No we haven’t seen him – but George Clooney is omnipresent around the lake Como. He seems to keep everybody’s fantasy busy, mens’ as well as womens’. So busy, that during dinner on the first evening – on the lake-view terrace of the charming Terminus Hotel in Como – I looked at the waiter and think: oh wow, that is him!!! Whereon my colleague Eleonora shares my vision and he says yes, he knows! He is often asked to perform as a GC look-alike and was already in TV and all kinds of publications! Can you imagine!

Indeed, at Lake Como you can savor the glamour, the beauty and the best in hospitality infrastructure of La Bella Italia everywhere you go and all people there seem to thoroughly enjoy their life. They also seem to have the money to do so …

I am just coming back from Italy, where I was lucky enough to spend 2 days on a VIP site inspection, together with the winner of a research we did for Villa Erba – Mr. Heiko Heuschele of COREVENTUS GmbH near Stuttgart.

Even though the time was short, the program was so intense that I returned with the feeling of having spent a week and I thought I just recap for you what we have done and seen while being guest of Villa Erba and Lake Como Events!

Villa Erba is just stunning. The former residence of Luchino Visconti is located in a park with beautiful old and huge trees, a botanical path and – of course – its own jetty. Other parks have a pond, this one has a whole lake! Lake Como, with its deep and cool waters and dark green to blue colours, it is an ever changing canvas providing splendid background for all events taking place at Villa Erba. The historic Villa is kept the same plant cover with Ivy (I think… forgive me if something else is growing there) as in Visconti’s times and the owners have spared a flight of rooms in the first floor as a museum, reminding of the times of great Italian film maker.

For me, it is always fascinating how empty venues turn into great locations by capable event organizers. We ourselves at tmf dialogue set up only smaller events for our clients, but to turn a huge space into something special, by using light, decoration, accessories etc. is something that I find really impressive.

The date of the visit was planned on occasion of the annual BMW Concorso d’Eleganza – an exhibition and presentation and parade of the finest historic cars and motorbikes, which is split between the Villa d’Este (the premium 5 star historic hotel) and Villa Erba. Villa Erba was used for a presentation to invited guests and international press on Saturday, and on Sunday it was open to the public.
The great Gatsby would have fitted here – and indeed some of the guests wore outfits in the style of the time of the cars. And all that on a bright sunny beautiful day with a light breeze from the lake. It can’t get any better, that is for sure.

We spent much time in the space of Villa Erba, but we had to see some more; so we were taken on a speedy mahogany Riva boat to explore hotels and venues along the lake. And of course, we passed GC’s villa on the lake, learned that he also owns a guest house next to his garden (it’s a park!) and smiled about the people passing by on a pedalo. It is easy to develop a bit of a snobbish attitude when riding in an elegant boat coming from Villa Erba.

First stop of our tour was the Grand Hotel Tremezzo (www.grandhoteltremezzo.com) – elegantly and dominantly positioned over the lake, with a terrace to have an easy summer lunch with lake-view. Whereas the lakeside is the key asset, the hotel also is very proud on the wonderful garden behind the building, climbing up the rather steep landscape. With this position and ambiance it seems logic that the hotel is a much-favored spot for weddings, but they also offer a dedicated set-up for proposing! Secluded, with great view and torches all way up to the little platform, where a romantic dinner will be served. We did not see the torches, as it was midday, but it is easy to imagine …

For lunch we had to try a typical Pizza Margarita, according to our Villa Erba hosts, Signore Piero Bonasegale and Eleonora Bresciani, the only true Italian Pizza. The waiters were a bit struck by our – what they probably considered a bit banal – request but then got us a pizza from the pool area, to start our lunch with. And it was great 🙂 !

A bit tired from the glass of wine we had (a delicious Lugano) we then entered our boat again to transfer to the nearby Villa Balbianello – I do not give you a detailed explanation about this place, just see the video of a sample wedding done at this Villa and you will experience your own creeps.


We added another stop at Bellagio, the place from which all three arms of the Lake Como come together and walked to the “Punto” and then had an ice cream under the Platane trees (am I making your mouth water?) before speeding all the way back along the west arm of the lake to Villa Erba.

I hope this could give you a little of the feeling of Villa Erba and the environment. Ask us if you plan an event there! You can use the historic villa and the modern conference centre in the park together or separately and there are many professional partners who will be able to help you! Special package rates can be made available in the low season (October – January) where weather is also beautiful!

Johanna Fischer
Managing director
tmf dialogue marketing