Villa La Collina is the former summer residence of the first German chancellor Konrad Adenauers at Lake Como. The historic Villa and the modern Accademia Konrad Adenauer are located in one of his most beautiful and spectacular position overlooking the lake and the picturesque Bellagio. From 1959 to 1966 Konrad Adenauer spent his holidays in Villa La Collina 15 times in a row up to 8 weeks.
During these years Adenauer welcomed numerous important politicians and personalities of his time. Adenauer came to Lake Como by recommendation of his Foreign Minister Heinrich von Brentano, whose family had its roots here. In the spring of 1957 Adenauer visited for the first time Cadenabbia, where he also learned boccia. Since then, he came almost every spring and late summer there. First years he was in the Villa Rosa, then in the Villa Arminio. Already during his first stay Adenauer discovered the Villa La Collina, which - as the name says - on a hill above the village sits.
Villa La Collina is located away from the transit traffic, protected from curious eyes, and offers a fantastic view over the lake. In 1958 Adenauer asked the mayor of Griante for mediation to rent the villa for his next holidays. The mayor took up the matter, and the owner of the Villa La Collina, a French noble family, agreed - the Villa was their summer home which was used only rarely. Two months before the arrival of Adenauer work began in the fall of 1959, around the Villa to make it habitable again. Inside the Villa was more or less no interior.
Local hotels helped with furniture and even the town hall provided a desk. The temporary atmosphere inside was in contrast to the noble position of the villa. However, visitors described the interior of the villa as pretty uncomfortable. But this didn’t bother Adenauer and the villa became his second homefor several years. The mere presence of Adenauer in Cadenabbia was a media event.
Dozens of journalists, German and Italian were waiting outside the villa to get pictures of a relaxed, vacationing Chancellor and pick up crisp quotes. Adenauer loved the landscape, the mild climate, the easy friendliness of the locals and the rich flora.