Villa Carlotta is a beautiful house and botanic garden set in over 70.000 square metres of gardens on the edge of Lake Como in the small village of Tremezzo.

The villa was built at the end of 17th century by the Milanese marquis Giorgio Clerici in a natural basin between lake and mountains, facing the dolomite Grignas and the peninsula of Bellagio. The architect created an important but sober building, with an Italian garden decorated with sculptures, stairs and fountains. 

In 1801 Gian Battista Sommariva, a famous politician, businessman and patron of arts, bought the villa. The villa became a temple of 19th century art with works of Canova, Thorvaldsen and Hayez: Palamedes, to name just a few. The last kiss of Romeo and Juliet are only some of the masterpieces that enrich the extraordinary collection. Under Sommariva part of the park was transformed in a fascinating romantic garden. 

The villa was sold in 1843 to Princess Marianne of Nassau, Albert's of Prussia wife, who gave it as a present to her daughter Carlotta on the occasion of her wedding to George II of Saxen-Meiningen. Hence the name Villa Carlotta. George enriched the vast gardens which are of great historical and environmental value. The gardens of Villa Carlotta chiefly owe their reputation to the rhododendrons' and azaleas' spring flowering, consisting of over 150 different varieties.