Villa del Grumello

Villa del Grumello: villa and park to visit in Como

The seventeenth-century Villa del Grumello overlooks the first basin of Lake Como just a few steps from the city center and is set in a centuries-old park of great naturalistic value and unique landscape beauty, fully restored by the Villa del Grumello Association. It is an excellent place to visit during your vacation in Como.

The park is laid out according to a romantic compositional design; the panoramic paths enhance the many viewpoints and diverse environments. Among the various species in the park, particularly noteworthy are the camphor trees, some sequoias, and a centuries-old specimen of Ginkgo biloba.

Rebuilt in the second half of the 16th century by the Milanese banker Tommaso d'Adda, it became one of the first suburban residences of the Como patriciate on the shores of Lake Lario, beloved for its enchanting view and privileged position: immersed in greenery, yet close to the urban center.
Owned among others by the Odescalchi family, then by the Giovio family, and from the second half of the 19th century by the Celesia family, the villa underwent various restoration and expansion works over the centuries. During those same years, the gatehouse and stables were likely built. Among the illustrious guests of Villa del Grumello, mention should be made of Vincenzo Monti, Alessandro Volta, and especially Ugo Foscolo, whose frequent visits to the Giovio family are commemorated by a bust placed in the garden.
In 2006, after several years of abandonment, restoration of the villa began, with the aim of giving it a new role in the cultural life of the city as a venue for cultural, entrepreneurial, scientific, and educational initiatives.

The current structure of the park is due to Count Paolo Celesia, a passionate naturalist, but the park was dear to all the owners of Villa del Grumello. The park restoration works, still ongoing and carried out with the support of expert landscape architects, have made it possible to recover numerous plants of great value and to make the many panoramic paths accessible. The park's redevelopment has restored to its former splendor the pond next to the greenhouses, the woods, the azaleas, a large centuries-old cedar, and several viewpoints overlooking Lake Como. The park's redevelopment has allowed it to be incorporated into the Kilometer of Knowledge route, of which Villa del Grumello is the hub.
Today, the villa and park host cultural and nature events and workshops, as well as being one of the most valuable points of interest for a vacation on Lake Como.

The Villa and Park of Grumello are open from April to November on Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and throughout the month of August they are open every day from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.