In the Castello di Menaggio (the former castle) you dive in history. Traffic is restricted so the house is very quiet with a great Lake View. It is "suspended" above the road, and it has a small balcony. But under the bridge you can access the terraced garden, where an area is reserved to guests as a sundeck or to work or read, or where you can cook, BBQ and dine. A 5 minutes walk brings you to shops and restaurants of the center. It has free parking, but it is also if you come without a car. The house for rent is 300 years old (completely and comfortably renovated in 2002) and is situated in the historic Castello above Menaggio, on Lake Como just across Bellagio and Varenna. It is a bridge over a pebble stone road, a short five minute walk down to the center of Menaggio. The house has two floors. On the first floor is the kitchen, dining area and the living room (with an additional sofa bed for 2) with a walkout balcony and fireplace. The second floor has a master bedroom, a second bedroom (with a single bed that turns into a double) and a 3rd high bed, and a bathroom with bath/shower, wc and bidet. The house is ideal for who prefers to trave by public transportation. Menaggio

Fabio was born in New York in 1957, with a Masters Degree in Natural Resources Policy and Planning from Cornell University, becomes a protected areas planner for International Organizations. In 1989 is the founder of Europe Conservation, a European non-profit organization specialized in providing volunteers to small conservation projects in developing countries. In 1996 he first publishes Green Volunteers, the World Guide to Voluntary Work in Nature Conservation, now sold world wide and known as “The Bible of Conservation Volunteering”. He is also active in the humanitarian field by being among the founders of the First Italian Ethical Bank. He also edits and publishes other international volunteering guides: World Volunteers, The World Guide to Humanitarian and Development Volunteering, and Archaeo-Volunteers, the World Guide to Archaeological and Heritage Volunteering. He is now the Director of the Menaggio Youth Hostel. Silvia, Fabio's wife, is the President of a non profit humanitarian Organization (SOS Bambini)supporting orphanages in Rumania. Fabio lives and works between Milan and Lake Como (Italy).

The neighborhood is extremely silent. Although the castle walls have been replaced by the houses (that is why the "Castello" neighborhood has a circular shape) there are still some small remnants of the old walls. Wifi connection is good, and the place is ideal to concentrate and work. Menaggio is well connected with public transportation to the airports and Milan. The lake villages, such as Bellagio, can be visited by boat. A car is not really needed. You can reach downtowon, shops and restaurants in 5 minutes by foot downhill.