The Villa Giulia was built in 1847 by Bernardino Branca, the man who, in 1836, invented Fernet Branca, the famous Italian liquor. Near the entrance is a chalet which once served as the gatehouse. The garden was replanted in an English style. The villa was enlarged by extending the façade 10 meters towards the lake and adding loggias and columns on each floor ending with a great curving rooftop terrace. In the early 20th Century Count Melzi d’Eril enlarged the villa and introduced some Art Nouveau elements. Today the villa is the venue for conventions, concerts and other cultural events.
