travel from dolomites to lake como

Traveling to Lake Como for the First Time (Tips & Info for Your Visit)

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: March 29, 2024

Traveling to Lake Como, Italy, for the first time  and not sure where to start? Planning a trip to Lake Como might be overwhelming indeed, especially so if this is your first time in this beautiful area.

How much time do you need in Lake Como? When to visit? Where to stay and how to get around Como Lake? Or how to see the best that Lake Como has to offer without the crowds?

To help you plan your first trip to Lago di Como , I selected some of our best tips for visiting Lake Como . This experience-based practical guide will not only help you plan your trip, but will also show you how to make the best of your visit, time, and budget. Find out!

READ ALSO: Best Places to Visit & Things to Do in Lake Como

These are our top travel tips for visiting Lake Como:

1. Decide how long you’ll stay

Lake Como is one of the largest lakes in Italy. Shaped like an upside-down letter “Y”, Lake Como has a 100-mile (160 km) long shoreline that is lined with countless charming towns and picturesque villages.

So visiting Como Lake is not as straightforward as you may think. It’s not a place where you just drive to one town, do a boat trip, and can see everything in a few hours. In fact, you could spend weeks traveling around Lake Como and still not see ‘everything’.

So before anything else, decide how long you’ll stay at Lake Como . Once you know that, it will be much easier to plan the rest of the trip – starting with getting there, getting around, the best area(s) to stay, places to see, things to do, etc.

But don’t worry – Lake Como is worth it even if you only have a day or two . And you can see many amazing places in a short time – IF you know what to expect and plan well.

Good to know:

• If you have just 1 day for Lake Como and want to see some of the most popular places, do yourself a favor and take an organized tour . Otherwise, you’ll lose too much time traveling between places and won’t be able to do as much.
• We recommend planning at least 2-3 days for your first visit to Lake Como. This will give you enough time to see some of the ‘musts’ in a more relaxing way. However, if you want to see all the top places, you should really plan at least 4-5 days or it will be very rushed.
• If you are traveling in the warm season and like hiking, biking, or want to get a bit off the beaten path and visit some less popular towns and villages, you can easily spend a week or even two in the area.

2. Travel in the shoulder season

Being one of the most beautiful destinations in Italy , it will come as no surprise that Lake Como is extremely popular. Furthermore, the main tourist season here is rather short – approximately from March through October, with most tourists visiting in the peak summer months (June – September).

So if you are mostly interested in sightseeing and do not care about swimming etc., see if you can adjust your travel plans and visit Lake Como in the spring or in the fall . It will still be busy, but incomparable to July or August when European countries have their school holidays.

The best months to visit Lake Como are mid-April – May and mid-September to mid-October. That’s when everything is open, the weather is mild, and it’s not too busy.

TIP: Some of the best places to see at Lake Como are historic Lake Como villas with beautiful gardens . So one of the best times to visit Lake Como is when everything is green and the gardens are in full bloom. The gardens are at their nicest when rhododendrons and azaleas bloom, which – depending on the weather – is around the second half of April .

Of course, visiting Lake Como in summer is amazing too. This is the season when you can enjoy everything that the area has to offer to the fullest. However, traveling in the summer, you’ll have to do a bit more advanced planning and prepare to deal with the crowds (especially at the boat harbors of the most popular towns).

Good to know: While the scenery is stunning the whole-year round, traveling to Lake Como in the winte r is a very different experience. This is mostly because the weather can get really cold and lots of businesses shut down between November and February. There are also fewer boats and the main attractions are closed too.

We once visited Lake Como in late October and once also in late November. It was still a great experience, but incomparable to the warmer months. If you are looking for solitude and want to discover the more local side of the area, you’ll enjoy visiting here in the off-season.

3. Stay in a central location

If you are visiting Lake Como for a few days and are looking for the best ‘base’ for exploring the area, we recommend staying around the middle of the lake . Bellagio is right in the center of it all, but also Varenna , Menaggio, Griante, Cadenabbia, Tremezzo, and Lenno all are very well located for sightseeing.

Of course, the southern end of the lake ( Como , Cernobbio, Lecco…) is worth considering too. But it all comes down to how much time you have and what you want to see and do.

For the first trip and if looking for just one place to stay in order to visit all the top places, I’d stay in the middle.

This is the area where you will find some of the most charming towns and villas of Lake Como. It also has very good boat connections. The ferry journey between all the main places on the eastern and western shores of the lake will take just 10-30 minutes (vs. 1.5-2 hrs from Lecco or Como towns).

Where to stay

Good to know: Bellagio is the most popular town on Lake Como. This means that it’s very busy and accommodations here can be really expensive (even more than in the other areas which aren’t cheap either). A quieter alternative is the nearby quaint village of San Giovanni . It also has a ferry stop and can also be reached by a tourist ‘train’ from Bellagio.

Another very popular town on Lake Como is Varenna . It has a direct train connection to Milan and easy ferry connections to pretty much everywhere on Lake Como.

TIP: If you want to avoid the biggest crowds of day tourists, stay on the western side of the lake in the area between Mennagio and Lenno . You can easily visit everything from here, but this shore is much quieter. From places like Tremezzo or Cadennabia, you can usually take a ferry (and find a seat) without having to arrive half an hour in advance or stand in a huge chaotic line.

Our experience: We’ve been to Lake Como a few times and stayed in three different areas during those trips (Como, Cernobbio, and Cadenabbia). While each was great for the purpose of that specific trip, we found that staying in the central area of the lake was the most convenient for sightseeing. Despite the mixed reviews, we really loved the historic Grand Hotel Cadenabbia . It has unparalleled rooftop views, an amazing pool, and free parking. (At the moment of the last update, this hotel is being renovated. The closest similar hotel is the Grand Hotel Tremezzo ).

For more information as well as the advantages and disadvantages of different towns around the lake, please see our detailed guide via the link below. For more info about the ferries – see further below.

LEARN MORE: Where to Stay at Lake Como

4. Reserve as much as possible in advance

This is really becoming the new reality of traveling to popular destinations – you have to reserve as much as possible in advance. Luckily, it’s not yet the case for everything at Lake Como, but it sure helps to do some research before you go.

For example, if you want to visit Villa del Balbianello inside , you really have to book tickets in advance on their website . The visits are guided and the number of people they can take in a day is quite limited. When we traveled to Lake Como in August, the tours of the villa interior were sold out a few weeks in advance.

Most people simply visit the gardens of Villa del Balbianello. Also here, we highly recommend pre-booking your tickets, but you should still be able to get in without an advance reservation. Just keep in mind that the queue at the entrance can get very long, so booking skip-the-line tickets in advance can save you a lot of time.

Villa Carlotta can be visited without an advance reservation, but the queues at the ticket desk can get really long. If you book in advance , you can just walk in via a separate entrance.

PRO TIP:  If you plan on visiting several of the nicest Lake Como villas in one day, check out this  ferry + villa tickets combo . It includes Villa Monastero, Villa Carlotta, and the gardens of Villa Melzi, plus a 1-day ferry ticket.

Also your accommodation is one of the things you better book well in advance. Staying at Lake Como is not cheap and the earlier you book, the more choices you have, and thus better prices. For example, when we checked the rates at our hotel a week before our trip, we saw that it was about 30% more expensive than what we paid when we booked it a few months upfront.

And if you want to dine at a specific restaurant , you better call them in advance too. For most places, you’ll be able to reserve a table just a few hours in advance. But if it’s a very popular restaurant and you are visiting on a weekend, you may want to call them a few days upfront. And if you didn’t reserve – go early. Italians eat late (around 8 pm or even later), so if you come earlier, you have more chance to find a table. Just be sure to check when the restaurant opens – some only open at 7.30 pm.

Oh, and if you want to take a private boat cruise on the lake, it’s also best to book in advance. You can find some of the best options here . When comparing tours, don’t forget to check their duration and in which town they start!

5. Book a hotel with a view and a pool

One of the charms of staying at Lake Como is being able to enjoy the spectacular views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. So when looking for accommodation, see if you can find a nice hotel with a lake view.

You don’t absolutely need a room with a lake view (you’ll probably hardly spend any time in the room anyway), but it’s really nice to be able to enjoy the views at breakfast or from a bar/ restaurant in the evening.

When we stayed at Grand Hotel Cadenabbia , we opted for the garden-view rooms since we read that the lake-view rooms were quite noisy (lakeside is often also the street side, depending on where exactly you are staying). But we could enjoy the most stunning views from our restaurant every morning and from the rooftop terrace the rest of the day. I’d go back to this hotel in a heartbeat, even if just for the views!

Another thing that you may want to look at is that your hotel has a pool . If visiting Lake Como in the summer, you’ll be glad to spend the hottest hours of the day by the water. Depending on where you stay, there are also some public beaches at Lake Como, but really just a few. The best one is probably the public beach of Bellagio in San Giovanni.

