Let’s play a game of word association. The theme: la dolce vita.

Wine? Cheese.

Pasta? Pizza. (Have both, you’re in Italy.)

Lake Como? George Clooney.

If you don’t associate the actor and longtime frequenter of “sexiest man alive” lists with Lake Como, consider yourself one of the unsullied few. Tabloids zealously chronicle his comings and goings from two lakeside estates in the town of Laglio. (Contrary to popular belief, dozens of towns ring the 106-mile perimeter of the lake, not just Como.) Whether or not Mr. Clooney is there, his name is on the lips of local cabdrivers, boat captains and business owners who dine out on stories about how they once, say, held a door open for him.

The specter of the Hollywood star and the turquoise lake’s litany of notable visitors — it’s served as an oasis for aristocrats since Roman times; current villa owners include Richard Branson and Madonna — can make the place seem exclusive and stuffy for travelers more accustomed to food trucks than restaurants that require a jacket and tie for dinner. But recently, new hotels, restaurants and happenings have emerged to court a younger, more freewheeling crowd.