Lake Como Travel Guide
Lake Como Travel Guide
Lake Como is one of the most stunning areas of Northern Italy. It’s located north of Milan on the border of Switzerland.
Lake Como has become well known in recent years for being the glamorous summer getaway destination of celebrities and millionaires and the lake is dotted with a series of lavish villas and charming towns.
If you’re looking for a spot to relax for a few days on your trip to Northern Italy I cann
Jump To:
- Where to Stay in Lake Como
- What to do in Lake Como
- Getting to Lake Como
- When to Visit Lake Como
- How Many days to Spend in Lake Como
- Safety for Solo Female Travel in Lake Como
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Where to Stay in Lake Como
If you’re like me and can’t afford a lavish villa, there are a few towns in Lake Como that have a variety of accomodation options. I opted to stay in Como, because it’s the easiest to reach from Milan via train & is accessible for visiting the other areas of Lake Como via ferry or bus.
In Como I love the Palace Hotel. It’s easy to get to from the train station, has amazing views & comfortable rooms.
Varenna & Bellagio are two other great options, and are the most popular of the towns on Lake Como, but they’re not as easy to reach as Como. Varenna is about a two hour train from Milan. Bellagio can be reached via ferry from Varenna.
What to do in Lake Como
Explore Como by Boat
You can’t take a trip to Como and not venture out on the lake! Luckily, the ferries all leave from right in downtown Como and travel anywhere you want to go on the lake! \ I recommend you prioritize seeing Bellagio and Varenna, arguably the two most popular towns on Lake Como.
From Como you can take a ferry directly to Bellagio (with many stops in between) this allows you to see many of the little towns and villas on the lake without getting off the boat.
Boat schedules and details can be found here. There are options for a regular service vs. fast service. The fast service does not make all the same stops as the slow service, but it always stops in Bellagio and Varenna.
I opted to take the slow service there to enjoy the views and the faster service back! The regular service takes about two hours from Como to Bellagio and the faster service is around 45 minutes.
Visit Bellagio
Bellagio is a small town that you can explore leisurely. There’s many cute cafes to grab a coffee and a croissant. From Bellagio you can catch a short ferry to Varenna
Visit Varenna
From Bellagio it is only one stop to Varenna. Varenna, like Bellagio is a cute resort town dotted with colorful houses and windy lakeside paths. It’s also small and doesn’t take long to explore.
Take the Funicular to the village of Brunate
The funicular departs right from the lakeside in the center of Como and only takes about 7 minutes to get to the top. The funicular runs every 30 minutes and costs less than 6 Euro round trip.
From the top you can explore the little town and venture to some of the overlooks to get a sense of just how massive the lake really is. You can also grab lunch at one of the restaurants at the top, all of them offer patios with great lakeside views!
Explore the sites in Como & Grab and lakeside Aperitivo
Como is a small town that is easy to explore. Visit the Como Cathedral and wander along the lakeside promenade! There are many great lakeside spots for an Aperitivo with tons of outdoor tables, I liked La Darsena & Ristorante Cervo for drinks
Sunset Dinner by the Lake
The sunset in Como over the mountains really is quite beautiful! I recommend finding a dinner spot (or hotel/AirBnb) with a view! I had dinner at Ristorante e Pizzeria Fontana d-Oro and the views and food were both incredible! I got a ricotta and spinach pizza that was one of my favorite pizzas in Italy!
Getting to Lake Como
Lake Como is easily reached by train from Milan. You can take the train to either the town of Como or the town of Varenna. Both are popular options for places to stay while you’re in Lake Como. It’s 40 minutes by train to Como and 2 hours to Varenna.
When to Visit Lake Como
For obvious reasons, summer is the peak tourist season on Lake Como. Plan to spend more money on accommodations and find bigger crowds, but to enjoy Lake Como at it’s warmest, and take advantage of all the summer weather has to offer!
If you’re looking to still take advantage of some nice weather, but lower prices, the spring or fall shoulder seasons are always some of my favorite times to travel! Keep in mind you probably won’t be swimming, but you can still enjoy the beautiful scenery, spend some time on the water, and enjoy your aperol spritz with a lakeside view!
Given that the whole Lake Como region is mostly comprised of resorts things are really quiet in the winter and you probably won’t be able to experience the area as fully as you would during the rest of the year!
How Many Days to Spend in Lake Como
2-3 Days
You could easily spend a week or more in Lake Como if you’re looking to just relax and chill, but 2-3 days is enough to explore and see the highlights if you’re looking for a short trip or combining it with other areas of Italy!
Safety for Solo Female Travel in Lake Como
5 out of 5
Lake Como felt super safe for solo travel. I stayed in an Airbnb in Como that required walking down about 200 dark windy stairs through a neighborhood at night and never felt unsafe coming or going!
