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🔹 Hello, Lake Como.
You either love summer in Lake Como, or you spend most of it wondering why you didn’t leave town. There is not much in between.
It probably depends on how well you handle heat, crowds, and a sudden increase in your social calendar.
Speaking of which, there are 4 major music festivals are happening at the same time this week: jazz festival, classical music festival, modern music festival, and Como town music festival. I literally hear one of those through my window right now.
Also this week: Varenna has new tourist rules, Como gets an AI hackathon with Google, and there’s fresh funding for local businesses.
July is loud. But at least there’s money on the table.
Let’s talk about it.
-Simona
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🔦 Spotlight: July Funding is Here
What's Happening:
July brings a strong wave of funding and growth opportunities for entrepreneurs, freelancers, SMEs and tourism operators across Lake Como. From startup support and incubator vouchers to digital and green transition incentives.
🧠 Football AI. Como 1907, Como Ventures and Google DeepMind are launching Data on the Lake: a 2-day AI hackathon in Como on 24-25 July. Applications are open.
🚀 Incubator Vouchers. The Como-Lecco Chamber is offering vouchers for new business ideas through ComoNExT’s certified incubator. Open to aspiring entrepreneurs and SMEs with innovative projects. Open till July 30th.
🔄 Transition Voucher. Lombardy’s 2026 Double Transition Voucher supports SMEs investing in digital and green innovation. It covers 50% of eligible costs, up to €10,000, with a minimum investment of €4,000. Closes in July 28th.
💼 New Business. The 2026 New Business Call helps new companies and self-employed workers in Lombardy. It covers 50% of startup costs, up to €10,000, with a minimum investment of €3,000.
🇸🇪 Stockholm Sellers. The Chamber is selecting 15 Lake Como tourism operators for a B2B workshop in Stockholm on 6 October 2026, focused on active and outdoor tourism. Applications close on 31 July 2026, but it’s first come-first served.
What does it mean for us?
If you own a business, run a tourism activity, freelance, or have an idea sitting in your notes app, July is basically a reminder that there is funding on the table for people willing to modernise, digitalise, test, launch or sell beyond the lake.
And if you own property here, this matters too. The places that hold value over time are not just pretty. They become better connected, better run, more entrepreneurial and more visible internationally.
The lake is still the headline. But the opportunity is increasingly happening behind the scenes.
What do you think? Reply to this email and let us know.
⭐ In Case You Missed It
🛍️ Travel and Global Mentions
🚫 Varenna Rules. The Guardian covered Varenna’s new tourist rules: no walking around shirtless or in swimwear, fines from €50 to €200, tour groups capped at 25, and no guide loudspeakers.
💍 Final Alaïa Bride. Vogue Adria covered Tamara Kalinic and Filippo’s wedding at Villa Pizzo, where her dress became the final bridal creation designed by Pieter Mulier for Alaïa.
✨ Local Projects and Life
🏛️ Historic Register. The National Register of Historic Enterprises has reopened. Businesses can apply if they have been operating in the same sector for at least 100 years.
🎵 Lake Concerts. Il Sole 24 Ore puts the spotlight on Lake Como’s music scene: concerts, festivals and culture are becoming a bigger part of the summer story.
✨ Business
👥 Family Offices. Anthony Ritossa’s 32nd Global Family Office Investment Summit brought 200+ family office leaders, investors and entrepreneurs from 27 countries to Lake Como.
🛰️ Space Deal. Como-based D-Orbit signed a major deal with Japan’s ArkEdge Space to launch microsatellites on several missions between 2027 and 2028.
🏙️ Milan Cools. After years of rent increases, Milan is finally slowing down. Rents stayed flat in Q2 at €23.3/m² and are down 1.5% year-on-year.
🏢 Property Pile. Institutional real estate in Europe is now worth more than €2 trillion, with investors putting more capital into housing and less into retail and offices.
📱Trending on Socials:
Villa d’Este Golf Club hosted a golf event to remember
🏠 Real Estate
🏡 4 Room apartment in a historical villa, Erba ($): €220K · 118m² ·
4 rooms, swimming pool, garage, basement.
View
🏡 2 Bedroom apartment in a historical villa, Tremezzo ($$): €700K· 150m²
Access to Villa Meier park in front of the property. 2 bathrooms.
🏡 Detached 6 Room House, Como ($$$): €2.2M· 350m² ·
4 bedrooms, swimming pool, 2 terracees, balcony, 2 bathrooms
View
🏢 Businesses for Sale
🏢 Renovated Office, Como Borghi. €349K · 150 m² .
Fully furnished. Waiting room, 2 executive offices, 2 meeting rooms, a relaxation area, and a fully equipped break area with a fridge.🍽️ Restaurant for transfer, Cernobbio. €50K · 170 m² · The property is leased, and the sale includes the goodwill and all the equipment necessary for the operation of the business.
🐕 Pet Grooming Business for sale, Cadorago. €125K · 92 m² · 15 minutes from Como.
💼 Job Opportunities
💻 Business Unit Manager (Como). Reporting to General Manager. 68-78K/year + company car.
