Visiting Italy's Lake District: Part IXb - Villa Carlotta and Birthday Celebration

After being wonderfully sated by our delicious meal, our intrepid group was not allowed to sit on its laurels.  We were gathered up once again, albeit reluctantly on the part of some who wouldn't have minded simply staying put.  But we were bound for another short trek along the lake to the village of Tremezzo to visit the Villa Carlotta.

The Villa Carlotta dates from the early 18th century.  In the early 19th century, the romantic gardens for which it is best known came into being.  In the latter half of the 19th century, the villa was purchased by Princess Marianne of Nassau, the wife of Prince Albert of Prussia.  It was then given to their daughter, Carlotta, to celebrate her marriage to the Grand Duke of Sax-Meiningen.   Carlotta herself died at age 23, but it is by her name that we know the villa today.

The fountains, full of lily pads, provide a cooling sensation, welcome on hot days. 

Through the graceful wrought-iron gates, Lake Como glitters and gleams.

There are arbors where oranges flourish overhead,

while other plants grasp tenaciously at tiny crevices in mossy weathered walls.

A couple young women - students perhaps? - use elbow grease to clean moss from the balustrades.

I snapped a couple photos inside the villa before realizing that picture-taking was not allowed.  Apologies, but since I have them, here they are!

From the Villa Carlotta, some of us took the public bus for the return to Menaggio, others stayed for the full tour of the famous gardens and still others of the hardiest hikers walked back to Menaggio along the lakeside.  Even then, the days events were not finished.  It was Guide K's birthday, so the hotel offered complimentary champagne and cake to all of us!

As you can believe, we all enjoyed the event very, very much!