Visit Laglio, Italian Lakes

Tucked well away from the bustle of Lake Como's bigger towns, the sleepy village of Laglio has an air of undiscovered seclusion. It sits at the foot of Monte Colmegnone on the southwestern leg of Lake Como, at the point the lake is quite narrow, looking across to the plunging hillsides of the far shore.

The lack of visitors gives the village an authentic, rural feel. Vines climb up stone walls, pines and palms shade well-tended gardens and stone steps lead to pastel-painted buildings and villas overlooking the shore. You can visit the 17th-century Church of Saints George and Gaetano da Thiene, which has a large stone portal from the 18th century. Inside is a polychrome marble high altar and fine stuccowork and frescoes.

The cobblestone streets leading down to the waterfront host a handful of small restaurants and bars. Fish from the lake features strongly on most menus, but it's also worth looking out for the local cheese, casoretta, made from a mixture of goat's and cow's milk.

North along the shore from Laglio brings you to the medieval village of Brienno with its narrow streets, stone stairways and tall, slender bell tower. To the south, you can reach the village of Carate Urio with its stepped lanes, archways and stone houses.

This stretch of the Como shoreline has its fair share of grand villas among the villages. The setting hasn’t gone unnoticed, and Laglio has become newsworthy in recent years as the summer home of Hollywood star George Clooney.

Clooney supposedly first saw 18th-century Villa Oleandra when the previous owners, the wealthy Heinz family, provided assistance when his motorbike broke down outside. Having succeeded in purchasing the villa he then went on to buy the Art Nouveau Villa Margherita next door to protect his privacy. The two properties connect by a stone bridge and are best seen from the water.

Other celebrities with a connection to the area include Gianni Versace, who is buried in a family tomb at the village cemetery in nearby Moltrasio.