Corte del Governo 565: an ancient, yet unfinished tale and the best of italian hospitality on the shores of Lake Como
Walking through the central village of Rozzo, a hamlet of Lezzeno on the shores of the western branch of Lake Como, you will find yourself walking among thick walls that contain centuries of history. This is where, in 588 the Lombard armies of King Autari besieged the last Roman fortress in the Alps, after even Milan fell. This is where the impregnable mother fortress on the Comacina Island and the rock of Rokè, today's Rozzo, reject any attempt by the invaders to seize the immense treasure kept in what is the last strip of the Roman Empire of Mauritius.
There were once and there are still today the walls and the plasters and the stones and terracotta tiles that resounded with the screams of the Syrian, Heruli, Greek and Latin soldiers. There was once and there is still today a capsule forgotten by time that has guarded the remote atmospheres and the emotions of those men and women, so that we could enjoy the depth of history.
Lezzeno has since been a small, quiet village that seems forgotten by the noise and confusion of time. Like a handful of shells lying on the sand, its pale-plastered houses border the shores of the lake. Behind the village a thick wood climbs up the slopes of the mountains, shielding it from the rest of the world. In front, however, the gaze opens on the blue waters of the lake and, in the distance, on the white peaks of the Alps.
An ancient pedestrian path starting from Como, the Strada Regia, connects the center of Lezzeno with its numerous hamlets. A few kilometers further on is the larger and more lively Bellagio.
Here in Rozzo, at the foot of the medieval communication tower there's La Corte del Government 565, formerly the body of the Roman inn, today a welcoming Bed and Breakfast guardian of a story of irresistible charm.
The Corte del Governo 565, for 1500 years into the heart of history
La corte del Governo 565 already contains in its name fragments of its long and rich past. Time has forgotten this building for centuries, sparing it. Today it reaches us, almost intact, what was once the Taberna of the ancient Romans.
Here the military genius under the command of Narsete, Strategist and Prefect, reconqueror in the service of Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora, builds the Kastros Comacino to stop the invaders from the north. Twenty years later, the island and Lezzeno also had to surrender to the Lombards who occupied the taberna as well, a multifunctional hall of the fortress where soldiers were paid and taxes for the empire collected. Hence the name "Governo", government.
Since then and through more than fourteen centuries, generals or merchants, nobles and artists, common people and illustrious personalities have passed in the halls of the Corte del Governo 565. All of them slept in the rooms that are still there, overlooking the mountains and the lake.
Hidden here, in a cellar, and wanted for high treason, Silvio Pellico spent his last night of freedom before returning to Milan and being arrested. Here wrote the poet Giunio Bazzoni, his great friend. Within these same walls, a refuge for the Milanese Carbonari, Bonelli, a Carbonaro from Sardinia, organized the Italian Risorgimento.
In every corner of the Corte del Governo 565, the traces of this incredible historical event are still visible and will keep you company making your holiday on Lake Como simply unforgettable.
Corte del Governo 565❯
Nature and relax on the shore of Lake Como
A few minutes from some of the most beautiful beaches that border the shores of Lake Como, you can stay in one of the large, bright rooms of the Corte del Governo 565. Since 2019 this ancient building has come back to life and each of the rooms has been carefully renovated with love for details, by those who have made hospitality an art for generations. The stone walls, the terracotta floors, the tuff vaults, everything has been preserved with the utmost respect for the distinguished past of this building.
Each of the four rooms has a story to tell and an atmosphere you won't find elsewhere. From the terraces and balconies the view is magnificent, on the mountains and the roofs of the village, or on the lake and its poignant sunsets. Every comfort is guaranteed to offer you a totally relaxing holiday, but there are also many different possibilities if you want to explore this fascinating area.
The Strada Regia, a route that also crosses Rozzo, offers beautiful views of Lake Como and the opportunity to visit the various historic churches of Lezzeno. A steeper and shorter path leads instead to the ruins of the medieval watchtower that overlooks the town. Do not miss the wonderful view of the Sassi Grosgalli as well, the nearby overhanging cliff that look over the lake.
A unique way to get to know Lake Como better is to book a boat trip thanks to the Corte del Governo 565. This will give you an excellent opportunity to visit Grotta dei Bulberi, a cave on the lake not reachable by land, where you can admire the beautiful games of light created by water.
If you are lucky enough to come to Lezzeno in March, you can also participate in the bonfire show on the occasion of the feast of San Giuseppe. The tradition is as old as the Corte del Governo 565 and from its balconies you can even see the setting up of the bonfire. There is one for each Lezzeno's hamlet and in Rozzo they make it right next to the B&B. In the evening, however, according to the local tradition, you can enjoy a suggestive walk along the path marked by all the lit bonfires.
The art of hospitality at Governo 1801
To make your holiday even more unique, you can dine in the ancient Roman taberna dating back to 1913 and lastly renovated in a delicate Belle Epoque style.
Il Governo 1801 remembers with the date included in the name the purchase of the ancient premises of the fortress and the taberna by the Bazzoni family, of Napoleonic sympathies and friendships with Count Melzi d'Eril. Now in its seventh generation, this is one of the Historic Places of Italy, protected precisely for its cultural importance and its probable primacy as the oldest restaurant in the world still in business, after almost 1,500 years and fifty generations of hosts.
The love for hospitality and good food that the owners have passed down through many generations stands out in every dish along with a strong and sincere bond with the territory. The ingredients are always fresh and of excellent quality, while the courtesy, kindness and competence of the staff will always make you feel like a child in your grandparents' house.Under the pergola overlooking the lake of the enchanting garden you can also taste excellent wines preserved within the ancient walls, perhaps listening to one of the many stories that the people of these lands have been keeper of for centuries. Il Governo 1801 Inn❯
At dusk, when everything seems to doze off, and the music of the vespers bells pours out onto the water, one can almost believe that in no other place than Lake Como can such a paradise of quiet rest be found
