Villa Serbelloni: The last of the classic 'Grand Hotels'?

What would a traveller have experienced, spending a summer on Lake Como in the Roaring Twenties? We can’t turn back time, but a stay at Villa Serbelloni will bring you as close as you can get.

Sometime in May 1925, a blue Bugatti Type 30 burbles through the narrow streets of Bellagio. With a mixture of suspicion and curiosity, the townspeople flock towards the shapely new convertible. A Russian prince emerges; his destination is the Grand Hotel Bellagio. 

For those arriving at Villa Serbelloni by car, the experience has changed little in the past 80 years. The ferry from Cadenabbia delivers you to the historic centre of Bellagio; from there you can navigate the narrow, largely pedestrianised streets (though hotel guests are allowed to drive), before reaching the famed Villa Serbelloni. Previously known as the Grand Hotel Bellagio, it’s been welcoming guests since 1870. 



The spacious, park-like garden – smelling of lemon, cypress trees and wild roses – is one of a dying breed, typical of a classic Grand Hotel. With a mix of traditional Italian hospitality and slightly melancholic, yet opulent charm, the 95 rooms and suites invite you on a personal journey. Meanwhile, the more time you spend in the outdoor saloon, nourished by a gorgeous view of the lake, the more vividly you can picture the aforementioned Russian prince dancing with a beautiful young lady at dusk. Time seems to pass more slowly within the massive walls of this extraordinary hotel and its surroundings. 

One gets the impression that every corner of this Grand Hotel could tell a story. Since 1918, it’s been run and owned by the Swiss Bucher family, head of which – Gianfranco – lives in the hotel with his family. Only very rarely does one find such a close bond of family owners, so close to the ‘pulse of the hotel events’. 



The Bucher family has endured many turbulent times at Villa Serbelloni. At the end of the First World War, it served as a barracks and refuge for needy families. Later, under Mussolini’s rule, there were plans to appropriate the property, but by decree it was placed under the protection of the Swiss consulate in Milan, allowing it to remain in the hands of the rightful owners. 

The New York Times once wrote of the Villa Serbelloni: “One of the best hotels to visit, if you can afford it.” Those tired of the hard futon beds in ‘fancy’ designer hotels will no doubt welcome the luxury. And who knows, maybe during a walk along the shores of Lake Como, one might encounter a Bugatti-driving Russian prince. 

Related Links The Villa Serbelloni website: www.villaserbelloni.com.

Text: J. Philip Rathgen (Classic Driver)
Photos: Villa Serbelloni

Seaweed & Gravel CB550

This 1975 Honda CB550 has been put together by Brady Young, formerly of UGLY Motorbikes, and now part of Seaweed & Gravel in southern California.

The inspiration for the build was spawned by a previous bike of Brady’s, made from spare parts over a few weekends. The bike was rough, full of character and frequently saw the dirt. Nonetheless, it caught the eye of the client who commissioned it, but with new shoes and a slightly more classy attire.

“Our goal for this build was to create a simple, clean, minimalistic bike with an aggressive, low stance; pulling elements from both the cafe racer and brat style palettes, whilst preserving the classic lines that were buried in stock form. Once the form and stance of the bike was set, we moved forward with making it function.”

The top end was rebuilt with new internals and tuned by a retired racer and mechanic, who managed to turn the bike into a true one-kick, cold-starter. The client also wanted an electric start, so we called on the guys at Antigravity Batteries whose powerful unit powers the brand new wiring harness with updated reg/rec.

“Our theory on the finish of our bikes is overall modesty with bold features.  With an all-black bike we incorporated matte, satin, and gloss finishes to add some contrast. Here at Seaweed & Gravel feel we’ve produced a bike that we can be proud of, and have welcomed a new member into our family of weirdos.”Well said fellas. She’s a peach.

from the Bike shed

La Vita é Bella: Taking a Ferrari 458 Spider to Bellagio

The Ancient Romans often headed to Lake Como in summer, to spend a little leisure time on the Bellagio peninsula. We have revived that tradition – aboard the latest Ferrari Spider. 

What are two thousand years when it comes to the eternal grace of Lake Como? Towards the end of the First Century AD, Pliny the Younger, a prominent Roman lawyer and prolific letter-writer, would travel here during the summer months to fish, to walk under the palms and lemon trees, and to hunt. The mild climate and stunning mountain and lake views is unchanged, but today luxurious villas and hotels have been added to arguably the most charming roads in Northern Italy. You wouldn’t choose to manoeuvre some great chariot along these narrow and winding lanes; the ideal transport needs to be agile in the tight corners, quick to accelerate out of the bends, and ideally open-topped to enjoy the fresh spring air. So we made a call to Maranello, to beg a loan of the new Ferrari 458 Spider. Perfect.

Only it didn’t quite turn out as we planned. Nothing wrong with the Ferrari – far from it – but the black clouds hanging thickly over the mountains soon broke open to pour gallons of water onto our car, the wiper blades fighting gamely to scoop it away from the windscreen. We hadn’t imagined that a late spring journey in an open-topped Ferrari would be quite like this, but at least our aluminium folding roof felt bomb-proof, the Manettino dial was switched to ‘Wet’, and we could enjoy a suitably apocalyptic soundtrack by Carl Orff blaring from the surround sound system. Then, at last, there was light at the end of the St. Gotthard Tunnel and the promise of a better world. A quick espresso in Bissone, then it’s time for roof down, windows open – and Ferrari driving as it’s meant to be.


We’ve already sung the praises of the ultra-fast and highly precise Ferrari 458 Spider, but in the tight switchbacks built into the steep slopes between mountain and lake, the 570HP horse feels more sprightly than ever. With the driving mode set to ‘Sport’, the transmission in ‘manual’, and some conciliatory words to the passenger, there’s nothing to prevent the driver from enjoying those curves to the full. It’s remarkable how easily and accurately you can point the big Spider, keeping its well-balanced potency in check before unleashing it when the road straightens out.


Those seeking curvy roads for four wheels or two will find plenty of fun on the trip to Bellagio, situated on the edge of Lake Como. We save the next mountain roads for the following day and instead take a ferry from Cadenabbia, on the western shore of Lake Como, to reach Bellagio. The northern Italian lakes are stunning but the scenery is dramatic, rather than ‘pretty’, especially when blue skies and the white foam dancing with the Riva boats give way to torrential rain – which, at this time of year, can happen almost without warning.


Arriving at the Villa Serbelloni, we leave the Ferrari in the driveway with its eight-cylinder engine crackling as it cools, the air above it shimmering in a heat haze, while we enjoy an Aperol Spritz on the terrace. The liveried waiters give us the latest news on the weather forecast and we study the map to plan the next day’s adventures. Pliny the Younger could not have had it any better.

Related Links  Numerous classic and modern Ferraris can be found in the Classic Driver Marketplace

Text & Photos: Jan Baedeker (Classic Driver)

Harley Sportster "Scrambler" by Red Devils Custom

Foto: Red Devils Custom VIA rACING cAFE