Villa del Balbianello hosts Nativity Scene Night on 28 November

Villa del Balbianello hosts La Notte dei Presepi on 28 November and 5 December 2026 in Lenno, Italy. The evening programme combines nativity scenes, selected rooms and Christmas music at the lakeside mansion.

Nativity Scene Night comes to Villa del Balbianello

The event is organised by the FAI, the Italian National Trust, in collaboration with the Associazione Italiana Amici del Presepio - AIAP Tremezzina. It runs on both dates from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, with the official programme listing Villa del Balbianello as the venue. The FAI event programme names the two evenings and the collaboration.

Visitors can make self-guided visits to the gardens, Cartographer’s Room, Library, Museum of Expeditions and Primary Art Room. A selection of handmade nativity scenes will be displayed in the Segrè Loggia. The exhibition is due to remain available throughout the festive season, extending the visual programme beyond the two evening events.

The musical programme comes from the LacMus Christmas Festival. Flautist Svetlana Kapustina is listed for 28 November, while violinist Michele Manuli is listed for 5 December. The FAI programme also includes complimentary panettone and mulled wine for visitors from 6.30pm.

Villa del Balbianello links the programme to its rooms

The event reaches beyond the garden by opening named interior spaces and the Segrè Loggia for the evening. That connection gives the nativity display a direct setting within the mansion and its collections rather than treating the villa as a generic outdoor venue.

The property is an eighteenth-century mansion on a wooded promontory on Lake Como. FAI manages the site, which includes the historic garden, terraces and named architectural features such as the Durini and Segrè loggias. Its association with Guido Monzino, the last owner, is part of the site’s documented history. Further FAI background on the villa places it in Tremezzina and confirms its access routes from Lenno.

Evening access follows the lakeside route

The evening arrangement changes the usual rhythm of a visit by opening the gates at 5.30pm and closing them for exit at 8.30pm. The last entry via the lakeside pedestrian route is listed for 6.30pm, allowing time for the walk to the ticket office before the event areas are explored.

Visiting Villa del Balbianello: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• La Notte dei Presepi takes place at Villa del Balbianello on 28 November and 5 December 2026, with the programme running from 5.30pm to 8.30pm on both evenings.
• The event opens the gardens, Cartographer’s Room, Library, Museum of Expeditions, Primary Art Room and Segrè Loggia, where the nativity scenes are displayed.
• From Lenno, the lakeside pedestrian route is about 1 km, partly uphill and partly gravel, and takes around 25 minutes; it is illuminated by lanterns for the two evenings.
• Lake access is available through a taxi boat from Lido di Lenno, subject to reservation and availability. FAI does not operate that service.
• Italy’s official language is Italian and its national currency is the euro.

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Frequently asked questions about Villa del Balbianello

When does La Notte dei Presepi take place at Villa del Balbianello?

The event takes place on 28 November and 5 December 2026, from 5.30pm to 8.30pm on both evenings.

What is Villa del Balbianello?

It is an eighteenth-century mansion and historic garden on a wooded promontory of Lake Como, managed by FAI.

Where is Villa del Balbianello and how do you get there?

The property is in Tremezzina near Lenno. It can be reached on foot from Lenno or by taxi boat from Lido di Lenno.