Serene Waters: Lake Como

"I own several villas on the shores of this lake, but there are two that I particularly like. One is perched on a rock overlooking the lake, the other actually touches it.” When Pliny the Younger raved about his property on Lago di Como in a letter to a friend, he had no idea that the lake would be a bustling centre of attraction for the rich and beautiful two millenia later. Until the 1980s, the “Lario,” as the locals call it, was relatively sleepy and quiet. Its banks were mostly occupied by palazzi belonging to families who had made money from the silk trade.