Our hotel had an amazing pool and also the pool of the nearby luxury Grand Hotel Tremezzo looked great too (theirs is directly on the lake). Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio also has a beautiful outdoor pool (and one indoors), and direct access to the lake with a separate swimming area. There are many other hotels with swimming pools along Lake Como. We found that it’s well worth a splurge, and not just for families with kids.

6. Get ferry tickets online or at slow times

Visiting Lake Como will usually involve at least a few ferry journeys. You’ll need a ticket for those ferries, which you can get at any harbor or online.

While it won’t be a big issue in the quieter months, the ferry ticket offices during the day in the peak season are swamped with people. This is especially the case in places like Bellagio or Varenna, but also Como town. So if you don’t want to waste lots of precious time queuing, try to get your ferry tickets in advance.

If you have the patience to try to navigate the official website of Navigazione Laghi , you can book your ferry tickets and day passes online in advance. This is the website where you can get ferry tickets for Lake Como, but also Lake Garda , and Lake Maggiore.

Alternatively, in the morning, get the tickets for all the journeys you are planning to do that day. Or consider a day ticket if you think you’ll want to visit multiple towns in a day. And you can also pass the ticket office the evening before (not too late or it will be closed) and see if you can already get your tickets for the next day(s).

TIP: Depending on your plans, the earlier-mentioned ferry + villa tickets combo can be an easy option allowing you to prebook everything at once.

7. Get to the ferry harbor early

You’ll find the Lake Como ferry schedule in every harbor around the lake. Generally, the boats are quite punctual, so if you are staying in a quieter town, you can just arrive at the harbor a few minutes before the scheduled time.

However, in the most popular towns and at peak times, the harbor often looks like a beehive. There are often at least a few boats arriving/departing at about the same time, and sometimes things can get a bit chaotic.

So save yourself the stress and get to the harbor at least 10-15 minutes before the scheduled departure time so that you can try to figure out where exactly to be. And if you want to be sure to have a place to sit on the ferry, you may want to arrive even earlier so that you can get on the boat sooner.

Our experience: We took multiple ferries on Lake Como. In the lower season, it wasn’t busy and you could rely on the schedule. Also in the summer, departing from smaller harbors was never an issue. But the harbors in Bellagio and Varenna were crazy busy. In addition, many passenger boats arrived (and thus departed) too late. There were also ferries that weren’t indicated on the schedule (apparently they sometimes add an extra boat if it gets too busy) adding to the confusion and people trying to get on the wrong boat without realizing where it was going…

If things get crazy, try to stay calm, and don’t be afraid to ask the staff where the ferry is going if you aren’t sure. You don’t want to end up on the other side of the lake if all you need is a 10-minute ferry ride from Varenna to Bellagio or so.

8. Visit the most popular towns in the late afternoon

If you are visiting Lake Como in summer, expect it to be very busy everywhere. One of the best ways to avoid crowds in the most popular towns is to arrive very early (before 10 am) or to visit later in the afternoon (after 3-4 pm). The problem with arriving early is that other day-trippers will be there soon too. Whereas late afternoons are much quieter and it just gets better.

When we first arrived in Lake Como, we started our days like everyone else – after a relaxed breakfast. Big mistake! It was so busy everywhere…

But we quickly realized that most places got much quieter in the afternoon. And by the evening, most of the day tourists are gone, and you can actually enjoy the charming towns of Lake Como rather than feeling annoyed about brushing elbows with strangers all the time.

This will be easier to do if you have at least a few days in Lake Como. But if you do, indeed, why not adjust your schedule and visit the towns in the afternoon rather than in the morning. Ferries run quite late in the evening during the summer, and if you are staying in the middle of the lake as we recommended, you can easily visit all the towns in that area this way.

Often, you only need a few hours in a place anyway. Just be sure to keep an eye on the schedule of the attractions that you want to visit inside so that you don’t miss them by arriving too late!

READ ALSO: Most Beautiful Towns & Villages on Lake Como

9. Don’t count on the ferry schedule 100%

While most ferries on Lake Como run quite punctually, we have experienced quite a few delays during our visit too. Especially on the small passenger ferry which stops in Varenna and Bellagio. One time the ferry was so late and had additional delays waiting to dock in Bellagio that we arrived back at our hotel an hour later than we planned.

Car ferries have a separate dock, so they are usually nicely on time. Whereas passenger ferries have to share the same dock and that’s where things go wrong in the busiest towns during peak times. And if you already have a 10-minute delay on a specific line in the morning, it usually gets worse and worse by the end of the day.

So when planning your sightseeing time at Lake Como, be sure to leave some room for delays, sometimes even up to 30-45 minutes. You can’t rely on the ferry 100% and that’s also what makes it a bit more difficult to visit multiple places in a day in the peak season.

If you just go to one or two towns, it’s normally not a big deal. But if you are visiting Lake Como for just a day and are on a tight schedule (or even have to get back somewhere before a certain time), keep in mind that ferries can have serious delays. This brings us to the next point…

10. Make a plan and don’t try to see it ‘all’

Lake Como has a lot to offer, but if your time is limited, don’t try to pack it all in a day or two . There’s no way to see everything in just a few days anyway and you’ll be spending more time waiting for ferries and riding them than sightseeing…

I’d recommend focussing on just 1-3 places in a day and exploring a bit deeper. Take your time to actually visit the place, have a drink or a meal at a local restaurant, explore the villas and the gardens, take a private boat trip on the lake , and try to get just a bit off the main tourist streets. Remember that often, less is more.

Ideally, you make somewhat of a plan so that you don’t miss any of the musts (such as Como , Bellagio , Varenna , or the most beautiful villas on Lake Como ). But try to also leave some free time for unexpected discoveries and to just relax and absorb the atmosphere.

TIP: If you want to pack more in a single day, you should really consider an organized tour. For example, most Lake Como day tours from Milan visit the towns of Como, Bellagio, and Varenna. But they use a bus and private boats for the travel between these towns (= no wait time or delays). If you try to see these three places in a day on your own, you’d have to rush through and have much less time to actually explore them.

11. Get a bit off the beaten path

Lake Como is busy in the high season. But this is the case at all the bucket-list destinations, isn’t it? The good news is that most people just visit a few of the most popular places and never take the time to wander further.

So if you have the time (even if just a few hours), try to explore the area a bit deeper and get off the beaten path. Often, you don’t even have to walk far. A few examples:

• While Varenna town center is very busy, its castle Castello di Vezio sees just a fraction of the visitors. Granted, it’s located high on the hill and you will need to make an effort to walk to it. But it only takes 20-25 minutes and you’ll be rewarded with fantastic views of the lake, the town, and its surroundings. Plus, the castle itself is really cool too – especially if you are visiting Lake Como with kids.
• The main area close to Bellagio harbor is crowded during the day. The same for the most famous street with the best view in town – Salita Serbelloni . But if you take any of the narrow alleys parallel to this street, the crowds disappear. Not many people even seem to walk to Punta Spartivento , the viewpoint at the very end of the peninsula. And if you take the little tourist train and hop off in Pescallo or San Giovanni, you’ll find a totally different atmosphere than in Bellagio itself.
• In Lenno (where the famous Villa del Balbianello is located), be sure to also check out the town itself. There’s a beautiful church right in the center – Chiesa Santo Stefano – with an impressive underground crypt. While the villa and the gardens were very busy when we visited, there was nobody in the church…

These are just a few examples at the most popular towns on Lake Como. If you visit smaller towns and turn just a bit off the main streets, you will be able to enjoy a more authentic side of Lake Como without the crowds. Plus, there are countless hiking opportunities and on most trails, you’ll hardly meet any people at all.

12. Wear comfortable shoes

If you are planning to do any sightseeing in Lake Como beyond just hopping off the ferry and checking out the main streets in every town, be sure to wear comfortable shoes . Because no matter where you go, you’ll be walking a lot. Often, a lot more than you anticipate.

As already mentioned, many villas around Como Lake have beautiful gardens. Sometimes, you’ll have to negotiate a few steeper trails or gravel paths. Also in towns, there are cobbled streets and often many stairs too…

Sneakers or light walking shoes are ideal. In summer, for most places, sandals with a good sole and comfortable fit will be fine too, but ideally, you avoid flat-bottomed leather sandals or flip-flops. If you are planning to go hiking, you’ll definitely need good hiking shoes or – depending on the season – even hiking boots.

Take my word for it, you’ll enjoy your visit to Lake Como so much more if you are wearing comfortable shoes!

13. Don’t visit by car

For all clarity – you can travel to Lake Como by car (we did a few times). But once you get there, park it and don’t touch it for the rest of the stay.

The traffic is usually not too bad, although many roads are very narrow and there are people, bikes, and scooters everywhere. If you aren’t used to this, it can be a very stressful experience. And if you turn off the main road and get into some very local areas, you can get quite stuck in a narrow street with not much space to turn (back)… We saw a German driver wrecking an entire side of his car by trying to take a turn into a narrow street in Lenno.

In addition, parking can get really problematic around Lake Como in the peak season. If you think it will be faster to just drive to a nearby village by car, reconsider. Often, you’ll spend more time looking for parking than getting there.

