In 2018 George Clooney reportedly offered more than $110 million to buy it, without success: Villa Besana, “pieds dans l’eau” on the lake at Lierna, remains one of the unattainable dreams of the international jet set.
Also known as Villa Aurelia, the villa was built in 1921 and takes its name from the architect who designed it. Its eclectic Art Nouveau style, with terraces and balconies looking directly onto the water, makes it one of the most striking residences on the Lecco branch of the lake: it is surrounded by an extensive park that reaches down to the lake, where two stone boat landings allow guests’ yachts to moor directly. Inside, the original Art Nouveau furnishings still coexist with fine multicoloured stained-glass windows and wrought-iron decorations.
This is not the first time Villa Besana has found itself at the centre of international attention: before Clooney’s reported attempt, Sylvester Stallone is also said to have tried, unsuccessfully, to buy it over the past twenty years. Such interest is hardly surprising, given that Clooney already owns, on the opposite shore of the lake, the famous Villa Oleandra in Laglio: a hypothetical move to Lierna would be a genuine turn of events for the town from a tourism standpoint.
The botanical garden surrounding the villa, with rare tree species set along its footpaths, and the proximity to the striking Riva Bianca beach - one of the most photographed in Lombardy - make this corner of Lierna a stop well worth including on a walk along the Sentiero del Viandante.