Villa Monastero

Villa Monastero is located in Varenna, in the province of Lecco, on the shores of Lake Como. It is an eclectic villa built in a Nordic style. The villa houses a botanical garden, a museum and a conference center, and features valuable architecture, antique furniture, works of art, and a beautiful park that stretches to the Fiumelat River, with paths overlooking the lake, tall cypresses and a variety of exotic plants.

A museum was established in Villa Monastero and opened to the public in 2003. In 2005 it received official recognition from the Lombardy Region. The emblematic part of the villa, completed in 1996, has 14 rooms that retain the original decoration and furniture of its different owners. The museum has received more than 40,000 visitors. The museum also houses the optical, electronic and mechanical instruments of Giovanni Polvani.