Greta Garbo made the point in 1932 in the movie “The Grand Hotel.” And so did the 19th century composer Franz Liszt who declared that “the story of two happy lovers” should be set there. Lake Como is the ideal setting for a fairy tale wedding, a honeymoon, an anniversary celebration, possibly even a proposal.

Lake Como, ringed by stately Italian villas the color of faded terra cotta and burnt ochre, is touted as a playground of the rich and famous. Celebrities are spotted at Villa d’Este, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, or the villa of a Russian oligarch. But does one have to be rich to take a romantic getaway at Lake Como? Actually, no!—Everett Potter’s Travel Report