We found Naboo in Italy!
One of the most beautiful planets in Star Wars can be found less than 50 minutes from Milan by car!What if I told you you could visit one of the most beautiful planets in the Star Wars universe? That Naboo is less than 50 minutes from Milan by car? Would you go crazy as we did? I’m sure that you would.
Bear with us while I explain exactly where it is and what you need to do to see the unique beauty of Naboo.
As a Star Wars mega-fan, episodes I and II greatly disappointed me. We all know it, and nobody can contradict this fact. But you can’t deny that the iconic wedding scene in Naboo is incredibly pretty.
You can oversee Hayden Christensen’s awful performance because Naboo’s landscape is so fascinating.
What is Naboo, and where is it?
Naboo is a small planet with green mountains and fields and blue water. And you don’t need to take a spaceship to visit the earth since Naboo is less than 1 hour away from Lombardy’s capital, the super famous city of Milan. The name you’re looking for is Villa del Balbianello.
Villa del Balbianello was chosen to be Star Wars’ most beautiful planet in one of the glacial lakes in Northern Italy. Lake Como is less than 1 hour by car from Milan to Switzerland. It is the last exit before you leave Italy’s fashion capital.
Lake Como is so beautiful that well-known celebrities like George Clooney and Madonna have homes there. A wonderful hotel with almost 10/10 ratings is only a few meters from Naboo.
How to get to Naboo
Our journey started on a delightfully sunny day in Milan with our lovely friends Nick and Marg from The Crowded Planet. We hopped in Marg’s car and drove around 50 minutes from Lambrate to Naboo. There was an option to go by public transportation, but it was our last day, and we had a limited time frame to go and come back.
One classical case of “It’s about the journey and not the destination.” Besides the natural beauty of Lake Como, the whole journey to Villa del Balbianello is a must-see. All the tiny villages with colorful medieval houses, the narrow streets, one on top of the other, the terraces, the easy life, the people… It is a mix of nature and history that only Europe can deliver.
To get there from Milan, all you need to do is get a train in Cadorna towards “Como – Staz. Autolinee” and hop on the bus Line C 10 to Lenno from this station. This bus comes every 60 minutes, and the train is every 30 minutes.
From the bus stop to the entrance of Villa del Balbianello is approximately a 10 min walk. The whole journey is 2 hours and will cost you around €10 each way.
Once you reach Naboo, you must park at the first spot you find. The further you go, the harder it will be to make a turn since everything is super narrow. After you get your car in the right spot, you’ll be presented with two options: hike for 1 km or 3. Both are outstandingly gorgeous, but as far as we know, the 3 km option is a bit more; we were exhausted after the long week and had no time to waste; we chose the shorter way.
How much is it?
Naboo is not free to visit since it is part of FAI (Fond Ambiente Italiano). FAI is responsible for restoring and maintaining historical places in Italy. The day ticket for adults is 13€ and, with a 1-hour guide (English or Italian), it is 17€. It is a bit pricy, but for their work and the quality of their work, it is fair.
A few years ago, Villa del Balbianello was in ruins; now, it is so well-preserved that Star Wars and Casino Royale
were filmed there.
This Villa is older than you think, its inauguration was in 1787, and it was left to rot for years and years. Thanks to FAI, you’re now able to experience this amazing location.
Please remember that, like most European attractions, Villa del Balbianello is open from mid-March to mid-November. Every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 am-6 pm.
We needed over 2 or 3 hours to see everything from the terrace where Anakin and Padme got married to where Anakin stares into Naboo’s scenery. Villa del Balbianello was also the set for A Month by the Lake with Uma Thurman in 1995.
The Attack of the Clones is one of the worst movies ever made, but if you’re a true Star Wars fan like me, you can’t miss it.
Villa del Balbanello
Villa del Balbianello
Via Comoedia, 5, 22016
Tremezzina CO, Italy
Fotostrasse visited Villa del Balbianello during our days at Blogville Lombardy, and it was an amazing experience.
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