Imagine paying over $8 for a can of, well, “nothing.” That’s right—Lake Como is selling “canned air” as the latest must-have souvenir for tourists, especially those flocking to the area thanks to George Clooney’s famed lakeside villa.
For €10 a pop, visitors can buy 400ml cans labeled with a scenic aerial view of the lake, bringing a whiff of Como’s atmosphere straight to their suitcases.
This quirky souvenir, available at local shops and restaurants around Lake Como, was developed by the marketing agency Italy Comunica.
According to consultant Davide Abagnale, it’s designed for travelers who want to take home a unique keepsake that won’t weigh down their luggage. “When the can is opened, it obviously loses its charm a bit,” Abagnale admitted, fully aware that the appeal lies in the novelty rather than the contents.
The inspiration behind this unusual product goes back to post-war Naples, where locals would seal empty food cans left by American soldiers and sell them as mementos. And if you think this idea sounds like something out of an art exhibit, you’d be right—French artist Marcel Duchamp pioneered the concept back in 1919 when he gifted a friend an empty vial labeled “Air de Paris.”
Since then, other cities have hopped on the “canned air” trend, including New York, making Lake Como’s venture into the world of canned souvenirs a natural fit for today’s kitsch-loving travelers.
While some locals find the whole idea cringe-worthy, the cans tap into a growing tourist market in Lombardy, which drew a record 5.6 million visitors last year. However, rising visitor numbers have their downsides, as overcrowding issues in popular towns like Bellagio have led local authorities to impose restrictions.
To manage the influx, Bellagio limited tour groups to 25 people and banned guides from using megaphones in September, while officials are even considering a Venice-style entry fee for certain areas around the lake.
Even with mixed reviews, the canned air fad seems set to expand. Abagnale hinted that if the cans continue to sell well, they could even be made available online, letting people “take home” a breath of Lake Como from anywhere in the world.
In the end, whether it’s a tongue-in-cheek souvenir or just another tourist trap, Lake Como’s canned air is turning heads and sparking conversations—proving that in the world of tourism, even the air itself has value.
