7 nights from £635
The Italian lakes have always attracted travellers in search of beauty and peace as well as wealthier settlers who built the villas and gardens that have helped to shape the region. The golden age came in the 19th century when its romantic scenery and equable climate attracted the likes of Queen Victoria, Flaubert, Tennyson and Liszt. Lake Como takes its dreamlike atmosphere from flower-filled gardens reflected in the water, secluded villas amidst flowering trees, little lakeside towns with steep narrow streets and pastel houses of pink and yellow, all set against the dramatic backdrop of the southern Alps.
