Neoclassical villa and free lakeside park near the centre
Photo: Lynn Van den Broeck
Why go
Villa Olmo is where Como shows its grand side. The Marquis Innocenzo Odescalchi commissioned it in the 1780s as a summer residence on the western shore, and the Swiss architect Simone Cantoni gave it a calm neoclassical front to the lake. The Comune of Como acquired it in the 1920s, and in 1927 it hosted the International Voltian Exhibition. It has hosted major art exhibitions for decades.
Today the park is the reason to come. The gardens face the lake, with the mountains of the Como branch across the water, and local sources credit hundreds of tree varieties. Allow about an hour for a slow loop and a stop on the lawns where allowed. The villa itself is closed for restoration, so check before expecting to see inside. A lakefront path continues towards Cernobbio.
Gallery
Photo: Lynn Van den Broeck
Photo: Lynn Van den Broeck
Photo: Maurizio Moro5153 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Polloscheggia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Highlights
Cantoni's design faces the lake with a restrained, symmetrical front, typical of Lombard neoclassicism. The name is said to come from an elm that grew in the garden, though one source calls the tradition undocumented. From the park you can see the villa as it was meant to be seen, across the lawns from the water.
The park runs down to the shore, with long views along the lake and across to the mountains. A 2023 Comune revision of the rules says cyclists must dismount, and lying on the lawn in front of the villa, picnics and games on the grass facing the lake are not allowed. Other green areas stay open if they are respected.
Villa Olmo has frescoed rooms, chandeliers and spaces used for exhibitions, events and guided tours. The municipal tourism page currently says the villa is closed for restoration, so none of this is available now. If you plan to see inside, ask the Comune or the tourist office for the reopening date.
The lakefront path, the Passeggiata di Villa Olmo, leads from the park along the water towards Cernobbio, which is about 2.6 km from Villa Olmo in a straight line. It is an easy, flat way to link two lakeside places on foot, with the lake always on one side.
Practical information
From the official website:
The municipal tourism page says the park is open daily from 8:00 to 19:00 and that hours may change for events and exhibitions. It also says the villa is currently closed for restoration work. A 2023 local news report on the Comune's rules gave longer seasonal hours (1 October to 4 April 7:00 to 20:00; 5 April to 30 September 7:00 to 23:00), so check the sign at the gate.
The lakeside gardens are free to enter during the day. The municipal page gives no ticket information for the villa, which is closed for restoration; exhibitions have their own tickets when held.
Information correct as of November 2026. Hours and fees can change: check on the day before you go.
Getting there
About 25 minutes on foot along the lakefront from the Cathedral area, a flat walk past the Tempio Voltiano.
Trenord train to Como San Giovanni (about 40 minutes from Milano Porta Garibaldi) or Como Nord Lago (about 1 hour from Milano Cadorna), then about 30 minutes on foot or a short local bus ride.
Boats arrive at Como's lakefront; the villa is a walk along the shore. Navigazione Laghi announced that the arrival and departure piers in Como change from 3 November 2026, so check the current pier before you go.
The official pages do not list parking at the villa: walking from the centre is the simplest option.
Insider tips
The park is open, but the villa is closed for restoration. If you are travelling for an exhibition, check with the Comune of Como before you go.
The Comune's rules ban cycling inside the park, lying on the grass in front of the villa, and picnics and games on the lawn facing the lake. Walk your bike, and use the benches and paths.
The park faces the lake, so late afternoon gives warm light on the façade and the water. Check the closing time at the gate, since hours can change.
The lakefront path continues towards Cernobbio. Walk one way and take the bus or boat back for a half day by the water without a car.
Nearby
From the Lake Como City Guide, each with its own Holiplanet page. Straight-line distances.
Restaurant · 0.2 km
A rooftop restaurant and lounge bar at Hilton Lake Como, open all year with a glass-walled greenhouse and views over the lake.
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Apulian family recipes and fresh fish, served in the centre of Como a few steps from the lake.
Discover more →Restaurant · 3.0 km
A mountain restaurant above Lake Como where polenta is stirred in a copper pot and served steaming at the table.
Discover more →Hotel · 0.4 km
An early 20th-century Liberty-style villa in Como with elegant rooms
View hotel →Hotel · 0.9 km
A hotel in the historic centre of Como with 27 rooms
View hotel →Hotel · 1.2 km
A 19th-century villa in its own park above Lake Como
View hotel →Hotel · 1.3 km
A three-star hotel in a neoclassical building on Piazza Volta
View hotel →All hotels on the Lake Como map → All things to do on the map →
Questions
The park is open to visitors and free, daily from 8:00 to 19:00 according to the municipal tourism page. The villa itself is currently closed for restoration, and it normally opens only when exhibitions are held. Check before travelling if you want to see inside.
The lakeside gardens are free during the day. The municipal page gives no ticket price for the villa, which is closed for restoration. When exhibitions are held, they have their own tickets and times.
Marquis Innocenzo Odescalchi commissioned the villa in the 1780s as a summer retreat, and the Swiss architect Simone Cantoni designed it. The Comune of Como acquired it in the 1920s, and it hosted the International Voltian Exhibition in 1927.
Yes. It is about 25 minutes on foot along the lakefront from the Cathedral area, on a flat path. The path continues along the lake, so Cernobbio is also within walking distance.
Under a 2023 revision of the Comune's rules, cyclists must dismount, and lying on the grass in front of the villa, picnics, sunbathing and games on the lakeside lawns are not allowed. Rules can change, so follow the signs at the gate.