Plus even if you find a spot, often, there are time restrictions as to how long you can leave your car there. And in most places, you also have to pay for parking.

We saw LOTS of cars with parking tickets during our stay at Lake Como. Usually, because the cars stood somewhere longer than allowed.

There is a big public parking garage in Varenna, but it’s usually full in the morning already. So if your plan is to drive to Varenna and visit Lake Como for a day by car, try to get there really early. Once it’s full, you won’t even be allowed to wait for a spot to open up. Since the cars waiting to get into this parking block the entire street, the police just send everyone away. And there aren’t many alternatives.

TIP: I guess it goes without saying, but if you are driving to Lake Como by car, be sure that your hotel/accommodation has parking . This is really a must and you can’t just count on being able to find a spot (and leave your car there for as long as you want).

14. Pack a reusable water bottle and sun protection

There’s one packing essential that you absolutely need when traveling in Italy and that’s a reusable water bottle . There are free drinking fountains everywhere and so you can easily fill them up several times during the day.

Also in Lake Como, we saw many drinking fountains. In the summer, it’s a real lifesaver. You’ll also be able to buy some bottled drinking water, but it’s very expensive. In that case, hold on to that bottle and refill it later.

Another thing that you really need if visiting Lake Como in summer is a good sun hat and sunscreen . And if you didn’t pack a hat, you’ll find plenty of sun hats for sale everywhere.

15. Take some cash

While Italy has come a long way in accepting card payments, there are still some places that only take cash . We encountered this on quite a few occasions at Lake Como.

Luckily, most restaurants, shops, and main tourist attractions take credit cards.

So if you need euros, it will likely be for smaller payments. But it sure helps to have some cash, also for tips at the restaurants.

16. Research where and when to eat

There are so many restaurants in the Lake Como area that you will never have to worry about getting hungry. And the good news is that even the restaurants in the most popular areas usually serve really good traditional Italian food .

However, just as anywhere in the world, it’s also possible to have a less good meal in Lake Como. So do a bit of research before you sit down. Often, just a quick look at the reviews on Google Maps will already give you a good idea of what to expect.

As a general rule, try to avoid restaurants with food pictures on the menu. Usually, restaurants right next to the busy harbors of the main towns of Lake Como will not offer the best local experience either. But if you walk just a few blocks further or turn into a quieter side alley, you can find some local gems.

Also in the Lake Como area, there are huge differences in prices that you pay, depending on the restaurant. So check this in advance in order to avoid unpleasant surprises. Depending on where you eat, you can have a perfectly good pasta dish for 10 euros or for 20…

One more thing to remember is that most restaurants in Italy are only open for lunch and dinner (+- noon to 3 pm and 7 to 10 pm). So if you try to find a place to eat at 3-5 pm, good luck! And, as already said, it pays to reserve a restaurant for dinner in advance, especially if traveling in Lake Como in summer.

So this is our first-timer’s guide with some tips for visiting Lake Como.

I hope that this information will give you a better idea of what to expect, help you make the most out of your trip, and enjoy the best that Como Lake has to offer, no matter how much time you have.

Have a great trip!

READ ALSO: ⭑ Best Things to Do in Lake Como ⭑ Best Things to Do in Bellagio ⭑ Most Beautiful Villas to See in Lake Como ⭑ Best Things to Do in Varenna ⭑ Best Things to Do in Como City ⭑ Best Things to Do in Milan ⭑ Milan 1-day Itinerary

If you found this post useful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin this image!

More travel inspiration for Northern Italy:

• Best places to see in Lake Garda
• Best things to do in Venice
• Best places to see at Lake Garda
• Best things to do in Verona
• Best things to do in Bologna
• Best things to do in Florence
• Most beautiful lakes in the Dolomites
• Venice in 1 day
• 3 days in Venice
• How to visit Venice by car
• Venice gondola tips
• Best places to see in the Italian Dolomites
• Where to stay in the Dolomites
• Lake Garda Itinerary
• Cinque Terre in 1 day
• Trentino with kids  (off the beaten path, activity-filled trip)
• For many more destinations all over Italy, see our Italy travel guide .

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Margaret Martin

Thursday 28th of March 2024

Hello- This is GREAT information. Does anyone know if a day pass for the Ferry means you can hop on and hop off at any point from Como to Bellagio to Varena? I don't see that information on the ferry website. Thanks!

Friday 29th of March 2024

Hi Margaret, if you get a day ticket, you should be able to use it on all ferries and hop off along the way. The websites of lake ferries in Italy are not great (and already quite an improvement compared to a few years ago), but it's all quite simple once you get there. You can find the ferry schedule at any harbor (take a picture with your phone so that you can easily check it during the day) and you can ask which ticket is best at the ticket desk. In other words - don't worry about it in advance. Have a great trip!

Tuesday 26th of September 2023

Hi there - this is a great article! We've travelled extensively in Italy for 20 years, but just now made it to Lake Como. Your blog is fantastic - rather than "you must see 'X'", you have fantastic suggestions about how to plan, advice as to what the real parking situation is (bad and lots of tickets), what are the less crowded times, etc. Bravo! One of the few useful travel articles I've found in many years. We will continue to follow you.

Wednesday 27th of September 2023

Thank you for the kind feedback, Barbara. Enjoy Lake Como!

Hemant Modi

Monday 11th of September 2023

Hi, We just visited Lake Como for the first time. The Information you shared was very useful & feel lucky I came across your blog.Do keep up the good work. All the Best.

Thank you for your kind feedback, Hemant. Glad to help and hope you enjoyed your trip!

Hasinah Wahab

Wednesday 24th of May 2023

Hi, do you happen to have recommendations for halal places that serve italian food?

Saturday 27th of May 2023

Hi Hasinah, I really wouldn't know, but I am sure you can easily find this information online. Have a great trip!

Tuesday 21st of March 2023

Hi, Do you have any idea how bearable is the weather around the last week of April in Bellagio? We are planning on travelling with a 1 year old and our concern is that since we are travelling from a tropical country, the weather might be harsh for the toddler. However, we don't want to miss the opportunity to see the spring bloom. Any suggestions or recommendations would be highly appreciated!

Thursday 23rd of March 2023

Hi Zahid, nobody can tell you exactly how the weather will be on the day(s) when you will be there, but generally, April is beautiful and pleasantly warm. At the end of April, I would expect temperatures of at least 15-20°C, maybe even warmer. I can't imagine how spring weather in Italy would be a concern to anyone, no matter what you are used to. It's not like you are traveling to the Arctic in the winter. :) Have a great trip!

• Deutschland

Northern Italy Tour: Cities, Dolomites, and Lake Como

11 Days from $9,890 / person

Bask in the charm of northern Italy on this 11-day tour around Venice, Lake Como, Dolomites and more. Discover scenic hiking trails up the Dolomites in Alta Badia and see Shakespeare’s classic ‘Romeo and Juliet’ come alive in the riverside town of Verona that served as the backdrop to this masterpiece. Enjoy a ferry ride down Lake Como in picturesque Bellagio, and take in the striking architecture, history and fashion aesthetic of Milan. From the great outdoors to iconic cities and immersive cultural experiences, this tour is sure to appeal to every kind of traveler.

If this itinerary speaks to you, reach out to us and our experts will create a tailor-made tour of northern Italy with your interests in mind.

Heritage & Culture

Heritage & History

Nature & Landscapes

Itinerary Summary

Itinerary details.

International Arrival. You will be met at the arrival lounge and assisted with further connection

You will be transferred from Venice airport to your hotel in a private water taxi

Included activities

Walking Discovery of Venice

Set off from your centrally located hotel on a fascinating walking tour of the city of canals. Accompany your local expert along the winding alleyways to see some of the hidden gems of this charming city that has been featured in countless works of art and literature. Soak in the architectural beauty of the buildings around the historic Piazza San Marco, Venice’s main public square. Stroll past landmarks such as the Italo-Byzantine Basilica San Marco, Palazzo Ducale also known as the Doge’s Palace, the iconic Clock Tower, and Procuratie, the three-building cluster. Saunter across the splendid Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo square where you find the Basilica also known as the Pantheon of Venice. Listen to lesser-known historical facts and anecdotes as you amble by the erstwhile residence of the famous explorer Marco Polo and admire Malibran Theater that dates back to the 17th century. Make your way back to San Marco along the bustling Mercerie with its numerous luxury boutiques. (Duration: 2 hrs; Time: 1000 hrs; Private Activity; Fitness Level: Moderate. Please note this is a walking tour and the guide will meet you directly at your hotel; It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and bring along a light raincoat or an umbrella depending on the weather.)

