Instead of taking the ferry, my tour group had a ride on a speed boat across Lake Como to Bellagio. It was drizzling from time to time, which made taking photos on a speed boat even more difficult, with my eyes focusing on the subject, and my ears listening to the guide, telling us which house belonged to who....

#01 Acquired by the Municipality of Como, open to the public during exhibitions.

#02 Owner: Sophia Loren.

#03 Once owned by composer and violinist Paganini and later Mussolini's daughter. Hitchcock lived and made a movie here.

#04 Villa Erba, built by the aristocrat Erba's family and inherited by daughter Carla Erba, whose son became the renowned film director Luchino Visconti. In 1986, it was bought by a public consortium to use for expositions and conferences. Inside the mansion there's a museum called "Rooms of Visconti".

#06 Part of Villa d'Este, now the luxurious Hotel d'Este.

#07 A mansion once used by Mussolini as a hideout.

#08 Owned by Teresa Heinz and John Kerry.

#09 Villa Oleandra, current owner: George Clooney.

#13-15 Villa la Cassinella, belongs to the owner of Virgin Airlines Richard Branson.

#16-17 Villa del Balbianello, now belongs to the National Trust of Italy.

#18-21 Town of Nesso, with a small pier shown in #18, famous for the waterfall (#20) and the Roman bridge.

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