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Celebrating Your Inner Italian

My Dolce Vita

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Jean Salvadore (left) with SimpleItaly's Sharon Sanders.

Jean Salvadore (left) with SimpleItaly’s Sharon Sanders in the lobby of Villa D’Este.

How does one train to be the international ambassador for Villa d’Este, one of the grandest hotels on earth?

The legacy is daunting. Villa d’Este was built in 1568 on Lago di Como as a Cardinal’s summer palace. In 1873, it was transformed into a luxury hotel that has pampered and protected its guests. Many, certainly not all, are celebrated: musicians from Giuseppe Verdi to Bruce Springsteen. . . statesmen Jawaharlal Nehru of India to Prince Ranier of Monaco. . . writers Mark Twain to Joseph Heller. . . film directors Alfred Hitchcock to Woody Allen. . . fashion designers Bill Blass to Donna Karan. . . and on and on.

So, does one train to be the public face of such a legendary property? No, one simply has to be Giovanna “Jean” Govoni Salvadore.

I met Jean on a tour of Villa d’Este as she greeted our Central Holidays-sponsored group of journalists and travel counselors. She seemed so down to earth, putting us at ease with warm words and cool Prosecco. Simply chic in black trousers accessorized with a lipstick red walking stick and knit top, I sensed that at age 85, she is cooler than I’ll ever be if I live to be 185.

Her latest achievement is My Dolce Vita: A Memoir which is as irresistible as it is inspiring. As for so many of her generation, WW II shaped her life in ways she could probably not have imagined as a child.

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Villa del Balbianello

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Just knowing that a place like Villa del Balbianello exists makes me happy.

But visiting Villa del Balbianello makes me even happier.

Courtesy of Province of Como Tourism

Perched on a cliff on the western shore of the southwest leg of Lake Como, Villa del Balbianello can be accessed by boat—an approach that sets the mood of romance right from the start.

Villa del Balbianello's private marina.

My group of travel agents and journalists, on a fam trip sponsored by New Jersey-based Central Holidays, disembarked at the private marina and entered the gates to paradise. Climbing up the steep gravel path, my memory flashed back to the exquisite Villa Cimbrone in Ravello. (Note to Como Tourist Board: Don’t be offended by the comparison. If I had been to Balbianello first, the evaluation could easily be reversed.)

The chapel facade marked by two distinctive bell towers is all that remains of the convent of an order of Capuchin monks.

Twin Capuchin Towers.

The present Villa and Loggia were constructed in the late 1700s by Cardinal Durini who wanted a quiet summer place to read books. After the Cardinal died, the property passed through several owners and was abandoned for nearly 40 years around the late 19th and early  20th Century.

Enter American soldier and statesman Butler Ames of Massachusetts who purchased and restored the property. The next owner Guido Monzino was a prominent Milanese businessman and avid explorer (he climbed Mount Everest in 1973.) He converted part of the Villa into a private museum filled with his collection of rare art pieces and souvenirs.

Hydrangeas and Cypress.

Fortunately for all of us, Monzino willed Villa del Balbianello to FAI, Fondo Ambiente Italiano, a private not-for-profit organization devoted to preserving Italy’s artistic and natural treasures. That’s how a lucky person like me—or you—can tour the grounds for 6€  (there’s an additional fee to enter the museum). There’s even a convenient public ferry from the town of Como up to the Villa stop (the town of Lenno).

For those with bigger bucks, the Villa is available for booking. Private weddings take place here and movies are made: the Bond film Casino Royale and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones to name two.

The Villa's hilltop loggia.

 

If you can’t get to Villa del Balbianello right away, don’t fret. You can visit via this delightful video that was taped in early spring. The plants are bare, just coming out of dormancy, but you get a wonderful perspective on the majesty of the Villa and grounds.

What spot would you nominate for one of the most beautiful in Italy?

 

View looking south from Villa del Balbianello's terrace.

The Clooney Effect

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This much is true. I was on Lake Como last week participating in a fabulous fam trip sponsored Central Holidays.

However, I will neither confirm nor deny rumors that I had anything to do with Oscar-winner George Clooney’s breakup with the Sardinian velina Elisabetta Canalis.

As for the insinuations that I was stalking George? Laughable. I never got any closer to his villa than the distance from the sight-seeing boat.

All I know about the situation is what I read in the media.

As I sipped my secondo cappuccino on the morning of Tuesday, June 21, I read in La Provincia that George and Ely had been spotted sharing a romantic dinner on the lake. The article featured a photo capture from The Globe Web site. “La Favola Continua” . . . “the fairytale continues” proclaimed the headline.

So, I was as shocked as everyone with the announcement a day later:

“We are not together anymore,” People.com quoted the celebrities as saying in a joint statement.

“It’s very difficult and very personal, and we hope everyone can respect our privacy.”

No reason was given for the split.

Media reports point to George’s displeasure with Elisabetta publicly using the “M” word.

As George told CNN’s Piers Morgan in a recent interview, he has tried marriage and — basta –once is enough. (Here’s a trivia nugget: George’s ex-wife, actress Talia Balsam plays the role of Mona Sterling on AMC’s Mad Men. She’s married to actor John Slattery who plays Roger Sterling.)

While us glamor-starved gawkers fret over George’s romantic relationships, the folks on Lake Como care only about his residential entanglements. His purchase of a villa on Lake Como has been very, very, very good for local tourism– “The Clooney Effect,” as Leoni Luca, Vice Sindaco for the commune di Bellagio put it.

Frankly, I think George might want to spend a little bit less time dating and focus on keeping up the property. The roof really looks as if  it needs some work.