Group Tour of Murano and Burano Islands

Visit the famous islands of the Venetian lagoon that are known for their handicrafts. At the scheduled time, you will be guided from your hotel in Venice to the meeting point. Once you reach, settle into a comfortable boat and travel to Murano. Along the way, your guide will point out interesting landmarks and small islets. At Murano, walk along the narrow streets to a glassblower’s workshop. This small island is world-famous for its exquisite pieces of glass art. Watch a skilled glass blower craft delicate pieces of glassware right in front of you. You could then browse the collection of finished products and explore the island on your own. Later, board the boat for the ride to Burano, famed for its handmade lace, once considered the best in Europe. Make your way past vibrantly painted houses, lined along the canal, to a lace-making facility. See the women use centuries-old techniques to stitch beautiful swathes of lace. Afterward, check out some of the local bakeries and sample their wares before heading back to the boat. (Duration: half day; Shared activity; Group size: max 20 ppl; Starting point: Riva degli Schiavoni, 4183, 30122 Venezia- at the statue of Vittorio Emanuele II; Fitness level: moderate, please note that this tour is not suitable for wheelchairs or people requiring special assistance; Boat round trip and glass and lace-making demonstrations included; Please be at the meeting point at least 15 mins prior to scheduled departure time; Pick up assistance from the hotel to the meeting point is included; Carry hat, sunscreen, and a bottle of water; There is a lot of walking involved, so comfortable shoes are recommended).

Hotel options

You will be transferred from your hotel to Venice Piazzale Roma in a private water taxi

Your chauffeur will drive you from Venice to Alta Badia in a private vehicle (Duration: 3 hrs).

Alta Badia (Dolomites)

Personalized hike to le tre cime di lavaredo.

Spend a day in the Dolomites, hiking the Tre Cime di Lavaredo loop that is approximately 8.8 kms (6 miles) long. Set out from Rifugio Auronzo and follow the wide gravel track. Take in views of the serrated pinnacles that stretch across the skyline. Follow a well-maintained trail that curves along the base of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Ramble along slopes of high Alpine meadows, while soaking in views of the jagged peaks. Pass by lush green valleys and see numerous snow capped mountain tops that dot the horizon. Follow the path across lofty rugged ledges and along scenic mountain vistas. Proceed uphill, to the crest at Forcella Lavaredo, from where the landscape reveals the Three Peaks at 2,454 m (8,051 ft) above sea level. View masses of scraggy summits in a variety of twisted shapes. They resemble a crumbling forest of stony skyscrapers. Amble along a winding track peppered with highland flowers. Continue onward, through a mix of uphill and downhill sections that provide panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. (Duration: full day; Seasonal: May-Oct, daily; Private activity & transfers; Meals are not included; Fitness level: difficult; The hike is 6 miles long and the elevation is 2,454m above sea level; Please note that this activity is not suitable for people with physical challenges; Please wear trekking shoes and bring your own trekking gear; Operates subject to weather conditions)

Personalized Hike to Lake Braies

Venture on a 2.25-mile loop hike that circles Lake Braies, the largest natural lake in the Italian Dolomites. Part of the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park, Lake Braies is known as the ‘Emerald of the Dolomites’. Fed by underground springs and streams, its clear glacial waters provide a perfect reflection of the snow capped mountain peaks of the Seekofel massif. Take a short stroll from the car park to the boathouse. Walk along the lakeshore and admire the scenery. Pass by Hotel Lago di Braies to reach Cappella di Maria, a chapel designed by architect Otto Schmid in 1904. There’s also the film set, which was built for the Italian TV series ‘Un passo dal cielo’. Amble uphill, through the wooded path that goes all the way around the lake. Trek along the walkway and soak in Alpine vistas at every turn. Along the way, stop for photos at shingle beaches that are backed by sheer rocky cliffs and experience the solitude of the forested lakeshore. (Duration: full day; Seasonal: May-Oct, daily; Private activity & transfers; Meals are not included; Fitness level: moderate; The hiking trail is 2.25 miles long; Please note that this activity is not suitable for people with physical challenges; Please wear trekking shoes and bring your own trekking gear; Operates subject to weather conditions)

Personalized Tour of Bolzano City

Explore the charming Alpine vineyard town of Bolzano during this immersive trip. Meet your chauffeur at your hotel lobby after a leisurely breakfast. Be driven through a rolling highland landscape framed by the Italian Alps, with the Dolomite Mountains in the distance. Bolzano sits nestled in a beautiful valley with highland vineyards overlooking it. On reaching the town, stroll through the narrow winding lanes at your own pace. Note down the interesting medieval buildings and landmarks you come across. Walk down the old town square, or Waltherplatz, which is surrounded by historic structures. Stop by the imposing Duomo di Bolzano Cathedral and admire its intricate Gothic and Romanesque architecture. Have a good lunch at any one of the local restaurants, pizzerias or cafés that line the lively square. Finally, return to your waiting car and chauffeur and be driven back to your hotel. (Duration: half day; Time: morning activity; Private activity & transfers; Fitness level: easy; Please wear comfortable walking shoes & bring light raincoat or umbrella depending on weather)

Your chauffeur will drive you from Alta Badia to Verona in a private vehicle (Duration: 3 hrs)

What to do in Verona at your leisure: our recommendations

Here are our recommendations on what to do in Verona. Explore Piazza Bra, the largest square in Verona. It contains a number of historic buildings, such as the Arena di Verona, the city’s answer to the Colosseum in Rome. Built in 30 AD, this amphitheater could hold 30,000 spectators and is still used for concerts. Visit Castle Vecchio, which stands on the banks of River Adige. Built almost 700 years ago, it houses a museum dedicated to its history. Attached to the castle is Castle Vecchio Bridge, which was once the longest bridge of its kind in the world. Built from red brick, it offers clear views of the river. See the Basilica of San Zeno, one of the most important religious buildings in Verona, and Shakespeare’s setting for the marriage of Romeo and Juliet. You can also visit Casa di Giulietta, the building where Shakespeare placed Juliet on the balcony to talk to Romeo. Inside you will find displays related to the play and the building. Take a stroll through the Giusti Gardens or a boat ride on Lake Garda. (Self-explore Activity; Transfers, entrance fees and meals are not included; Choose from our recommendations what best suits your interests and pace. Please note that you may not be able to do all recommended activities)

Personalized Lake Garda Tour by Public Ferry

Departing from Verona in your private vehicle, you will spend the day exploring beautiful Lake Garda on a tour by public ferry with your guide. Head to the ferry terminal and set sail along the southern shores of Lake Garda. While gliding on the placid waters, learn about the blue paradise in the shadow of the Alps from your guide. Your first stop is the resort town of Desenzano del Garda. Explore the waterfront and head up its winding streets to the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maddalena. This Baroque cathedral preserves a painting of the ‘Last Supper’, by Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Afterward, visit the Roman Villa with its polychrome mosaics depicting hunting scenes and harvesting tools. Then, take a short ferry ride to historic Sirmione. Tour Scaliger Castle and learn about its ancient legend of the ghost. Head to the Grottoes of Catullus and its adjacent Archaeological Museum. Next, sail to Isola del Garda, Lake Garda’s largest island. Take a guided tour of this majestic villa, built in the Venetian Gothic Revival style, and stroll through its terraced fruit gardens before heading back to Verona. (Duration: full day; Private activity and transfers; All entry fees & ferry tickets are included; Meals included: no)

Your chauffeur will drive you from Verona to Bellagio in a private vehicle (Duration: 2.5 hrs)

Bellagio (Lake Como)

What to do in bellagio at your leisure: our recommendations.

Here are our recommendations on what to do in Bellagio. Begin with a walk in the pretty medieval town center. Its ancient streets and narrow alleys are filled with colorful houses along steep stone staircases. In the Piazza della Chiesa, Bellagio’s main square, there’s the Basilica of San Giacomo. Built in the 11th and 12th centuries in the Como-Lombard Romanesque style, it contains many interesting artworks, frescoes and artefacts. Stroll along the waterfront promenade, soak in the scenery and stop for a coconut and limoncello gelato. Then, go on a guided tour of the gardens of Villa Serbelloni. This hillside botanical garden is replete with native and exotic plants, statues, caves and water features. Next, visit Punta Spartivento at the tip of the peninsula and admire views of Lake Como and the snowcapped Swiss Alps. Feast alfresco on robust regional fare at Ristorante La Punta. Later, go shopping for silk souvenirs, leather items imprinted with gorgeous designs and sample delicious local cheese. (Self-explore activity; Transfers, entrance fees & meals are not included; Choose from our recommendations what suits your interests and pace. Please note that you may not be able to do all our recommended activities.)

