Picture this: a stroll through Como, the upscale Italian lakeside haven teeming with celebrity allure. Local stores offer an array of souvenirs, but a new must-have is causing quite a stir: Lake Como Air, “100% authentic air from Lake Como, trapped in a can.”
Priced at $11 (€9.90), this 13.5-ounce can of “pure air from the most beautiful lake in the world” is sold by ItalyComunica. Marketed as a “luxurious souvenir,” it promises to capture the essence of Lake Como’s serene atmosphere in a 400ml can. If you wonder what’s inside, the “ingredients” are listed:
- Nitrogen (N₂): 78%
- Oxygen (O₂): 21%
- Argon (Ar): 0.93%
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂): 0.04%
- Neon (Ne): 0.0018%
- Helium (He): 0.00052%
- Methane (CH₄): 0.00017%
- Krypton (Kr): 0.00011%
- Hydrogen (H₂): 0.00005%
- Xenon (Xe): 0.000009%
However, some might be raising an eyebrow at this trend.
One X user commented, “We’ve gone full Spaceballs,” while another said, “Parody has become reality.”
User @WishboneBrewery has something even funnier to say:
I keep telling my wife that we should sell Jars of Fart, people will buy anything these days! I’m not sure of the self-life to add so only the freshest jars reach their customers in excellent condition!
@jamesevison added: Time to get the VC for London Fog.
And it’s pretty obvious that not all travelers are gullible enough to fall for such a gimmick. If you search X for the latest on Lake Como Air, you will find many other negative comments, including one saying that the “memes are practically writing themselves.”
The cans are available only in select shops around Como, Menaggio, and Lenno, urging tourists to explore these idyllic locales to purchase—online sales are notably absent. The company claims, “Only those who visit Lake Como can want to buy our souvenir, memories are not bought but lived.” Opening the can unveils a touch of Lake Como’s… well… air. The can is marketed as a sustainable product since, after inhaling its contents, you can use it as a pen holder, plant pot, or stationery container.
Still, if you are a travel agency, tour operator, or any other entity wanting to integrate Lake Como Air in their offers, you can get your hands on the novelty cans by contacting the packaging company via the official website.
Critics on social media have voiced skepticism. The idea harks back to “Perri Air” from Spaceballs and pokes fun at those indulging in the novelty. Yet this isn’t a novel concept—take “Vitality Air,” for instance. This Canadian company, run by entrepreneurs Moses Lam and Troy Paquette, has bottled fresh air since 2015, starting as an intriguing novelty.
Although priced at nearly €10 each, this canned air seems more of a marketing gimmick than an original idea. The concept of selling canned air isn’t new, with numerous global destinations offering similar products, from the Swiss Alps to the Isle of Mann.
A Matter of Gimmick or Value?
Is it simply a playful trend that tourists indulge in, or do these air samples genuinely hold value? The fad of canned air dates back to the 20th century. In Italy, after WWII, Gennaro Ciaravolo crafted ‘Aria di Napoli,’ filling recycled food cans with the air of Naples and selling them back to American soldiers. This was more than a mere commodity—it represented resilience during challenging times. It also paid homage to the art world, likely reflecting Marcel Duchamp’s ‘Air de Paris.’
Today’s offerings typically lack the ironic charm of earlier efforts. From €20 Isle of Man air, supposed to soothe homesickness, to absurd disputes over Cornish air bottled in Devon, the canned air industry is vast. Even companies like Vitality Air package fresh mountain air for polluted regions, albeit without proven health benefits.
Beyond gimmicks, no one can argue the destination’s universal appeal. For those interested in cinema, Lake Como has served as the backdrop for numerous films, including:
- Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones”
- Ocean’s Twelve
- 007 Casino Royale
- Murder Mystery
- A Month by the Lake
- Once Upon a Time in America
- The Pleasure Garden
- Piccolo Mondo Antico
- The Luzhin Defence
- The Other Man
Along with these screen appearances, Lake Como remains a significant draw thanks to its breathtaking villas and picturesque scenery. Whether or not the trend of canned air garners more believers remains to be seen, but visiting the lake in person promises an experience that even the most well-sealed can can’t replicate.
