Villa del Balbianello Star Wars & James Bond Location Guide
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It makes sense that there is a James Bond Lake Como filming location. After all, Bond is a glamorous guy, and the Italian Lakes region is a glamorous place.
But did you ever imagine that a lakeside manor would stand in as a palace in a galaxy far, far away?! The Villa del Balbianello Star Wars locations might prove you wrong!
Villa del Balbianello began its existence as a 13th-century Franciscan monastery.
It’s often mistaken for ‘Villa Balbiano’, a fancy wedding venue further along the banks.
In 1787, Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini converted the religious building into an elegant summer holiday villa. Subsequent owners added and improved the villa and the terraced gardens.
The last private owner was explorer and businessman Guido Monzino, who, on his death in 1988, bequeathed the property to the Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI), the National Trust of Italy.
Some time afterwards, the villa became a notable filming location!
It’s a popular place to visit in Lake Como. Star Wars fans, James Bond fans, and regular tourists alike all appreciate this beautiful lakeside estate.
I visited Villa del Balbianello on a day trip from Milan to Como in April 2023.
In fact, seeing this villa in real life was my main reason for planning the day trip.
It’s a super-easy place to visit, but you need to know how to navigate the ferry boat service. Plus, it may not be super obvious where the filming locations are on the property.
I’ve created this guide based on my experience and knowledge of the two movies. It will tell you everything you need to know to plan your own trip to visit the Lake Como Star Wars villa and the Casino Royale villa.
Every single filming location, how to get there, where to stay … It’s all here.
Pack your license to kill and your lightsaber and let’s travel to Italy!
Every Villa del Balbianello Star Wars Filming Location
This Lake Como Star Wars location appears in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002). It’s the second film in the prequel trilogy, and the fifth movie in the series overall.
This movie is set 10 years after the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999).
It stands in Varykino, the palatial lakeside retreat for Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman). It’s located in Padmé’s home planet of Naboo, where she served as Queen, then Senator.
The pair get married here and enjoy newlywed bliss for a short time. This is despite the Jedi code forbidding romance!
So, let’s break down every Villa del Balbianello Star Wars scene so you know exactly where to visit.
1. Establishing Shot from the water
The first Villa del Balbianello Star Wars location is an establishing shot of the villa with a bird’s eye POV. Of course, George Lucas enhanced the villa with CGI so it looks more spacey!
Get a similar view of this Naboo/Lake Como palace from the ferry.
2. Stairs from the Boat Dock
Padmé and Anakin also arrive at the villa by boat. However, they don’t have to dock at the Lenno Ferry Terminal and walk 30 minutes!
There is a private dock with a stone staircase leading up to the lower level of the terrace.
The first two Lake Como Star Wars locations are briefly on-screen, but they paint a beautiful picture of this villa.
3. Lower level Terrace near the big tree
After ascending the stairs, Padmé and Anakin reach the lower level of the villa’s terrace. They share their first kiss here!
Later in the movie, they get married in the same spot.
This location is easy to find once you spot the majestic holm oak tree. It’s known as the ‘umbrella’ or ‘candelabra’ tree. Once a year, gardeners spend two weeks meticulously pruning the leaves into a perfect domed canopy.
Padmé and Anakin always stand by the stone wall with flower arrangements underneath this tree.
The mountains in the distance are pretty similar to those visible in the movie, despite the CGI enhancements.
4. Villa’s Loggia
The ‘villa’ part of the Villa del Balbianello estate is fairly compact. But it’s large enough for Padmé and Anakin’s bedroom.
The first part of the villa seen on-screen is the loggia. Anakin has a nightmare, so he runs outside to get some air.
(A loggia is a covered room or hallway on the outside of an Italian building, often held up by columns.)
Anakin dreams about his home on Tatooine and sees his mother in pain. Padmé runs out to comfort him.
Just like the Star Wars location on the lower level terrace, it boasts gorgeous views across Lake Como!
5. Villa’s Interior
This is technically a deleted scene and did not appear in the final cut of Attack of the Clones.
But it shows the villa shot from below, the interiors, and inside Padmé and Anakin’s bedroom. While packing, Padmé shares details from her past life with Anakin and talks about her childhood bedroom.
Sadly, I didn’t book my tickets in advance, so I missed the guided tour inside the villa!
Every Villa del Balbianello James Bond Filming Location
Villa del Balbianello is just one of the Casino Royale Italy locations.
