Daytrip's guide to Lake Como
Lake Como is the deepest lake in Italy and one of the deepest in Europe. The Romans called it Larius, a name it still carries in Italian as Lario. A mountain-walled ribbon of water at the foot of the Alps, it's shaped like an upside-down Y and loved for its villa gardens, deep blue water, and villages strung along the shore, linked by ferries and a winding lakeside road. A mild microclimate lets camellias, azaleas, and palms grow this far north. The two southern arms divide at a central promontory, while the third runs north into the mountains. Carved by the ancient Adda glacier, this jewel of Lombardy plunges more than 400 meters, its bed dropping below sea level.
The shore has drawn the wealthy since Roman times, when Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger kept villas here. Later centuries lined it with palaces and terraced gardens, and a local silk trade still supplies Italy's fashion houses. By the 1800s it was a fashionable stop for well-off travelers and a favorite of Romantic poets and composers; today it draws filmmakers and a well-heeled international crowd.
This guide walks you through the towns worth visiting, when to come, and how to fill your days, from villa gardens to a swim off a quiet shore, plus the food not to miss.
Nearest airports:
- Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP)
- Milan Linate Airport (LIN)
- Milan Bergamo Airport (BGY)
About the author
Veronika Houdková is a Prague-based writer and devoted returnee to Italy. The Cinque Terre, five pastel villages stitched into the Ligurian cliffs, remain her favorite corner of it.
Our favourite towns on the lake
Each town on Lake Como has a character of its own, one glamorous, one sleepy, one built around a grand villa and its gardens. They sit close together along the shore, so it's easy to base in one and reach the rest by road or by boat.
Each town on Lake Como has a character of its own, one glamorous, one sleepy, one built around a grand villa and its gardens. They sit close together along the shore, so it's easy to base in one and reach the rest by road or by boat.
When to go
Spring
March, April, and May are Como before the crowds, when the villa gardens blaze with azaleas and rhododendrons and the wedding season begins.
Summer
June, July, and August are the peak, when the lake warms and the shoreline towns fill with life. Dive off a lido or a rocky cove.
Autumn
September, October, and November glow with autumn color, the lake mild and the villas open, made for slow but still lively lakeside days.
Winter
December, January, and February are the quiet low, with most villas shut. Come for misty mornings and Como's Christmas light show.
Our picks: things to do on the lake
There's more to Lake Como than a boat ride and a view. Tour the grand villa gardens, climb the hills for the panoramas, shop for the silk the lake is famous for, or cross into Switzerland for the day. Here's how to fill your time on and around the water.
There's more to Lake Como than a boat ride and a view. Tour the grand villa gardens, climb the hills for the panoramas, shop for the silk the lake is famous for, or cross into Switzerland for the day. Here's how to fill your time on and around the water.
Tour the villas and gardens
The lake's grandest villas throw open their gardens: terraced lawns, exotic blooms, and centuries-old lake views. Most are open from spring to autumn.
- Wander Villa del Balbianello's gardens, a Star Wars set, in Lenno
- Visit Villa Monastero, a monastery turned museum, in Varenna
- Tour Villa Carlotta's botanical gardens and art museum in Tremezzo
- Stroll Villa Melzi's neoclassical gardens on the Bellagio shore
- Walk Villa del Grumello's lakeside gardens and lotus pond near Como
Get out on the water
Half the pleasure of Lake Como is on the water. Cruise it by boat, swim from a lido, paddle into a quiet cove, or catch the wind up north. From the middle, the villas and villages rise from the shore.
- Cruise the shore in a classic wooden boat with a skipper
- Swim off Riva Bianca in Lierna or San Giovanni beach in Bellagio
- Boat out to Isola Comacina, the lake's only island, off Ossuccio
- Kayak or paddleboard the coves around Bellagio and Balbianello
- Windsurf or sail the breezy northern lake around Domaso
Rise above the lake
The best views of Lake Como are from above. Funiculars, cable cars, and short climbs lift you over the water to castles, lighthouses, and lookout points, where the three branches open up at once.
