The most beautiful setting in the car world
The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este has been held on the shores of Lake Como since 1929. There is no contest about the venue: a 16th-century villa hotel built into the hillside above the lake, with the cars displayed on the hotel's private gardens and the Alps framing the view across the water. Pebble Beach is the most important concours in the world; Villa d'Este is the most beautiful.
The event is co-organized by the Villa d'Este Hotel and the BMW Group, which has been the title partner since 1999 and the operating partner since 2009. The format is split across two days and two venues.
Saturday — Villa d'Este (private)
Saturday is the invitation-only day at Villa d'Este itself. Roughly 50 cars are displayed on the hotel's terraced gardens directly above the lake, judged by an international jury. The setting is intimate — small field, beautiful cars, beautiful lake, and a guest list that reads like a who's who of European collecting.
Sunday — Villa Erba (public)
Sunday opens to the public at neighboring Villa Erba, a separate lakeside estate a short walk down the shoreline. The full Concours field moves to Villa Erba for the day, joined by a much larger gathering of clubs, special displays, and a public concours alongside the main event. Tickets are sold to the public for Sunday only.
Best of Show
The two Best of Show prizes — the Coppa d'Oro Villa d'Este (voted by the public on Sunday) and the Trofeo BMW Group (voted by the jury on Saturday) — are among the most prestigious wins in vintage car collecting. Cars that win at Villa d'Este are immediately validated as among the best examples in the world.
What I'd do if you're going
Fly into Milan Malpensa, drive to Como (about an hour), and stay anywhere in or around Cernobbio if you can manage it. Saturday is invitation-only, so unless you're a guest of an exhibitor, this is a Sunday-at-Villa-Erba trip. Get the early ferry from Como, arrive at Villa Erba right when it opens, and budget a full day. The lake itself is the second show — bring a camera and don't rush.
If you have an extra day, drive the lake. The roads around Como are some of the best driving roads in Europe and the Alfa and Ferrari factories are both within striking distance.