Under wide awnings, the outside table settings are dappled in warm, golden light. Lovers stroll among the grandfather trees, whispering sweet nothings. Passalacqua is so idyllic and inviting that you can’t help but become a romantic, one captivated by dreams of love. Ever since Bellini wrote two of the world’s greatest operas here, Norma and La sonnambula, he has become Passalacqua’s guardian spirit, its genius loci. His serene, sensuous nature still echoes through the villa and the gardens that flow down to the lake.

Named the World’s Best Hotel in 2023, Passalacqua embodies the very essence of the Italian dream. This eighteenth-century estate sits within mature terraced gardens overlooking Lake Como, offering just twenty-four intimate rooms and suites designed for ultimate relaxation and refined luxury. Reimagined as a true home away from home, it is both a welcome retreat after a day of exploring the region’s breathtaking beauty and a haven you may never want to leave. 

This volume was created in close collaboration with owners Paolo, Antonella, and Valentina De Santis, inviting guests to spend unforgettable days on the grounds of Passalacqua. From the moment you pass through the gates to the moment you leave—reluctantly— the experience unfolds like a dream. Passalacqua: A Love Letter to Lake Como features exclusive illustrations from Andrea Ferolla, photography from Daria Reina, and reflections from beloved guests such as J.J. Martin, Donna Hay, and Emilia Wickstead.

About The Author

Daria Reina is a French-Italian photographer and coolhunter who has been working as a creative director, designer, and communications consultant for the luxury industry for more than twenty years. An art and content curator for luxury hotels, she loves to conceive and give life to projects to share and convey her sense of art, beauty, and style in every possible way. In 2020, she received the prestigious Irene Brin Prize by the Accademia Costume & Moda of Rome.

Andrea Ferolla is an Italian creative director, illustrator, and artist renowned for his evocative and timelessly romantic paintings and sketches. His distinctive style, characterized by swift yet sophisticated strokes, captures the elegance, gestures, and attitudes of his subjects with remarkable fluidity. Ferolla’s work has been exhibited at the London Fashion Illustration Gallery and Gray MCA, in both London and New York, earning recognition in prominent Italian and international fashion publications.

Together, Reina and Ferolla have co-founded Chez Dede, a brand that blends design, fashion, and artistic expression. Ferolla’s illustrations are prominently featured across Chez Dede’s accessories and interiors collections and showcased in the brand’s atelier- showroom in Rome and select international boutiques. In 2018, Reina’s photography and Ferolla’s illustrations were published together in Assouline’s Italian Chic, an evocative journey through Italy.