🏨 Hotel Manager: The Lake Como EDITION (Griante). 85-92K/year. Areas of responsibility include Front Office, SPA/Fitness Center, Housekeeping, Security/Loss Prevention, Engineering/Maintenance, Food and Beverage/Culinary and Event Management.
📊 Director: Tigros (Lomazzo). Supermarket chain is looking for a store manager to lead the team.
Have a property, business, or job to feature? Submit it here
📅 Events This Week: Jul 9 to Jul 16
Thursday, July 9
🎼 LacMus Education: Music Lab · 10:30 · Lake Como Landscape Museum, Tremezzo
🍽️ Dinner in the Sky Dervio · time slots via booking · Porto Vecchio, Dervio
🧒 Bellagio Summer Babydance · 20:30 to 21:30 · Parco di San Giovanni, Bellagio
🎹 LacMus: Piano Reflections Among the Boats · 20:00 · Museum of Barca Lariana, Pianello del Lario
🎶 Lake Sound Park: Fiorella Mannoia · 21:30 · Villa Erba Ex Galoppatoio, Cernobbio
Friday, July 10
🍽️ Dinner in the Sky Dervio · time slots via booking · Porto Vecchio, Dervio
🏛️ Art Nouveau Week at Villa Bernasconi · exhibitions 10:00 to 18:00; guided visits 10:30 and 14:30; Piano Toy Piano 18:00 · Villa Bernasconi, Cernobbio
🎷 Portrait of Duke Ellington · 19:00 to 20:00 · Parco Sheraton Lake Como Hotel, Como
🎻 Bellagio Festival: Mozart al Cinema · 20:45 to 22:15 · Chiesa di San Giovanni, Bellagio
🎼 LacMus: Brahms torna a Villa Carlotta · 21:00 · Villa Carlotta, Tremezzina
📚 Book Presentation: La Sposa di Villa Balbianello · 21:00 to 23:00 · Biblioteca Bellagio
Saturday, July 11
🍽️ Dinner in the Sky Dervio · time slots via booking · Porto Vecchio, Dervio
🏛️ Art Nouveau Week at Villa Bernasconi · exhibitions 10:00 to 18:00; Visioni Art Nouveau 18:00 · Villa Bernasconi, Cernobbio
🖼️ Gutta Cavat Lapidem · 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00 · Torre delle Arti, Bellagio
🎻 Cello² · 18:30 to 19:30 · Chiostro del Centro socio-pastorale Cardinal Ferrari, Como
🎼 LacMus: Vive les Amateurs! · 20:30 · Piazza XI Febbraio, Lenno
🎻 Bellagio Festival: Concorso Cosima Wagner · 20:45 to 22:15 · Auditorium Fondazione Rockefeller, Bellagio
🎧 ARENA360° Random: Una Festa a Caso · 21:00 to 01:00 · Arena del Teatro Sociale, Como
Sunday, July 12
🌅 LacMus: Sunrise Concert · 06:00 · Giardini a lago nel Parco di Mezzegra, Tremezzina
🍽️ Dinner in the Sky Dervio · time slots via booking · Porto Vecchio, Dervio
🏛️ Art Nouveau Week at Villa Bernasconi · exhibitions 10:00 to 18:00; Liberty Oggi 17:00 · Villa Bernasconi, Cernobbio
🖼️ Gutta Cavat Lapidem · 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00 · Torre delle Arti, Bellagio
🎶 Lake Sound Park: Davide Van De Sfroos · 21:30 · Villa Erba Ex Galoppatoio, Cernobbio
Monday, July 13
🏛️ Art Nouveau Week at Villa Bernasconi · exhibitions 10:00 to 18:00 · Villa Bernasconi, Cernobbio
🌳 Parco in Festa · Villa Bernasconi programme from 10:00; Villa Erba performances from 18:30 · Villa Erba + Villa Bernasconi, Cernobbio
Tuesday, July 14
🎙️ Art Nouveau Week: Romanza Italiana + Tutti al Mare · 18:00 · Villa Bernasconi, Cernobbio
🔭 Le Nostre Origini Astrochimiche · 18:00 · Villa del Grumello, Como
🇫🇷 Bastille Day Gala · from sunset · Villa d’Este, Cernobbio
🎼 LacMus: Songs and Arias at Balbianello · 20:30 · Villa del Balbianello, Tremezzina
🎶 Lake Sound Park: Riccardo Cocciante · 21:30 · Villa Erba Ex Galoppatoio, Cernobbio
🕯️ Candlelight Open Air: Ennio Morricone · 22:15 · Terrazza 241, Como
Wednesday, July 15
🎭 Ascolta un Quadro: Romeo and Juliet · 11:00 · Villa Carlotta, Tremezzina
🎼 LacMus: Invisible Dances · 20:30 · Villa Làrio, Pognana Lario
🕯️ Candlelight Open Air: Hans Zimmer · 20:30 · Terrazza 241, Como
🎷 Villa del Grumello Jazz Festival: Fabrizio Bosso · 21:00 · Giardino Serra del Grumello, Como
🎶 Lake Sound Park: Giorgio Panariello · 21:30 · Villa Erba Ex Galoppatoio, Cernobbio
🕯️ Candlelight Open Air: Ennio Morricone · 22:15 · Terrazza 241, Como
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