Passalacqua occupies land that served as a papal retreat before its foundations were laid in 1787. Designed by Milanese architect Carlo Felice Soave for Count Andrea Lucini-Passalacqua, this estate became a seat of power where Napoleon Bonaparte chose to conduct high-level negotiations away from Milan. Composer Vincenzo Bellini lived here in 1829, writing Norma and … Continue reading Passalacqua Lake Como: The 18th-Century Villa Where Napoleon Conducted Diplomacy and Bellini Composed Operas