AIR CONNECTIONS

The closest major airport is Milan's Malpensa (MXP). Milan's Linate (LIN) is another choice, though a bit further away. Travel time from Malpensa to Carlazzo is about 1 hour 45 minutes by car. Other major airport options are Geneva, Berne, or Zurich, all in Switzerland. Lugano has a regional airport, and you might want to find out how much extra the cost is to transfer from any major European city to Lugano. It is the closest airport to the Villa. All of these airports have bus and/or train connections to central Lugano, which is only a 30 minute car ride to the villa.

You can either rent your car at an airport and drive to the Villa, or travel to Lugano and rent a car there.

CAR RENTAL

You will need a car for your stay in Carlazzo. A good rental broker is Auto Europe at 1-800-223-5555 or http://www.autoeurope.com.

Be aware that the driving in Italy is fast, curvy, and tight. Portions of the road from Lugano to Carlazzo are especially narrow. You just need to be alert and cautious. A good overall guide for driving in European countries can be found at http://www.ideamerge.com/motoeuropa.

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

Buses and Trains
Although there are buses that travel between Menaggio on Lake Como and Lugano in Switzerland which pass close to Villa Isella, you will need a car to get to the Villa and explore the gorgeous surrounding countryside. If you are planning day trips or even overnighters to places like Venice, Florence, the Alps, etc., and do not wish to drive the full distance, look into Eurail Passes or individual train tickets from Lugano.

A few good web sites are:

Eurail passes vs. individual tickets
http://www.railpass.com/EURAIL/articles/planning.htm

Train schedules
http://bahn.hafas.de

Boat and Ferry Schedules
Both Lake Como and Lake Lugano have ferries that can transport you to incredibly beautiful places, all easy day trips from Villa Isella. For example, scenic Bellagio and Varenna, both on Lake Como, are a 12 minute car ride to Menaggio, plus a 15 minute ferry ride. http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/italia/navicomo/indicecomo.htm (though it is not always up-to-date)

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