5 best day trips from Lake Como

Day trips compared

The day trips

50 km · About 40–60 minutes by train from Como

1.Milan

Italy's fashion and business capital has the Duomo with its rooftop terraces, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Leonardo's Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie, which needs a ticket booked well ahead. The Navigli canals are the place for an evening aperitivo.

Getting there

Train from Como San Giovanni or Como Nord Lago

Best for

First-timers, Culture, Shopping

30 km · About 30 minutes by train from Como

2.Lugano

Across the Swiss border, Lugano has a lakeside promenade, arcaded streets around Piazza della Riforma and funiculars up Monte San Salvatore and Monte Brè. Prices are in Swiss francs and noticeably higher than on the Italian side.

Getting there

Train from Como San Giovanni, or bus from Menaggio

Best for

First-timers, Couples, Shopping

35 km · About 40 minutes by train from Lecco

3.Bergamo

Bergamo's Città Alta is a walled hilltop town of Venetian-era ramparts, now UNESCO-listed, with the Cappella Colleoni, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and Piazza Vecchia. A funicular links it to the modern lower town.

Getting there

Train from Lecco to Bergamo, then funicular to the upper town

Best for

Culture, Food lovers, Couples

75 km · About 1.5 hours by train from Varenna

4.Tirano and the Bernina line

Tirano, at the head of Valtellina, is the southern end of the Rhaetian Railway's Bernina line, a UNESCO-listed mountain railway that climbs over the Bernina Pass to St. Moritz. A day trip can ride part or all of the line and return the same day.

Getting there

Regional train from Varenna-Esino to Tirano, then the Bernina line

Best for

First-timers, Families, Couples

75 km · About 1.5 hours by car from Como

5.Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands

From Stresa, boats cross to the Borromean Islands: Isola Bella with its Baroque palace and terraced gardens, and Isola Madre with its botanical garden. It makes a long but rewarding day.

Getting there

Car, or train via Milan to Stresa

Best for

Couples, Culture, Families

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• For Varenna, take the regional train from Milano Centrale; the journey takes about an hour.
• Buy tickets before boarding at tobacconists or bars, and expect queues for the Como–Menaggio route on summer weekends.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask