Since George Clooney bought a large stretch of waterside on Lake Como, the lakes have been bathed in Hollywood glamour. Villa Oleandra is where Clooney entertains his friends, from Brad Pitt to Julia Roberts and Madonna. The star’s recent purchase of two neighbouring villas and beach provoked a backlash, soon resolved by Clooney presenting Como with a new public beach. The waters are calm once more, even if the locals have been joined by a curious mix of film stars, fashion designers and footballers.

Madonna is a regular guest at Donatella Versace’s villa in Moltrasio, while the lake also provides the perfect camouflage for celebrity footballers from Milan and Turin, including Juventus’ Gianluca Zambrotta and AC Milan’s Clarence Seedorf. While villa-hunting in the area, Richard Gere was recently the guest of Andrei Shevchenko, the centre-forward for Berlusconi’s AC Milan.

Berlusconi himself is hunting for the perfect villa near Como, while Brad Pitt and Michael Schumacher have been spotted looking in Lenno.

The chichi resort of Bellagio sits elegantly on Lake Como The sleepy pace of the lakes is equally seductive for non-celebrities. West of Bergamo, the three most appealing lakes are Como, Maggiore and Orta, matched by Iseo and Garda to the east. Italian lake cognoscenti consider Como the most beguiling, Maggiore the most stately, and Orta the most mystical. Pocket-sized Iseo boasts the biggest lake island in Europe while Garda is the largest, most varied lake, with eclectic villas and gardens.

Lake Como
Lago di Como has long been a favoured haunt of the European elite and, as the closest lake to Milan, is both the celebrity lake and the business capital’s playground. Blessed by a mild climate, romantic waterfront and lush vegetation, Lake Como has always been a place for illicit trysts.

It was here, according to locals, that President Kennedy romanced Marilyn Monroe. As well as dramatic scenery and pretty ports, Como is the most refined lake, a place where Victorian-style promenading is still in fashion. Out on the lake, sluggish steamers and snow-clad peaks still stir visitors, as does the mystique of Bellagio, the most prestigious resort.

Back at George Clooney’s waterfront villa, a few sporty locals have even been invited to play tennis with the laidback movie star.

Villa Oleandra is where George Clooney entertains his friends, from Brad Pitt to Julia Roberts and Madonna

Orta San Guilio on Lake Orta is an enchanting isle built up around a Benedictine retreatLake Orta
The peak of Monte Mottarone separates Lake Maggiore from mystical Lago d’Orta to the west. For all its popularity, Lake Orta has retained its mystique. Orta San Giulio, a medieval village set snugly on a peninsula, is a discreet resort distinguished by its chic hotels, soft light and air of spirituality. From here, friendly boatmen guide visitors to the island of San Giulio, which is built around a Benedictine retreat. A lakeside path winds round the sanctuary, with Buddhist-like signs directing visitors to “the path within”. This enchanted isle was supposedly overrun by serpents and dragons until AD 390 when Giulio, a Christian preacher, banished them and built the basilica in celebration.

Lake Maggiore
West of Lake Como, Lago Maggiore may be the most domesticated lake, but is redeemed by snow-capped views of Monte Rosa and luscious villas. Home-grown celebrities reside in their secluded retreats near Stresa: Alessi, the iconic designer, even has a villa guarded by his trademark giant coffee pot. Towards Meina, fashion designers such as Giorgio Armani and Gianfranco Ferre have equally palatial homes, only a few football pitches away from ball-hungry Alessandro del Piero.

The sedate Belle Epoque resort of Stresa overlooks the Isole Borromee, the lake’s star attractions, rocky outcrops transformed into intriguing island retreats. If Isola Bella is a showy pleasure palace, Isola Madre resembles an enchanted garden, and Isola dei Pescatori a prettified fishing village. Owned by the Borromean princes since the 15th century, this family of popes, cardinals and saints also control Angera castle and the fishing rights to the lake. Isola Bella began as a rock with a view, but is now the dynasty’s summer palace, a harmonious folly complete with mysterious grottoes and baroque art treasures. After moving on to Isola Madre, virtually a floating botanical gardens, call into Isola dei Pescatori, which could be a remote Greek island, with its fishing nets drying in the sun and courtyards of cats basking on whitewashed walls.

Lake Iseo
Just east of Bergamo, Lago d’Iseo is the antithesis of the celebrity lifestyle – apart from boasting Gualtiero Marchesi, Italy’s best-known chef. It may lack breathtaking villas but the dramatic vistas, gentle pace of life and fine food and wine are temptation enough. Unlike the Mediterranean climate of the larger lakes, Lake Iseo is alpine, with olives and horse chestnuts rather than lemon groves and palms. Iseo’s soft, smoky, vine-clad landscapes even find their way into the backdrops of Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings.

Iseo’s Franciacorta area is foodie heaven, a civilised stretch of wine estates, castles and gourmet inns. Apart from the vineyards, the lure is the forested island of Monte Isola, which lends itself to leisurely strolls and waterside lunches. The fishy trail continues at Clusane, back on the mainland, with almost as many restaurants as fishermen. Baked tench aside, Iseo is a tranquil place for exploring Cluniac monasteries and frescoed churches: the plump peasants depicted on the walls are at one with Iseo’s unpretentious air. This is the least self-consciously quaint of the great northern lakes.

Lake Garda
Further east, Lago di Garda remains a Mediterranean hot-house in northern climes, which gave the former Austrian rulers the illusion of Latin living. Some of the old charm remains in the profusion of vineyards, olive and lemon groves and palm-fringed avenues. Even if these pleasures belong to rich industrialists rather celebrities, it doesn’t make the lake any less desirable. The best way of visiting the lake is chugging around on steamers, calling in at scenic castles, gracious villas and waterside gastro-inns.

The citrus-scented resorts are all easily reached on a cruise from Limone to Riva del Garda. Limone enjoys the highest life expectancy in Europe, due to the mild climate and a cholesterol-free diet of fish and lemons. Further north, in the medieval backstreets of Riva,

The pretty colourful, Venetian waterfront of Riva del Garda is set against a dramatic backdrop of the DolomitesVenetian palaces are framed bywaterside promenades and beaches. Out on the lake, the windsurfers’ pastel sails are whipped by the ora, a wind as regular as clockwork. Beyond are the jagged pinkish peaks of the Dolomites, creating the illusion of the Mediterranean meeting the mountains. Yet look up from your gentle cruise and you’ll see free climbers dicing with death on sheer cliff-faces. The drama is a long way from the sleepy image of the lakes. Even so, the closest you’ll come to a celebrity is seeing Paola Pezzo, a former Olympic champion, mountain-biking past. It might not match playing tennis with George Clooney, but it beats a game of ping-pong back home in Brussels.

MAIN IMAGE FROM TRENTINO SPA, ALL OTHERS COURTESY OF FOTOTECA ENIT