Director Martin Campbell filmed in Venice and also Villa La Gaeta on Lake Como. Casino Royale was also filmed in the Czech Republic, the UK, and the Bahamas.
Villa del Balbianello acts as a retreat/private clinic where James Bond (Daniel Craig) convalesces after being tortured by Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen). Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) assists in his recovery there.
There aren’t many Villa del Balbianello Casino Royale locations, but let’s break them down anyway.
1. Villa’s Lower Level Terrace
Bond is sitting in a hospital bed on the lawn of the villa’s lower-level terrace.
You can see the domed holm oak tree, the rest of the lower garden, and Lake Como in the background.
2. Gardens Outside the Villa
The next time we see Bond, he’s looking a little better. He’s moved to the lawn just outside of the villa and is sitting in a garden chair with his beloved Vesper in the seat next to him.
This is the opposite side of the villa to the loggia. You can’t really see any shots of the lake at this angle.
Tips for Visiting Villa del Balbianello on Lake Como
How To Get To Villa del Balbianello
Villa del Balibianello is located in the comune of Tremezzina in Italy. It used to be called Lenno, Italy, until 2014.
To be honest, this is still the most commonly used name. The nearest ferry terminal to Villa del Balbianello is ‘Lenno’.
I started my journey to the villa from Milan.
Trains from Milano Centrale station to Como San Giovanni station take 40 minutes and depart daily and frequently. It’s a regional service, so you don’t need to book a train ticket in advance.
Turn up at the station a little while beforehand to buy a return ticket from the machines. Return tickets are usually less than $15. I used Google Maps to navigate the train timetables.
Ferry From Como to Lenno
Walk approximately 15 minutes from Como San Giovanni station to the Como Ferry Terminal, or take a taxi.
There are fast ferry services with fewer stops and slower services with more stops. Luckily, Lenno is usually a stop on both!
You can tell which one is which by the travel time. Fast ferries take around 30 minutes to sail from Como to Lenno. Slow services take around 90 minutes and sometimes even longer!
The first departure from Como to Lenno is around 7:30 AM. The last service from Lenno to Como is usually around 6:30 PM.
Absolutely check the ferry timetable before your trip. Don’t trust Google Maps! The schedule changes from season to season, and the departure times are often sporadic.
If you’re travelling in peak season, at least book a ferry ticket from Como to Lenno. Don’t worry too much about booking a return, but services departing from Como are often busy.
I didn’t book tickets in advance because I travelled in April. But there was a super long queue at the ticket booth!
From Lenno Ferry Terminal, it’s a 30-minute walk to Villa del Balbianello.
Bus From Como to Lenno
Sailing from Como to Lenno is a great way to visit the villa, plus sail on the beautiful alpine lake. Win-win!
However, you might prefer to travel by road.
You’ll need the C10 bus service direct from Como San Giovanni station. It’s a 45-minute journey to Lenno Bar Ambra bus stop.
Paying for buses in Italy can be quite a challenge for tourists. There might be a ticket machine at the station, but I’m not sure. Sometimes you can only pay in cash, sometimes you can buy tickets from the driver, but it’s not clear.
I recommend downloading the Arriva My Pay app so you can buy tickets via your credit or debit card online and save yourself the hassle.
After you alight the bus, it’s roughly a 25-minute walk to Villa del Balbianello.
Taxi From Como to Lenno
Usually, taxis wait outside Como San Giovanni station.
It’s approximately a 30-minute drive from here to Lenno, and journeys cost around €50 – €60. Most taxis will accept credit card payments, but double-check with the driver before you hop in!
No, it’s not a cheap journey. But it’s not too expensive to split between four people, and potentially worth it for those with limited mobility.
Villa del Balbianello OPening Times
Always check the opening times on the villa’s website before visiting. They differ depending on season, month, and day of the week!
Generally, the villa is open from 10:00 AM-6:00 PM every day except Mondays and Wednesdays when it is closed from April to October.
Last admission to the villa is 4:00 PM, and last admission to the villa’s grounds is 5:00 PM.
From November to March, Villa del Balbianello is open on certain days from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM.
It’s a popular events venue and can close on seemingly random dates. Again, check the calendar before planning your trip!
Villa del Balbianello Tickets
Buy tickets to the park only or the park and villa tour combined. Plan ahead if you want to explore both because the combined tickets always sell out.
