Villa Monastero

An impressive sight from the lake, the Villa Monastero seems to step out of time. The sprawling neoclassical yet eclectic villa sits on the shore and commands attention. It was once a Cistercian monastery dedicated to Santa Maria, then become an aristocratic residence for the Mornico family, from 1569 until 1862. They restructured it and added a wing; their standing and penchant for entertaining attracted intellectuals and artists from around Italy and Europe. Successive owners also added and changed elements, giving it the current blend of styles that have created the villa and gardens seen today. At first glance it looks like a Renaissance-era residence, the likes of those seen on the River Brenta. Then you notice the details and styles - Moorish columns, Baroque style staircase leading down to the lake, and more.

There is a museum here - the Casa Museo - which highlights four centuries of the home's owners to show the style and taste of a lake-side retreat which attracted many influential people. A convention center operates in some of the rooms for meetings and ceremonies. But the main attraction is the extensive botanical garden that features rare and exotic plants among the terraces and hedgerows, lots of blooms and palms and cypress, that wends along the shore for nearly two kilometers.