The beautiful town of Cernobbio is very famous for two buildings in particular: Villa d'Este, one of the most prestigious hotels in the world, frequented since the end of the 19th century by illustrious personalities, and Villa Erba, which was also inhabited by the famous Italian film director Luchino Visconti, whose rooms can currently only be visited by appointment.
Just imagine, in the area where we find the magnificent Villa Erba, with its elegant neoclassical façade, there was already a monastery in 996, which was suppressed in 1785. Converted into a mansion by successive owners, it attained its current appearance when it was purchased by the family of Carlo Erba, a well-known pharmaceutical entrepreneur.
Villa Erba has been an inspiration not only for the films of Luchino Visconti, but also for more recent films. In fact, in 2003, some scenes of the film Ocean's Twelve were filmed here, namely the encounter between the protagonist, played by George Clooney, and his rival, played by Vincent Cassel.
But there are two other really interesting treasures in Cernobbio.
First of all, Villa Pizzo, which takes its name from the promontory on which it was built, called Piz, which in the local dialect means ledge. It can only be visited by appointment, but it is really worthwhile. In addition to the rooms, during the guided tour, you can admire the beautiful gardens, both English and Italian style, within which there are no less than 10 kilometers of paths.
And then there is the Cittadella della Seta – the Citadel of Silk – which was until the 1970s a district inhabited by the working class of the textile industry, of which Cernobbio was a thriving hub, with the Villa Bernasconi house museum at its center, which is truly a must-see.
Here’s an interesting fact: in northern Italy, in 1630, there was a terrible epidemic of bubonic plague that wiped out at least one million people. Here on Lake Como, Cernobbio was one of the hardest hit locations. Only 190 inhabitants survived!
It was not until the 19th century that the village once again played an important role, first of all as a tourist resort, thanks to the splendid mansions and their wealthy guests, but from the end of the century also thanks to the flourishing textile industry and in particular the silk industry.
