With kids · Lake Como · Italy
Lake Como with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Lake Como works well for families who enjoy boats and the outdoors: ferries are an adventure in themselves, lidos offer lake swimming in summer and the Vezio falconry show and Brunate funicular appeal to children. Steep lanes and steps make strollers hard work in Bellagio and Varenna. Top picks: Central-lake ferry triangle, Castello di Vezio and Como–Brunate funicular. Families usually base themselves in Menaggio.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Menaggio
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Experience · Central lake
1.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. Slower boats run the length of the Como arm, while faster hydrofoils cut journey times between Como and the central lake.
A central-lake day ticket usually pays for itself if you make three or more crossings; buy tickets at the pier office or machines before boarding.
- Time needed
- Half a day or more
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Views
- Couples
Castle · Varenna
2.Castello di Vezio
A medieval watchtower and walls on the hill above Varenna, reached by a steep mule track of about 20–30 minutes from the village. The terrace looks down on Varenna, Bellagio and the central lake, and the castle hosts falconry displays with birds of prey.
Wear proper shoes for the cobbled path up from Varenna and go in the morning before the climb gets hot.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours including the walk
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Kids
- History
- Active
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Como
3.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. From the top, short walks lead to viewpoints over the city and the lake and up to the Faro Voltiano, a lighthouse built to honour Alessandro Volta.
On a clear day walk about 30 minutes uphill to the Faro Voltiano for a view stretching to the Alps and the Po plain.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Kids
- Iconic
- Outdoors
Palace · Como
4.Villa Olmo
A late-18th-century neoclassical villa on the shore just west of Como's centre, owned by the city. Its Italian garden and park run down to the water, and the villa hosts exhibitions. The lakeside path from the Tempio Voltiano, known as the Passeggiata di Villa Olmo, passes several other villas on the way.
The park is a good picnic stop; buy supplies in Como's old town before walking out.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Architecture
- Kids
Nature · Bellano
5.Orrido di Bellano
A narrow gorge carved by the Pioverna stream as it drops into the lake at Bellano, a short train or ferry ride north of Varenna. Walkways fixed to the rock walls let you look down into the churning water and potholes worn by the torrent.
Go after a spell of rain, when the water is at its most dramatic.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Museum · Como
6.Tempio Voltiano
This neoclassical lakeside temple, built in 1927, is a museum to Alessandro Volta, the Como-born physicist who invented the electric battery. It displays his original instruments and documents, and sits at the start of the promenade to Villa Olmo.
Pair it with the lakeside walk to Villa Olmo, about 15 minutes away along the shore.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Rainy-day ideas
- Tempio Voltiano — Pair it with the lakeside walk to Villa Olmo, about 15 minutes away along the shore.
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for families, budget and first-timers
Menaggio
Menaggio is a working town rather than a postcard village, with a broad lakeside promenade, Piazza Garibaldi lined with cafés and a public lido. It is on the central ferry triangle and the bus road to Lugano, and trails start above the town towards the Sentiero del Viandante and Rifugio Menaggio. Hotels and apartments are generally better value than in Bellagio.
- Good
- Good value for the central lake; Bus links to Lugano and Como; Flat promenade suits strollers
- Watch out
- Less picturesque than Bellagio or Varenna; Main road runs along the waterfront
- Nearby
- Villa Carlotta, Lido di Menaggio, Rifugio Menaggio
Family travel tips
- Menaggio's flat promenade and public lido make it the easiest base with small children.
- Lake water is cold until about late June; lidos with pools and shaded lawns are more comfortable for younger children.
- Pack a baby carrier rather than relying on a stroller in Varenna, Bellagio and the hill villages.
- Many restaurants are happy to serve plain pasta (pasta in bianco) for children on request.
- Plan the day around ferry times so you are not waiting on a crowded pier in the afternoon heat.
Day trips for families
- Tirano and the Bernina line (About 1.5 hours by train from Varenna) — 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.
- Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands (About 1.5 hours by car from Como) — From Stresa, boats cross to the Borromean Islands: Isola Bella with its Baroque palace and terraced gardens, and Isola Madre with its botanical garden.
When to go with children
The best months overall are April–June and September. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Lake Como good for kids?
Lake Como works well for families who enjoy boats and the outdoors: ferries are an adventure in themselves, lidos offer lake swimming in summer and the Vezio falconry show and Brunate funicular appeal to children. Steep lanes and steps make strollers hard work in Bellagio and Varenna.
+What can kids do in Lake Como?
Central-lake ferry triangle, Castello di Vezio, Como–Brunate funicular, Villa Olmo and Orrido di Bellano.
+Where should families stay in Lake Como?
Menaggio: A lakeside piazza, a lido and hiking trails on the western shore.