Personalized Tour of Villa Balbianello & Como by Ferry

Enjoy a ferry ride on Lake Como and explore a centuries-old villa on this tour. Your guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel and escort you to the ferry dock in Bellagio. Board a public ferry with your guide and travel south on Lake Como towards Villa del Balbianello, an 18th century mansion surrounded by gardens that is located on a wooden promontory. Enjoy a guided tour of the property, which has appeared in numerous movies, including blockbusters such as Star Wars and Casino Royal. You will also see an exhibition dedicated to Guido Monzino, a former owner of the villa and one of Italy’s greatest adventurers. The exhibition includes items related to Monzino’s travels to the North Pole and Mt. Everest. Then board the ferry for Como. Enjoy the views of the picturesque towns and villas that line the shore. At Como, your guide will give you a tour of the town’s historic center. Then enjoy some free time before catching a ferry back to Bellagio. (Duration: 6 hrs; Not available Mon & Weds; Private activity & transfers; Meals are not included; Fitness level: moderate)

Bellagio by e-Bike

Embark on an exciting tour of this beautiful village nestled on the banks of picturesque Lake Como and its surroundings. Explore the historic attractions of the region starting with Limonta, a quaint hamlet with a serene little church that seems suspended on the edge of the cliff, making it a great spot for some excellent photographs. Pedal on to Punta Spartivento, set at the tip of the Bellagio peninsula, near the heart of the lake. Savor splendid views of the lake where it branches out into three sections with the magnificent mountains in the background. Cycle across the narrow alleyways of the village along the beautiful gardens of Villa Serbelloni to arrive at the fishing village of Pescallo. Soak in the beauty of your surroundings as you cycle across the hills to the Aureggio village set on the upper portion of the peninsula. Pass by lush gardens, olive groves, elegant villas, and Romanesque churches as you cycle downhill to the port of Loppia known for its rare 19th-century Larian gondolas. Make your way to a family-owned hotel and restaurant overlooking Bellagio to sample a glass of fresh local wine. Afterward, set off to explore the spectacular gardens of Villa Melzi situated just steps away. Saunter around the landscaped grounds to your heart’s content before turning back. (Half Day; Tasting Included; Private Activity; Fitness level: difficult, please note that all or some part of the tour is done on paved roads with normal traffic, please note that this activity is not suitable for people with physical challenges; This tour is weather dependent and may be canceled in the event of a rain forecast. Do let us know of any of your special dietary requirements. Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes for cycling, which will cover a total distance of about 12.5 miles (20 km). Tickets to Villa Melzi will be provided by the guide.)

Your chauffeur will drive you from Bellagio to Milan in a private vehicle (Duration: 1.5 hrs)

Walking Discovery of Prominent Landmarks of Milan

Embark on a fascinating exploration of cultural and historical landmarks of the beautiful city of Milan. Walk by La Scala Opera House, which has hosted some of Italy’s most famous opera and other performances. This 18th-century theater is one of the main cultural landmarks of Milan. Saunter out to the magnificent 19th century glass-vaulted Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the country’s oldest active shopping arcade, and walk through the Duomo Square, enclosed by its iconic gothic cathedral, one of the largest in Europe. Make your way to Sforza Castle, which houses several of the city's museums and art collections, and explore the medieval fortification from the outside.(Half Day; Private Activity; Fitness level: moderate, this tour involves a lot of walking. Please note that people with physical limitations can participate as long as they have someone to provide assistance).

You will be transferred from your hotel to Milan airport in a private vehicle

International Departure

Price & Inclusions

From $9,890 / person

From $10,990 / person

Prices are in USD and exclude international flights. This trip price is based on low season rates for accommodation and other applicable services, and may change depending on availability, currency fluctuations and number of people traveling together. For high season prices, please contact us with your exact travel dates and preferences.

Price Includes

• Accommodation and meals, as specified in the itinerary
• Activities and excursions, as specified in the itinerary
• Transportation services, as specified in the itinerary
• Your Trip Coordinator: a 24/7 point of contact supporting you during your trip
• Carbon emissions offsetting for your trip

Not Included

• Entrance fees and meals, unless mentioned in the itinerary description
• Tips and personal expenses
• Visa and tourism fees
• Travel, health, and cancellation insurance
• International airfare

Other Itineraries You Might Like

Italy: Best of Sicily

This customizable self-drive tour is ideal for those who want to experience the top attractions of Sicily, and get in a bit of relaxation as well. Admire some of Palermo’s most famous landmarks such as the Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy, and Chiesa della Martorana, a majestic 12th century Byzantine church. Explore…

Italy: Southern Culture and Amalfi Coast

Be enchanted at Italy’s southern coast where centuries-old history comes together with a dramatic and stunning landscape, preserved coastal towns, and haut monde culture! Deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site, discover one of the jewels of the Mediterranean at chic Positano. While staying in coastal Sorrento by the Bay of Naples, visit fishing villages such…

Highlights of Italy

Explore the absolute highlights of Italy! Discover the imposing Vatican City, centuries-old Roman ruins, piazzas, and foodie districts in Rome. In Venice, take leisurely gondola rides on the Grand Canal, and in Florence, delve into Renaissance-era romance. With handcrafted gastronomic excursions and unique tours, Italy’s best is yours to explore.

welcome to our adventure travel blog

Post-covid travel to italy: lake como and the dolomites .

If you’re wondering “Is Italy open to US travelers,” then the answer is Yes! Here, I detail my experience of a trip to Lake Como and the Dolomites following borders reopening to the US in 2021. Restrictions are constantly changing; however, you’ll find the latest information below. 

https://it.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

Italy Travel Guide: Lake Como

After 16 long months, restrictions were finally relaxed for US citizens traveling to Europe. I immediately jumped on the chance to take a trip to Italy, a country which holds a very special place in my heart. 

Touching down in Rome sent a shiver of exhilaration through me. It felt liberating to be able to travel again, and there’s nowhere else I’d have rather gone. As all of our documents had already been checked in New York, passing customs in Italy was a breeze. They have an innovative walk-through temperature scanner that helps speed things along. 

For our first trip back to Italy, we decided to visit the ever-beautiful Grand Hotel Tremezzo on the iconic Lake Como. I often book this stunning property for my clients, and it never disappoints. Perched on the western shores of the lake, it features incredible Belle Époque architecture, hearkening back to the golden age of exploration – with all the glamorous details and exceptional service to match. 

Relaxing on the Lake

The Grand Hotel Tremezzo has navigated the troubled waters of the pandemic with class, having used closures to make magnificent updates to the period property. Luxury envelops you from the moment you arrive through the majestic, gilded gates. 

There is old-world opulence in every detail, from the banquet-sized breakfast to the breathtaking views from the terrace. Here, the turquoise waters of Lake Como are backed by the jagged outlines of the Italian Alps. However, my favorite spot in the hotel has got to be the more secluded second pool, found at the top of an ivy-clad staircase. It’s the ideal spot for lunch or a quiet nap on one of the many plush sunbeds. 

Meanwhile, some of the best things to do in Lake Como outside of the hotel include hiking and taking a boat ride to visit the many charming towns on the water. 

Italy Travel Guide: Italian Dolomites

After spending two days being teased by views of the mountains, we decided to make the Italian Dolomites our next stop. We drove five hours from Lake Como to Alta Badia, the gateway to the region. We stopped off at Bergamo en route, an authentic Alpine town where you can take a funicular for even more exceptional views, or simply wander the cobbled streets for a spot of coffee. The drive then took us north, passing by the Valpolicella Vineyards. If you have time, I’d strongly recommend stopping off for a tasting – Villa Della Torre is a fantastic option. 

When you finally arrive in the Dolomiti proper, the scenery really does take your breath away. We arrived after sundown, meaning waking up the next day and opening the curtains was a real sight to behold. We stayed at Ciasa Salares in Alta Badia, a luxurious log cabin-style property with an excellent location. 

Just across the road, you will find numerous lifts to help you access the higher reaches of the mountains in summer or winter. On our first day, we went hiking across one of the ridges, while the second day saw us renting e-bikes to rise to an elevation of 7000ft. But there is no end to the adventures possible in the Dolomites. 

Cortina offers adrenaline-pumping activities such as Via Ferrata and adventure parks, while Lagazuoi 5 Torri is home to fascinating war history and museums. Winter brings blankets of diamond-glinted snow and ski-enthusiasts from around the world, with over 450 ski lifts and over 750 miles of slopes to enjoy. 

It’s easy to work up an appetite in the Dolomites, but thankfully, it’s also easy to find world-class fare. There are some spectacular lodges up in the mountains serving hearty, homemade cuisine, perfect for fueling up for an afternoon of adventure. 

We also enjoyed eating at Ciasa Salares each evening. After taking advantage of the modern wellness facilities to soothe our aching muscles, we had the option of three different restaurants on-site. There is even an incredible room just for cheese, and a hidden chocolate room, which features over 120 different varieties of the good stuff. We embarked on a journey of flavor discovery in the Cellar, before retiring to our room with a few precious chocolate samples. It was the perfect way to end a day in the magic of the mountains. 

Each time I visit this special country, I try to find a new perspective on a familiar favorite. Italy never fails to surprise and delight in this regard and is constantly calling me back. There is so much to discover in terms of culture, food, and history in this incredible country, and I’d be thrilled to put together an itinerary for you that is equally as special. 

To speak to me about planning your dream Italian vacation, click here .

November 16, 2021

copyright ©2021 vacanza travel 

Website Terms & Conditions

Europe Chevron

Italy Chevron

Discovering the Dolomites, Italy's Most Deliciously Underrated Mountain Region

By Jemima Sissons

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Northern Italy is one of our Best Places to Go in Europe for 2024 , part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024 —find more travel inspiration here .

