Campeggio Boothill

You can’t come to Lake Como and not explore every inch of the coastline and its world-famous villas and mansions, and there are plenty within 45 minutes’ drive. Start with the gardens and cloisters of lakeside Piona Abbey, then move on to Castello di Vezio and its ghostly statues, the botanical gardens and museums at Villa Monastero and Villa Carlotta, and the spectacular (Star Wars location) Villa del Balbianello. There’s more to this part of Italy than fab villas though, and the rest is more than worthy of exploration too: the Via dei Monti long-distance hiking route starts in Sorico and runs for 125 kilometres down the western side of Lake Como, and the Alta Via del Lario hiking route (start in Gera Lario) winds over the mountains to Plesio. Half an hour from the site, visit the stunningly scenic Orrido di Bellano gorge and waterfall – a definite must. If you’re missing all those early activities on the water, get a little (or large) adrenaline spike at Fly Emotion Aerofune (a ziplining park) or Lake Como Adventure Park, both 40 minutes from Boothill. Up for a longer drive? Head to the city of Como at the lake’s southern tip (an hour 25 minutes away) for shopping, eating, museums, villas and a funicular that will give you views over the city and lake.