- Ride the funicular to Brunate, then walk to the Volta Lighthouse
- Climb to Castello di Vezio, a medieval castle above Varenna
- Take the steep Argegno-Pigra cable car up for lake panoramas
- Drive up to Madonna del Ghisallo, a chapel with views near Bellagio
- Head up by cable car to Piani d'Erna for views over the Lecco arm
Shop for silk
Como has woven silk for centuries and still supplies the world's top fashion houses. Buy scarves, ties, and shawls at the source, from ateliers to factory outlets, for a fraction of their price in Milan or Paris.
- Trace silk from silkworm to scarf at Como's Museo della Seta
- Pick up scarves and ties in Como's silk shops
- Hunt for deals at the Mantero silk outlet in Grandate, near Como
- Browse the silk boutiques in Bellagio's stepped lanes
- Look for a 'Pura Seta' label, the mark of real silk
Day trip from the lake
Como is within easy reach of more than the lake. Switzerland lies just over the border, and more lakes and walled cities are a short drive off, close enough to see in a day and be home by dinner.
- Cross into Switzerland for Lugano, an elegant lakeside city
- Reach Lake Maggiore and Stresa for the Borromean Islands
- Head to Bergamo for its walled Città Alta above the plain
- Slip west to Lake Orta and its island village of San Giulio
- Visit Bellinzona, Switzerland, for its three UNESCO castles
Relax and unwind
When you've toured enough villas, Lake Como rewards slowing down. Book into a spa, take a yoga class by the water, or escape to the quieter northern shore. The lake has drawn people here to rest for centuries.
- Book a spa day at a grand lakeside hotel, pool and sauna included
- Join a yoga or pilates class by the water to start the day
- Escape to the quieter northern shore for slower wellness
- Wind down with an aperitivo on a lakeside terrace at dusk
- Arrange a spa treatment brought to your hotel or villa
What to eat, drink, and order
Around Lake Como, the food comes from the water and the hills: fresh fish from the lake, hearty polenta and cheese from the mountains, and homemade cakes from the old bakeries. Every town has a specialty of its own, shaped by fishing, farming, and long mountain winters.
Around Lake Como, the food comes from the water and the hills: fresh fish from the lake, hearty polenta and cheese from the mountains, and homemade cakes from the old bakeries. Every town has a specialty of its own, shaped by fishing, farming, and long mountain winters.
Missoltini in Dongo
Small lake fish, salted and dried in the sun, then grilled and served over polenta. An old way to preserve the catch.
Risotto al pesce persico in Como
Creamy risotto crowned with pan-fried lake perch and sage butter. The lake's refined signature plate.
Toc in Bellagio
Soft polenta beaten with butter and cheese, scooped straight from the shared pot. A social local ritual.
Polenta uncia in Lecco
Buckwheat polenta stirred with melted cheese and garlic-sage butter. A hearty staple of the hills above the lake.
Miascia in Como
Stale bread soaked in milk and baked with apples, pears, raisins, and rosemary. Peasant baking that wastes nothing.
Resta in Como
A sweet Easter bread dotted with candied fruit and hiding an olive twig inside. A springtime tradition.
Getting around
On Lake Como, no single option gets you everywhere, so a day out often means stitching together a ferry, a bus, and a walk. Ferries run on fixed schedules and leave you at the dock, not your door, while buses crawl the narrow, winding lakeshore roads. A private door-to-door transfer reaches every town, skipping the changes, parking, and luggage. And the lakeshore drive between towns is half the pleasure.
Our recommended routes along the lake
Malpensa Airport to Como City
46min • 48km (29.8mi)
From €277
Malpensa Airport to Bellagio
1h 28min • 87km (54.1mi)
From €290
Malpensa Airport to Varenna
1h 25min • 93km (57.8mi)
From €292
Malpensa Airport to Menaggio
1h 20min • 81km (50.3mi)
From €290
Malpensa Airport to Tremezzo
1h 13min • 76km (47.2mi)
From €292
Malpensa Airport to Cernobbio
44min • 52km (32.3mi)
From €286
Milan Linate Airport to Lecco
48min • 60km (37.3mi)
From €278
Bellagio to Milan Linate Airport
1h 12min • 74km (46.0mi)
From €284
Varenna to Como City
1h 13min • 55km (34.2mi)
From €350
Lecco to Milan
1h 2min • 64km (39.8mi)
From €280
Menaggio to Stresa
1h 48min • 122km (75.8mi)
From €373
Tremezzo to Como City
49min • 31km (19.3mi)
From €346
Day trips from Lake Como's top towns
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