When winter’s chill was thawed by the blossoming of spring, our family would set off for the long drive from the Oxfordshire downs to our holiday house in Le Marche, central Italy . Cruising through the arable heartlands of Europe, my heart would skip a beat as we neared the totemic slate gradients of the Italian Alps. Snaking over the Brenner Pass, it felt like being spirited to another world: a sky-bright Narnia, as we emerged blinking-eyed into the Dolomites sun on the other side. Stopping in simple, family-run hotels for the night, the breakfasts were a joyful, modest but perfectly formed ode to the Sud Tyrol locale—the creamiest Sterzinger yogurts that we savored with crimson forest-fresh lingonberries, flower-flecked cheese (for breakfast!) draped with silky threads of marjoram honey from their farm. Today, most hip restaurants are ingredient-led, but these these mountain families have been doing it for centuries.

Lago di Braies in Pragser Wildsee, Dolomites

I returned more than 30 years later, and while you can probably add a zero to what we paid for our roadside inns, the breakfast spread at the region's hero hotel, Forestis , still recalls that homage to the terroir that I remembered: glistening slivers of speck, creamy moguls of pistachio nut butter slathered on hay-baked rye bread, and granola laden with dried fruits from a bosky forage.

This adults-only hotel built on the site of a former pulmonary sanatorium—where the Plose mountains overlooked by its rooms are bathed ice blue in the mornings and glow russet red at dusk—shapes its entire cuisine around its neighboring valleys, vineyards , villages and woodlands. Beard lichen, ribwort plantain and lady’s bedstraw find their prosaic way onto loins of venison, fillets of river rainbow trout and parcels of hand-curled gnocchi, wild juniper flavoring lamb and salads consisting entirely of flora you have never heard of. Everything is imbued with local flavors—from the postbox shiny apples in the monastic spa to the pine-scented spring water from the fountain in the spruce-honed lobby. A stroll through eiderdown soft forest reveals an edible carpet, from larch blossoms to ground elder. It is worth hauling yourself up the Giogo Bello observation deck to earn the evening’s banquet—the room price includes a seven-course set dinner every evening, taken in the almost cinematic dining room with circular booths all facing the floor-to-ceiling windows—except the film is the moving shadows of eventide and shape-shifting mountains.

The Dolomites—meaning pale mountains—span a vast area of 6,000 square miles, over 2000 mountains and hug Austria to the north (the South Tyrol was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1919) and Verona in the south and incorporate several regions within its boundaries, from Alto Adige to Trentino and Belluno. With its proximity to Austria, many travelers fly to Innsbruck; otherwise, Verona or even Venice provide the gateways—or occasionally Bolzano, where there are some direct flights. It is a region of old lore and fiercely proud tradition. In this Italo-Germanic fusion, onion dome churches and gaily painted wooden chalets sit alongside frothy cappuccinos and delis selling handmade pasta. A network of alte vie—high paths—connect the mountains, dotted with rifugi—mountain huts, many of which are now being turned into gastronomic destinations. The region even boasts a third language (alongside Italian and German), Ladino, a Romance language with 35,000 speakers, mainly based in the Alta Badia region.

Charlie Hobbs

Maya Silver

CNT Editors

One of the loyal speakers is Markus Valentini, owner of mountain hut Bioch, reachable from the villages of La Villa, Corvara and San Cassiano via cable car and a gentle walk. What started as a simple rifugio with a handful of tables over thirty years ago now has six full-time chefs and an enviable 11,000-bottle wine list with a focus on local grapes such as Schiava, Lagrein and Trollinger, but with a smattering of interesting inclusions (one does not expect to find a Kazakh Pinot lurking halfway down the list). These are supped alongside handmade tortelli with speck cream, buffalo ricotta on a bed of mashed risina beans, or Austro-inspired apple strudel with a honey-sweet Sissi Passito wine.

It's a 30-minute stroll to the Piz Sorega lift, which winds down to the Aman Rosa Alpina . It opens this winter after a two-year refurbishment and, in summer, guests help forage for aglio orsino—a local wild garlic—alongside mountainside BBQs searing hunks of valley veal with wild herbs.

Wooden beehives in countryside

In the other direction, the Arlara and Col Alto lift dispatches weary hikers to La Perla, Italian in name. Still, half close your eyes, and you might expect Julia Andrews to come waltzing out. Here, dirndl and loden-clad waiting staff serve up elevated Michelin-starred dishes such as goose with caramelised onions in its La Stua de Michil restaurant; in the village its Ladin-focused menu at Restaurant Ladinia offers mountain fuel delicacies such as pressed dumplings with cabbage salad alongside more delicate barley soup with spinach turta—an ancient dish where Ladin households still flavour their hand-me-down recipes.

The culinary riches of the region are celebrated in both the simplest and the most fanciful fare – where mountain huts reside alongside Michelin dining establishments. At the Gostner Schwaige in the Seiser Alm, somewhat eccentric hut owner Franz Mulser doles out the crisp white Muller Thurgau wine over a plate of six kinds of cheese he has made over the winter – prandial laughter is accompanied by the trill of cowbells outside from his resident dairy queens – there’s an edelweiss camembert, a muscat infused cream cheese and a fenugreek speckled mountain cheese served on red beet shuttelbrot (a Tyrolean crispbread). The star of the show here, however, is the heublutensuppen soup – an “if I tell you I will have to kill you” secret recipe of 15 herbs and flowers, served in a hollowed-out homemade sourdough bowl. After a thigh-busting stomp through the undulating terrain under the guiding gaze of the Val Gardena peaks, the silky broth is as delicious as it is unplaceable. Is it mushroom? “No,” says Mulser. Is it cheese? Guess again. As we scoop out umami-rich soup-soaked spoons of bread from the inside of the sourdough bowl, we are left baffled but aware that it is one of the most delicious things we have ever eaten.

From here, it is an easy walk to the shiny futuristic modernist Como Alpina in the Alpe de Suisi, with its rotunda crafted from quartzite and angular wood – an architectural spaceship that’s landed into the folds of hills under the looming Sassalongo massif. Decked out in industrial lights and posters of old Tyrolean ski societies, pizzas with bubbling charred crusts and oozing stracciatella comfort families and all-day hikers. The main hotel's afternoon trestles laid with slices of strudel, mortadella, and pecorino sandwiches—complimentary to guests—are taken with treacle thick espressos or Aperols, depending on your poison.

As GM Julian Seeber explains over a lavish spread of pepper-rimmed salami and cumin goat's cheese, accompanied by mounds of piquant homemade horseradish, “We have the German precise way of doing things alongside the Italian passion. That’s what makes the region—and the cooking—so unique.”

Where to stay in The Dolomites

One of Alta Badia’s most beloved Dolomite hotels and home to the region’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, La Stua de Michil, La Perla in Corvara in Val Badia, has welcomed guests since 1956. The hotel now houses new rooms, including the two-bedroom Dolomite suite with a double balcony. Take an aperitvo of Franciacorta and local hams in the treehouse, which can house two people for drinks. In summer, the hotel offers everything from rock climbing courses to golf at 5,500 feet. Chef Simone Cantafio organizes immersive cooking sessions in the Stua de Michil restaurant, concluding with a wine and tasting session.

An adults-only refuge focused on wellness, run by husband-and-wife team Stefan and Teresa Hinteregga, the spruce-scented rooms are cool white and minimalist. Tower suites have a day bed outside to soak in the panoramic views. The spa is based around the ancient Celtic reverence for nature and comes with an indoor-outdoor swimming pool, a Wyda room (a Celtish form of yoga practised here), and ‘silence’ rooms. The cuisine is first-rate, with Chef Roland Lamprecht’s fare drawn from the surrounding forest. Don’t miss the spectacular hikes—accessible by cable car, or for the hardier, by foot. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more calming sanctum for a long weekend break.

Como Alpina Dolomites

What was just the Alpina Dolomites, the Singaporean brand Como took it over last year and, along with it, a palette refresh—out with the taupe and neutral palette and in blue-hued lounge areas and bedrooms. The new Trattoria dell’Alpe offers food from Venice and Verona, focusing on fish. However, Sassolungo delivers crisped coated schnitzel alongside Como's signature healthy fare for hearty mountain food. The labyrinthine sauna complex nods to the region’s German roots in etiquette—so make sure to read the rules and leave modesty (and swimsuits) at the door.

The best restaurants in The Dolomites

Hotel gardena.

After a day soaking in the Alpine views on Via Ferrata and well-marked trails above, the Hotel Gardena in Ortesei heads back to their One Michelin-starred Anna Stuben for a blow-out treat. The tasting menu is elevated trad cuisine—pumpkin comes with seasoned buffalo cheese, and gnocchi is crafted from beetroot and cave-aged cheese, with local riffs such as Villnoser Valley lamb alongside a gremolata. Pair with Alto Adige wines such as the blossom-rich St. Paul’s Praeclarus Brut.

