This dramatic design-led loft in Como is a mini monochrome wonder. With touches of industrial chic, a black bathroom and a compact professional-style kitchen, this two-tone home packs a lot into a small space. The sleeping space is cosy, but the high white ceiling gives the rest of this abode a dash of grandeur. The central location means you’ll be a few steps from Porta Torre, a five-minute walk to the busy city centre and twelve minutes to the picture-perfect shores of Lake Como. Plus, the apartment itself is on the doorstep of the triweekly Como market – it’s animated by day, but a quiet spot at night, so you can pull down the blackout blinds and dream in black and white.

Home truths:
*At full capacity, two guests will sleep on sofa beds in the living space
*Private parking is available at an additional fee of €20 per day
*A market is held outside of the apartment on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings
*The stairs are open and may be unsuitable for young children
*There are two bus stops just outside of the apartment
* Malpensa Airport is a forty-minute drive away