Of course, George and Amal. But long before my favorite non-portmanteau'd star couple nurtured their privacy and inestimable style along the shoreline of Italy's Lake Como, centuries of elites—from cardinals and composers to millionaires and movie stars, and, yes, even James Bond—knew the power of this peak-crowned lake to inspire us all to dress better, eat and drink better, play better, and ultimately live better.

And the fantastic news is that it's possible not only to break into what may seem like the coolest club ever, but do it over the course of a long weekend. If you can get to Milan, dear friends, without too much stress or time, you're nearly there.