Alpinn Food Space

A glass-boxed restaurant located in the LUMUM—the Museum of Mountain Photography—in Kronplatz spearheaded by Dolomites-born chef Norbert Niederkofler and designer Martino Gampner, Alpinn explores the terroir’s seasonal produce, with a focus on small local producers and an aim to cut down waste as much as possible, from reusing potato peelings to vegetable water. Having gained three Michelin stars at St Hubertus in Rosa Alpina (now part of the Aman group), Norbert opened the restaurant in 2023. Tuck into onion cooked in ash with Sasso Nero cheese or marinated golden trout fish with a silky yolk sauce and poppy seeds.

Gostner Schwaige

Under the looming Mount Schlern, the mountain huts service hikers all summer. They come for a three-course feast – don’t miss the rhubarb strudel – or a simple cheese and bread snack perched on the benches outside. In addition to making its own cheeses and delicious hay soup, the restaurant’s twinkly proprietor Franz Musler runs cooking courses in the summer, with a focus on herbs and flowers growing in the surrounding pastures.

Address: Gostner Schwaige, Saltriastrasse 13, 39040 Seiseralm, BZ, Italy Website: aussergost.co

The best things to do in The Dolomites

Wine and chocolate tasting at ciasa salares.

The family-owned hotel Ciasa Salares offers beautiful chalet-style rooms in the foothills of the Fane National Park. Still, it also has incredibly stocked wine and cheese rooms, both offering guests and visitors experiences. The chocolate room houses over 120 varieties of chocolate, spanning Vietnam and beyond, with a tasting led by a cocoa master. You won’t even scratch the surface of the 23,000 bottle list in the wine room, but a sampling led by sommelier Jan Clemens is a journey through Alto Adige, biodynamic or Italian regional wines.

Ladin Experience

Spend a few hours immersed with Ladin beekeepers, cheesemakers, herbalists and break makers on the Not Ladins experience, where you can live alongside a Ladin-speaking local. From making bath salts from pine needles on a woodland walk to learning to make typical ‘pucia’ flatbread of the region, join a small group to learn traditional pastimes.

Preidlhof – Fie Lakes experience

The wonderful Preidlhof wellbeing resort runs programmes that restore the body and mind – from ‘trauma therapy’ with Sicilian Shaman Stefano Battaglia to sleep retreats – as well as some of the best saunas in the Dolomites. However, it is worth taking time out from a stay for a half-day trip to the gastronomy tour of Lake Fie to discover mountain herbs and woodland cooking. After plucking forest herbs, you can learn to grind flour at an ancient mill before a cookery lesson crafting tagliatelle or e Schlutzkrapfen from the flour.

A version of this story originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller .

Recommended

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Traveller. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

How to Get to Lake Como and 9 Best Ways to Travel Around Italy’s Most Famous Lake (With Maps and Practical Tips)

By Author Rossi Thomson

Posted on Last updated: 15th March 2024

Categories Lombardy , Travelling in Italy

How to get to Lake Como?

This is the million-dollar question that crosses the minds of thousands of people planning to visit what easily amounts to the world’s most famous lake during their italian holidays..

Shaped as an upturned letter Y and surrounded by vertiginous mountains, Lago di Como – as it’s known in Italian – looks very much like a landlocked fjord. It has a circumference of 171 km and the road that connects the dozens of towns and villages on its shores curves and turns – often at almost vertical to the water heights – with rarely a straight line in sight.

About 50 km or so away from Italy’s second-largest city – Milan – Lake Como is easy to get to and get around. Yet, to make the most of your time at the lake, there are many travel details that it’s best to know in advance. Especially, considering how popular the lake is and how many people from all over the world flock to it during the high season.

Fear not! In this blog post today, I will share with you nine ways to explore Lake Como, its prettiest towns, and its most stunning sights. In easy-to-browse-through chunks of information, I will lay out how to get to and around Italy’s Lake Como and make the most of it. Even if you are visiting just for the day!

You can choose to visit Lake Como by car, train, ferry, and even by seaplane! Or a combination of some or all of these modes of transport. Alternatively, you can also explore it on foot. It’s all covered below, so just scroll down and have a look at the options that fit your travel style the best.

It’s all padded with many practical tips about the lake. Plus, at the end of this blog post, you will also find a detailed section about how much time to spend here, what to expect in terms of weather, and where to stay depending on your budget. It’s all based on my first-hand experiences of visiting Lago di Como several times over the last five years and it’s designed to make your travel planning as smooth and easy as possible.

For even more information about Lake Como, have a look also at these blog posts:

• Best Things to Do in Lake Como
• Best Towns on Lake Como
• Lake Como in Winter – 10 Reasons to Visit
• The Beauty of Lake Como
• 3 Best Airports for Lake Como

Otherwise, let’s start!

Where is lake como – italy’s most famous lake.

First things first! Let’s pinpoint on the map where exactly Lake Como is in Italy and Europe.

Known as a hotspot for famous people, Lago di Como is in  Northern Italy . Part of the Northern Italian region of Lombardy , it often is affectionately called Il Uomo – or The Man – by the locals. The lake’s outline does in fact look a bit like a man taking a large step. One of his feet rests on the town of Lecco and the other – on the town of Como.

Lake Como has three thin branches which meet at Punta Spartivento. This beautiful promontory is next door to the town of Bellagio and opens sprawling views over the lake.

The three branches are named after their main lakefront towns. As such, the northern branch of Lake Como is known as Colico, the eastern as Lecco, and the western one as Como.

The mountainous area locked between the Lecco and the Como branches of the lake is called the Triangolo Lariano – the Larian Triangle (from Lake Como’s ancient name – Lario). Punta Spartivento is right at the tip of this natural triangle.

Here is a map showing the exact location of Lake Como in Italy. You can zoom in and out and use it to calculate directions from anywhere in Italy and abroad.

I have pinned both the city of Milan and the following lakefront towns to the map: Como, Lecco, Colico, Bellagio, and Varenna. The first three, as already mentioned, are the largest towns here. The other two are the most popular destinations for day trips and tourist visits.

How to Get to Lake Como and 9 Best Ways to Travel Around Italy’s Most Famous Lake

1. Explore Lake Como by Car

Having a car at your disposal is the most convenient and yet the most taxing way to explore everything that Lake Como has to offer. 

On the plus side, being able to drive around the lake gives you the immense freedom to visit a myriad of picturesque towns, medieval villages, historic villas, botanical gardens, small beaches, must-see museums, and so many other wonderful places on the shores of Italy’s most famous lake. Not to mention all the hidden gems and secret corners you will be able to reach and explore.

At the same time, however, driving around the lake can be incredibly stressful. Here is why!

First, Lake Como is connected to Milan by Autostrada A9. This is the oldest motorway in Italy and the world. It’s also known as the Autostrada dei Laghi (Motorway of the Lakes) and it was built in 1924. It’s a toll road. The outskirts of Milan are very industrial and the rush hour seems to be never-ending. Thankfully, this usually is a short and fast drive. Not so much on summer weekends when it seems, half of Milan decamps to the lake.

Once you reach the lake, there is a lakeside road which skirts the whole outline of Lago di Como providing stunning panoramic views and breathtaking viewpoints. If you are the driver, however, keep your eyes on the road at all times as it is incredibly sinuous and often very narrow. There are also sharp corners, old houses angling onto the lane, and many blind spots.

The road runs through many of the lakefront towns and villages. Several of them have limited or no pavements at all. Expect to see locals and visitors strolling down the road as cars and buses pass by them. On occasion, people also go jogging along the road, so as a driver you need to be alert at all times.

Some of the local drivers – very used to the roads – drive in a very assertive manner. As such, they may encroach into the opposite lane and even try to pressure you to drive faster than you are comfortable with. If you can, don’t be too proud to let them pass and maintain a sensible speed at all times.

On the plus side, however, the eastern shore of the Lecco and the Colico branches of the lake is very easy to explore by car as it’s served by the Italian highway SS36. This fast road runs through a series of tunnels. From Lecco, it takes just half an hour to reach Colico (at the upper northeastern shore of Lake Como). Travel times from Lecco to Varenna and Bellano, for example, are only about 20-22 mins depending on the time of the day. Just make sure that you keep an eye out for the right exit. If you miss it (as it happened to us once), you will need to follow the highway for quite some time before you can turn back.

When you explore Lake Como by car, the biggest issue you will face is finding parking. In the larger lakefront towns like Lecco and Como, there are multistorey car parks. The smaller towns here though often have very few parking spaces the majority of which are reserved for the locals. The problem is only exacerbated during the high season when thousands of people travel to Lake Como on a day trip or for a longer holiday.

