Category Archives: People

Love, War and Death on Lake Como – The Tragic End of Gina Ruberti

Posted on January 26, 2023 by comocompanion

It is most unlikely that current guests at Blevio’s Mandarin Oriental are reminded of the tragedy that took place on the night of 3rd May 1946 when a famous resident of the Villa Roccabruna drowned in the lake while attempting to cross back home from Moltrasio. That person was Gina Ruberti, better known as Gina Mussolini – the dictator’s daughter-in-law. Continue reading →

Posted in History, Lake, People | Tagged blevio, Bruno Mussolini, Como, Gina Ruberti, History, Lake Como, Mandarin Oriental, Mussolini, Villa Roccabruna | Leave a comment

The Queen of England’s Como Court

Posted on October 6, 2022 by comocompanion

For a brief period a royal wife and future Queen of Britain held court in Cernobbio – the tragic tale of Queen Caroline of Brunswick and the luxury hotel, Villa D’Este Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Gardens, History, Lake, People | Tagged Baron Pergami, Bartolomeo Pergami, cernobbio, Como, General Pino, George IV, Lake Como, Napoleon, Prince Regent, Princess Caroline, Princess Charlotte, Sir Thomas Lawrence, Teatro Sociale, villa d'este, Villa Sucota | 2 Comments

Como’s Latest Art Acquisition

Posted on May 8, 2022 by comocompanion

The Salone d’Onore in Como’s art gallery could now be renamed the St Michael room now it has acquired another Baroque canvas depicting the warrior saint – by Paolo Pagani Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged Archangel, Art museum, baroque, Castello, Cesare Pagani, Frescoes, Lake Lugano, Nymphs, Paolo Pagani, Saint Michael, Satyrs, Valsolda | Leave a comment

Como’s Heart Lies in the Bronx

Posted on April 25, 2022 by comocompanion

Como’s loss is New York’s gain – the heart of Piazza Cavour transplanted in 1903 to the Bronx Zoo, leaving a barren space in the middle of the city. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, History, People, Uncategorized | Tagged Bronx Zoo, Daniele Travi, fountains, marble, Sebastiano Mondolfo, sorsasso, Villa Volonte, William Rockefeller | Leave a comment

‘James Bond’ Returns to Lake Como

Posted on March 11, 2022 by comocompanion

Dick ‘James Bond’ Mallaby’s second secret mission to Lake Como has him posing as Capt. Richard Tucker with a proposal that would put him at the centre of a diplomatic maelstrom as victors and vanquished seek to shape a new European order following the collapse of Nazi Germany. Continue reading →

Posted in Events, History, Lake, People, Politics | Tagged Allen Dulles, Dick Mallaby, Don Giovanni Barbareschi, double agents, Fiamme Verdi, Jock McCaffery, Joseph Voetterl, KArl Wolff, OSS, Schuster, SOE, spies, Villa Carminati, Villa Locatelli | Leave a comment

Como to Chiasso – Trying to Escape the Holocaust

Posted on February 10, 2022 by comocompanion

Como witnessed the Holocaust – due to its border with Switzerland, Como became a place of both treachery and humanity – offering the opportunity for salvation or the road to extermination Continue reading →

Posted in History, People, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged Antisemitism, Binario 21, Bisbino, CDEC, Guido Levi, holocaust, Holocaust victims, Joseph Votterl, Luigi del Monte, Luigina Ascoli, Race Laws, San Donnino, Shoah, Valle di Muggio, Villa Carminati, Villa Locatelli | Leave a comment

Lake Como Boatyards: The Champions

Posted on November 26, 2021 by comocompanion

Lake Como has a long tradition of boat building and through the 20th century achieved world class renown for producing sailing yachts and powerboats, thus earning a reputation for quality that lasts to this day. Continue reading →

Posted in History, industry, Lake, People, Uncategorized | Tagged 3 point hydroplanes, Abbate, Achille Castoldi, Alfa Romeo, Balbianello, boats, Cantiere, Ezio Selva, Ferrari, Folli, Guido Monzino, idrovolante, Lariovela, Laura, Lillia, mario verga, Moschettiere, Mostes, powerboats, regatta, Star Class, Taroni, Timossi, Tullio, yachts | Leave a comment

Dolinski ‘Sui Muri’ of Como’s Villa del Grumello

Posted on October 27, 2021 by comocompanion

Dolinski ‘Sui Muri’ of Como’s Villa del Grumello. A figurative art that appears abstract, a personal art that is universally accessible. Her subject matter has moved from the sky out of her window to walls and now on to the mountains above Como, Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged Art, Borgovico 33, Cornell, Culture, Debra Dolinski, Dolinski, Exhibitions, local artists, migrants, Movimento 22, Ossuccio | Leave a comment

Como’s Changing Lakefront

Posted on August 5, 2021 by comocompanion

Como is justifiably famous for the beauty of its natural surroundings and of its ancient walled city, for the inventiveness and quality of its silk production and for the creativity and skills of its artists and artisans throughout the centuries. The list of positives does not end there but it also ranks as the city with the longest, worst managed and corrupted civil engineering project throughout Northern Italy – but an end to the flood defence project is finally in sight. Continue reading →

Posted in crime, Lake, People, Politics | Tagged Amici di Como, ANAC, Como, flood defences, floods, Lake Como, lakefront, Mario Lucini, paratie, Pietro Gilardoni, Roberto Maroni, SACAIM | Leave a comment

‘James Bond’ drops into Lake Como

Posted on June 8, 2021 by comocompanion

A real ‘James Bond’ secret agent drops into Lake Como, is immediately arrested but eventually acts as the facilitator of the Italian Armistice in September 1943 – a story truly stranger than fiction Continue reading →