today. Word travels fast, and the lake’s luster sparkled even brighter as many a Hollywood star graced the place. When Clooney was asked ‘Why Lake Como?’, he explained its effect, ‘I’ve grown more peaceful, more appreciative of all I have; I’ve found new meaning in life.’

Sleeping Beauty: Where to Stay on Lake Como

When taking a break at the lake, by all means, rest along its winding banks. Here are three top suggestions that make for an unforgettable stay.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel *****

Once nestled inside the 19th-century Villa Roccabruna, your luxury room offers a window on Lake Como’s world you won’t soon forget. The Mandarin Oriental strikes the rare chord of ‘modern made-in-Italy,’ providing you with the sleekest standard of excellence, head to toe.  

Ecstasy for the eyes as well as the palate, Chef Vincenzo Guarino presents his culinary creations at the resort’s starred L’Aria Restaurant. Follow up with their state-of-the-art fitness center before surrendering to their spa, one of the most expansive in the area, featuring private suites to indulge in signature hydro and heat-based holistic treatments inspired by the lake.  

Grand Hotel Tremezzo *****

“The Sense of the Lake” is this historic Grand Hotel’s motto, and its atmosphere is imbued with belle epoque grandeur. Housed in an art nouveau palace, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo offers a dream that transcends time. Jewel-toned interiors, plush with velvets, frame prestigious antiques and artworks against the backdrop of the crystal blue light of the lake.  

Inside, its spa and boutiques define the excellence of Lario luxury. Refresh yourself with their three swimming pools, a floating restaurant, and sunbathing along the sands of an authentic beachfront lido, complete with chaise longue and parasols. With views of Bellagio before you, let the enchantment that has drawn visitors for centuries envelop you. 

Villa d’Este

As home to the annual Ambrosetti Forum, an international economic conference held at Villa d’Este, this resort knows how to blend business with beauty. The villa, designed by Pellegrino Pelligrini (Il Tibaldi), is considered one of the most stunning architectural feats of the sixteenth century. 

Encircled by 25 hectares of lush grounds, the vast property boasts acres of centenary gardens and neoclassical monuments from the Nymphaeum of Pellegrino Pellegrini to the Fountain of Hercules and the dome-capped statue of Telemachus. Fall asleep within your suite’s frescoed walls of Master Canova’s famous French School glory and dream sweet inside the refined décor of designer Andrea Appiani.

Optimal Health: The Ultimate Luxury

As the first and foremost Italian Center of Optimal Medicine, Potenziativa® couldn’t have found a better home than on the healing shores of the Lario. Dr. Claudio Tavera’s vision is two-fold. Not stopping at resolving issues already present in the body, he means to intervene ahead of time. Applying vanguard techniques, he unlocks the body’s potential to prepare and repair itself at its deepest levels, where many of the chronic conditions and widespread malaise of our day often originate.

The Center addresses issues such as psycho-physical stress, detox, sleep disorders, and weight optimization, but the menu doesn’t end there. Clients interested in antiaging are given the assessment and attention necessary to access preventative therapeutic strategies customized to their specific code of age-optimization. These programs, developed by Dr. Tavera himself, combine medical-grade treatments to enhance metabolism and bolster and balance the body’s overall energy levels that fuel mental and physical performance.  

He has honed a library of precision-based IV therapy protocols in the EU and abroad over a decade of experience. Hailing from the world of regenerative medicine, IV or drip nutraceuticals feature prominently in his wheelhouse, delivering high-dose cocktails of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial biological compounds directly into the bloodstream. Above and beyond oral supplementation, this delivery system allows ultimate cell absorption, bypassing the stomach to sidestep any disturbance or dilution of benefits.

In addition to this replenishing protocol is Dr. Tavera’s signature work with systemic oxygen-ozone therapy or MAH. An innovative, powerhouse treatment, it has the potential to leverage a potent upgrade to the body on a global level. This medical-grade therapy cascades a series of biological effects so dynamic that the world’s only beginning to understand its full potential. To name but a few of the many benefits, the treatment is shown to dramatically improve blood circulation, reinvigorate immune response, and deliver far-reaching antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the body. 

The one-two punch of these therapies offers some of the most effective solutions medically available to date. Not stopping at enhancing the body’s overall level of physical energy to eliminate fatigue and lethargy, one’s mental acuity is sharpened too. Results alleviate such conditions as foggy brain and memory deficit disorders, whether due to age, illness, or hormonal issues. Whether curtailing recovery times after an injury, over-exertion (like jetlag or burnout), or tackling steeper symptoms that come with Long Covid Syndrome and other chronic viral or bacterial infections, these targeted therapies, while future-focused, are accessible here and now at the Potenziativa Center