When I rocked up without a ticket on an April afternoon, I could only visit the park.
The full combined ticket price for Villa del Balbianello’s park and guided villa tour is €25.
A guided tour is the only way to visit the villa. They last 45 minutes and you can choose a time when you buy a ticket.
Full-price park-only tickets currently cost €14. There are lots of concession options for students, children, and more.
Book via the villa’s official ticketing system here.
If the tickets on the official website are sold out, you can often find them on third-party sites.
I love booking tours and tickets through GetYourGuide because they have a fantastic cancellation policy.
Buy a Villa del Balbianello park-only ticket here.
Park and guided villa tours are available right here.
Where To Stay Near Villa del Balbianello
Lenno
Do you want to stay as close to Villa del Balbianello as possible? Book Hotel Lenno.
Also known as Albergo Lenno, this elegant four-star hotel is right on the harbour. Its wooden ceilings offer bags of charm.
Plus, there’s an outdoor pool!
Como
Alternatively, Como is the most well-connected city on Lake Como. It has dozens of restaurants, bars, and shops and is only a ferry ride from the villa or a train away from Milan.
Albergo Firenze is well-located in Piazza Volta. This cosy three-star hotel offers modern rooms in a historical building.
Budget travellers might prefer to stay in Ostello Bello Lake Como. I’ve had great experiences with this hostel chain, and it’s the best way to meet other travellers.
Bellagio
Just across Lake Como from Villa del Babianello, the small town of Bellagio is an excellent choice.
You’d be hard pressed to find somewhere better to stay than Agriturismo Il Colle.
Agriturismo means agro-tourism. Often, it’s a family-run guesthouse that grows produce (lemons, grapes, tomatoes, etc.) on the grounds.
It’s a short walk from the ferry terminal, and the rooms are bright and comfortable. Breakfast is included!
Milan
I visited Villa del Balbianello on a day trip from Milan. If you’re doing the same, here are some Milan accommodation suggestions.
Check out the NYX Hotel Milan by Leonardo Hotels. It’s a surprisingly affordable four-star hotel near Milan Central Station and several metro lines.
Rooms are vibrant and modern. Plus, the rooftop bar offers amazing views of Milan!
Budget travellers should book a stay at Ostello Bello Milano Duomo. Again, it’s a highly-rated and consistently great hostel chain.
Ostello Bello has several locations in Milan, but only this one has a Duomo view.
Where To Eat Near Villa del Balbianello
After alighting the ferry, I ate lunch on the terrace outside Bistrò Il Golfo. I ordered the saffron risotto, and it was pretty nice!
Not the tastiest thing I ate during my month-long trip to Italy, but that would be difficult.
I also ordered gelato from La Fabbrica del Gelato. It was more spendy than most other gelaterias, and they wouldn’t allow you to order two flavours in their small size, which is unusual.
However, it was delicious gelato! And it fuelled me for the scenic 30-minute walk to Villa del Balbianello through the park.
Villa del Balbianello TourS
Skip all the travel logistics and opt for a Lake Como, Villa del Balbianello, and Varenna Day Tour from Milan.
This is what the Villa del Balbianello tour includes:
- 2nd-class round-trip regional train ticket from Milano Centrale to Varenna
- Public round-trip boat ticket from Varenna to Lenno
- Entrance ticket to the Park of Villa del Balbianello (not the guided villa tour)
- Entrance ticket for Villa Monastero in Varenna
- 24-hour assistance before and during your excursion
It’s independent, so you won’t get a guide, but it includes everything else.
You can absolutely take care of all the tickets and logistics yourself, but this is a highly-rated service from Get Your Guide.
If you would prefer to pay a little extra to spend less time planning, this tour is a great deal!
That’s a Wrap!
Visiting the Villa del Balbianello Star Wars and Casino Royale locations was the highlight of my trip to Lake Como.
If you’re also a movie fan, I’m sure it will be yours too!
Use this guide to plan the perfect trip to Naboo or the James Bond villa.
Looking to connect with like-minded filming location hunters and nerds? Want to chat about Star Wars, James Bond, or your trip to Lake Como?
Join the Filming Locations Fan Club Facebook Group!
Or, stay on the site and read one of my related guides:
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Hello! Do you know of any star wars guides for visiting the villa?
Hello! Do you mean like an in-person tour guide?