Travel guide · Italy
Lake Como travel guide
Villa gardens, ferry-linked villages and Alpine slopes on an inverted-Y lake
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Luca Casartelli, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Quick answer
Lake Como is a deep, narrow glacial lake about 50 km north of Milan, shaped like an upside-down Y with the city of Como at the foot of the western arm, Lecco at the foot of the eastern arm and Bellagio on the point where they meet. Most visitors stay in the central lake around Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Tremezzo, linked by frequent ferries, and spend their days hopping between villa gardens such as Villa Carlotta, Villa del Balbianello and Villa Melzi. Como city adds a cathedral, a lakeside promenade and a funicular to Brunate, plus fast trains to Milan. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are April–June and September.
Key facts
- Country
- Italy
- Best time to visit
- April–June and September
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- MXP, LIN, BGY
- Mid-range daily budget
- $220–$400 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Villa del Balbianello, Bellagio, Villa Carlotta and Lake ferries
Why visit Lake Como
- Villa del Balbianello, Villa Carlotta, Villa Melzi and Villa Monastero are all lakeside gardens reachable by ferry from the central lake.
- The Bellagio–Varenna–Menaggio ferry triangle lets you visit three villages in a day without a car.
- Como city has a Gothic-Renaissance cathedral, the Tempio Voltiano and a funicular that climbs to Brunate for views up the lake.
- Lake fish dishes such as risotto with perch and sun-dried missoltini are found almost nowhere else in Italy.
- Milan, Lugano and Bergamo are all within about an hour by train, and the Bernina line to St. Moritz starts at Tirano up the valley.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 17 things to do.
Garden · Tremezzina (Tremezzo and Lenno)
Villa del Balbianello
On the wooded Dosso di Lavedo point near Lenno, this 18th-century villa has terraced gardens, a loggia framing views of both directions of the lake and pleached plane trees.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Architecture
Garden · Tremezzina (Tremezzo and Lenno)
Villa Carlotta
Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo combines a museum of neoclassical sculpture and painting, including Francesco Hayez's The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet, with about eight hectares of botanical gardens.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Couples
Neighbourhood · Bellagio
Bellagio old town and Punta Spartivento
Bellagio's lanes climb in steps from the lakefront arcades, lined with silk and leather shops, to the Romanesque Basilica of San Giacomo.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Shopping
- Photo spot
Waterfront · Varenna
Varenna and the Passeggiata degli Innamorati
Varenna's coloured houses rise above a small harbour, and the Passeggiata degli Innamorati, a railed walkway built out over the water, links the ferry pier to the village centre.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Views
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Experience · Central lake
Central-lake ferry triangle
Navigazione Laghi ferries shuttle between Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Cadenabbia in about 10–15 minutes per hop, making the crossings themselves one of the best ways to see the lake.
- Time needed
- Half a day or more
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Views
- Couples
Viewpoint · Como
Como–Brunate funicular
Running since 1894, the funicular climbs from Como's lakefront to the hill village of Brunate, about 700 metres above sea level, in roughly seven minutes.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Kids
- Iconic
- Outdoors
Where to stay
Bellagio is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and luxury
Bellagio
Stepped lanes, silk shops and lake views on both arms from the central promontory
$$$ · Best for couples, first-timers and quiet stays
Varenna
Pastel houses, a lakeside walkway and a railway station on the eastern shore
$$ · Best for families, budget and first-timers
Menaggio
A lakeside piazza, a lido and hiking trails on the western shore
$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, quiet stays and culture
Tremezzina (Tremezzo and Lenno)
Grand hotels, Villa Carlotta and the Greenway path along the western shore
What to eat
- Risotto with perch — Lake perch fillets are dipped in egg and breadcrumbs, fried in butter with sage and laid over a plain buttery risotto.
- Missoltini — Agone, a lake shad, is salted, sun-dried and pressed in tins with bay leaves, then grilled and dressed with oil and vinegar.
- Lavarello — Lake whitefish with delicate flesh, usually served grilled, pan-fried in butter and sage or marinated in carpione, a sweet-sour vinegar marinade with onions.
- Polenta uncia — Polenta layered with soft local cheese and doused in garlic-and-sage butter, a hearty mountain dish from the hills above the western shore and the Larian Triangle around Bellagio.
- Pizzoccheri — Short buckwheat tagliatelle from Valtellina, the valley north of the lake, baked with potatoes, Savoy cabbage, Valtellina Casera cheese, butter and garlic.
- Bresaola della Valtellina — Lean, air-cured beef from the Valtellina valley, sliced paper-thin and served with olive oil, lemon and rocket or shaved cheese as an antipasto.
When to go
The best months for Lake Como are April to June and September, when villa gardens are open, ferries run a full timetable and the weather suits walking. July and August are hot and crowded but best for swimming. From November to mid-March most central-lake hotels, villas and many restaurants close, so winter works only for a Como-based trip.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Gardens reopen and flower, with camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons at Villa Carlotta; showers are frequent and Easter and May weekends get busy. |
| Summer | June–August | Warm lake swimming, long evenings and the fullest ferry service, but crowded villages, high prices and afternoon thunderstorms. |
| Autumn | September–November | Settled, warm September days, autumn colour in October and seasonal closures from late October onwards. |
| Winter | December–February | Cold and quiet, with snow on the mountains, a reduced ferry timetable and most central-lake villas and hotels closed; Como city stays open with Christmas lights. |
Getting there and around
Milan Malpensa is about 50 km from Como; road transfers take about an hour, while train routes need at least one change. Milan Linate and Bergamo Orio al Serio connect best via Milan's stations: regional trains from Milano Centrale reach Como San Giovanni in under an hour and Varenna-Esino in about an hour.
Ferries are the main way to move between lake villages, supplemented by buses along the western shore and trains on the eastern shore. The central lake around Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio is compact, while the full length of the Como arm is a long trip by boat.
Plan your days
Two days covers Bellagio, Varenna and one villa garden on the central lake. Three or four days lets you add Villa del Balbianello, the Greenway walk, Como city and the Brunate funicular; a week leaves time for Milan, Lugano or the Bernina line.
Practical information
- Currency
- EUR
- Language
- Italian
- Plugs
- Type C, F and L sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink, and many villages have public drinking fountains.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected in Italy, and a cover charge is often already on the bill.
Lake Como is generally calm for visitors. Watch your belongings on crowded ferries and piers, take care on the narrow lakeside roads without pavements, and swim only at designated lidos because the lake gets deep and cold very quickly.
Flights to Lake Como
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Lake Como?
Two days covers Bellagio, Varenna and one villa garden on the central lake. Three or four days lets you add Villa del Balbianello, the Greenway walk, Como city and the Brunate funicular; a week leaves time for Milan, Lugano or the Bernina line. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Lake Como?
The best months for Lake Como are April to June and September, when villa gardens are open, ferries run a full timetable and the weather suits walking. July and August are hot and crowded but best for swimming. From November to mid-March most central-lake hotels, villas and many restaurants close, so winter works only for a Como-based trip.
+What is Lake Como known for?
Villa del Balbianello, Bellagio, Villa Carlotta, Lake ferries, Varenna, Como silk, Lakeside villas and Perch risotto. Villa del Balbianello, Villa Carlotta, Villa Melzi and Villa Monastero are all lakeside gardens reachable by ferry from the central lake.
+Is Lake Como expensive?
Lake Como is expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $220–$400 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Lake Como?
Not for a first visit. Ferries, trains and buses cover the central lake and Como, and driving the narrow shore roads in summer is slow. Hire a car only for mountain villages, agriturismi or onward Alpine touring.