Perched on the wooded promontory of Il Dosso d’Avedo, the 18th century Villa del Balbianello commands panoramic views of Lago di Como, making it one of the most exclusive estates in the Italian Lakes. A Franciscan monastery first occupied this site in the 13th century, its twin campanili remaining a part of the present-day design. In 1785, Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini purchased the property and converted the monastery building into a villa and added the loggia for optimal viewing of…