Here are a few practical tips if you decide to get around the lake by car:

• Rent a small car. Space on the road around Lake Como is limited. A small vehicle will make things so much easier.
• Be courteous to other drivers. Some portions of the road are so narrow and bendy that you may need to stop to let the oncoming traffic pass first.
• Be mindful of pedestrians (and joggers). Often, there are simply no pavements for them to use.
• If you are staying at a local accommodation, ask if it provides parking spaces (ideally, for free). If not, it may be difficult to find a nearby place to leave your car at.
• Never park in a reserved parking space (usually held by the locals). Towing is active 24/7 and they are strict about it.
• Parking can be pricey around Lake Como, so budget accordingly.
• If you are visiting just for the day, consider parking in a multistorey car park in one of the main lakefront towns and then use the ferries or the local buses to get around.
• If you see a sign with the letters ZTL on it, don’t drive beyond it. ZTL stands for Zona di Traffico Limitato in Italian or a zone with limited traffic. Such usually are the historic centres of centuries-old Italian towns and driving through one incurs a heavy fine. Bear in mind that if your accommodation is in the historic centre and provides parking spaces, it may give you a special temporary pass allowing you to drive through the ZTL. Ask in advance!
• The narrow windy roads here don’t really allow high and moderate speeds. Don’t be surprised if a short journey of 15 km takes over half an hour to do. The distance from Como to Bellagio, for example, is only 30 km or so. It usually takes just under an hour and even longer during the high season.

Having said all that, driving around Lake Como is still a very convenient way of exploring as much of the lake as possible. Especially the eastern shore of the Lecco and the Colico branches. So, do weigh the cons and pros very carefully in order to make the right decision for yourself and your travelling companions.

2. Reach Lake Como by Train

You can easily get to Lake Como by train from anywhere in Italy and abroad. Several of the lakefront towns have railway stations which makes them easy to reach and thus provide quick access to the lake from Milan and the nearest large international airports (see point 9 below).

It works like this:

On the Como branch of the lake, the town of Como is the only one linked by railway. It has three train stations:

• Como San Giovanni  – the town’s main railway station is about a kilometre away from the Duomo and the lakefront promenade. If you are arriving from either Milano Centrale (Milan’s main railway station) or Milano Porta Garibaldi (a smaller railway station in Milan) get off here and either walk or take a local bus to the historic centre. The journey from Milano Centrale lasts around 40 mins with three intermediate stops. The journey from Milano Porta Garibaldi is between 50 mins and an hour with either a change in the city of Monza or 11 intermediate stops on the direct train.
• Como Camerlata  – a small railway station serving the town’s southern suburbs. Arriving from Milan, it precedes Como San Giovanni.
• Como Nord Lago  (also known as Como Lago ) – a small, end-of-the-line railway station. It stands just off the lakefront promenade, next door to the majestic Duomo, and very close to the station of the Brunate funicular. Get off at this stop if you are arriving from Milano Cadorna (a small railway station in Milan) or from Malpensa Aeroporto T1 or T2 (the railway stations of Milan Malpensa Airport). The journey from Milano Cadorna lasts about an hour with 13 intermediate stops. The journey from Malpensa Aeroporto T1 or T2 is 1 h 20 mins with a change in the town of Saronno.

Once you’ve reached the town of Como, you can easily get to the other towns on the Como branch of the lake by local bus (see point 3 below) or ferry (see point 4 below).

Getting to the eastern shore of Lake Como by train is much easier. A railway line spans its whole length from the town of Lecco to the town of Colico and connects it to Milan’s main railway station – Milano Centrale. As such, you can easily reach the many lakefront towns here by train in around an hour on average. Here are some sample travel times:

• Milano Centrale to  Lecco  – 39 mins
• Milano Centrale to  Mandello del Lario  – 51 mins
• Milano Centrale to  Varenna/Esino  – 1 h 4 mins
• Milano Centrale to  Bellano/Tartavalle Terme  – 1 h 9 mins
• Milano Centrale to Colico – 1 h 26 mins

The direct train from Milano Centrale stops at all of the above destinations. Alternatively, you can change in Lecco and get on a slower regional train that stops at these plus several other towns dotted between them.

This makes the eastern shore of the lake a very convenient arrival point by train and ideal for day trips. Once in Lecco, for example, you can easily get the local bus to Bellagio – the main point of tourist interest at Lake Como. If you stay on the train until Varenna, then Bellagio and Menaggio are only a short hop by ferry across the lake. And if you continue to Colico, you can get a bus that will take you down to the town of Como via the northern tip and then the whole western shore of the lake.

To check train times and book train tickets in advance, I find the following three websites very useful:  Omio ,  ItaloTreno , and  TrenItalia .

Otherwise, see this handy map below showing the exact locations of the train stations you can use for Lago di Como. You can zoom in and out to get a better idea of their geographical positions on the shores of Italy’s most famous lake. If you click on the grey star next to the map’s name, this will add the map to your account in Google Maps. This way, you can consult it as and when you want.

Here are the locations pinned to the map:

Railway Stations in Milan: 1.  Milano Centrale  2.  Milano Porta Garibaldi  3.  Milano Cadorna – with  red  pin

Railway Stations on Lake Como:   1.  Como San Giovanni  2.  Como (Nord) Lago 3. Lecco 4. Abbadia Lariana 5. Mandello del Lario 6. Olcio 7. Lierna 8. Fiumelatte 9. Varenna/Esino 10. Bellano/Tartavalle Terme 11. Dervio 12. Colico – with  green  pin

Other Nearby Railway Stations   –  1.  Malpensa Aeroporto T1 and T2 2. Saronno 3. Monza – with  purple  pin

3. Travel Around Lake Como by Bus

Taking the bus is a great way to travel around Lago di Como. The drivers skillfully navigate the sinuous road and you just need to sit back, relax, and take in the sprawling panoramas. The route will take you through several picturesque lakefront towns thus enticing you to be spontaneous and see even more places around Italy’s most famous lake.

Numerous bus lines connect the many destinations here and are operational all throughout the year. You can check the current timetables and prices for the different bus lines serving Lake Como on the website of  ASF Autolinee  (in Italian). You can buy a single or a return ticket to a particular destination as well as a one-day or multi-day ticket to travel around the lake. The current prices are published here . This  handy map  gives you a visual idea of the bus routes you can take.

In a nutshell, however, the main bus lines are:

• C10 – taking you from Como all the way up the western shore of the lake to the town of Menaggio and then along the northern end of the lake to the town of Colico. Catch it if you want to visit such iconic places as Villa del Balbaniello and Villa Carlotta and explore beautiful lakefront towns such as Cernobbio, Laglio, Menaggio, and Gravedona. The bus takes around 1 h 10 mins from Como to Menaggio and it covers the full itinerary in about 2 h 15 mins or so.
• C30 – taking you from Como along the eastern shore of the Como branch of the lake all the way up to Bellagio. The bus stops at all the small towns and villages that dot the shore here. Nesso is particularly well known on account of Orrido di Nesso – a powerful waterfall that rumbles in a steep gorge. The journey from start to end lasts around 1 h 10 mins.
• D10 – taking you from Lecco to Bellagio in about 45 mins or so. Once again, the bus stops at many lakefront towns and villages along the way and opens panoramic views over the much less visited western shore of the Lecco branch of Lake Como.

Exploring Lago di Como by bus is very convenient. However, during the high season, this type of transport can get very busy, especially during the weekends and rush hours. You may need to queue to get on the bus or even need to stand up during a portion of or the whole journey. Different people may react differently when the bus arrives. Some may be pushy trying to get on board first! Be polite but stand your ground.

Another thing to be aware of is that outside of Como and Lecco the bus stops are often right on the narrow and sinuous lakeside road with not much space for a shelter or even a spot to stand. Be mindful of the passing traffic. Hold children by the hand. When you get off the bus, check to see if there are cars waiting behind the bus before starting to cross the road.

4. Town-Hop Around Lake Como by Ferry

Crossing Lake Como on board a ferry is a great experience. 

The beauty of the many lakefront towns and the lake’s vertiginous natural setting is best enjoyed from the water. Sitting on the deck, feeling the fresh air on your face, and taking in the sprawling panoramas is what travel memories are made of.

Elegant villas, lush gardens, centuries-old churches, and even a gorge with a rumbling waterfall glide past you offset by the dark waters of the lake and the tall mountains filling the horizon on all sides.

Plus, taking a ferry is an easy way to reach lakefront towns that are on opposite shores thus avoiding circumnavigating the lake by road and any potential traffic jams along the way. By all means, take the ferry at least once during your time at Lake Como. Here is how it works:

In a nutshell, here are the types of ferries operated by Navigazioni Laghi (the company which also runs the ferries on Italy’s largest lake – Lago di Garda ):

• Regular pedestrian ferries connecting Como to Colico and stopping at many small and large lakefront towns on both sides of the Como and Colico branches of the lake along the way. This is a slow service (for example, the journey from Como to Bellagio lasts around 1 h 30 mins to 2 h), that takes hours from start to end but provides beautiful panoramic views along the way. In winter, the timetable of the regular ferries is heavily reduced.
• Fast pedestrian ferries connecting Como to Colico and stopping only at the most important lakefront towns on both sides of the Como and Colico branches of the lake along the way. This is a speedy service (for example, the journey from Como to Bellagio takes around 45 mins to 1 h), however, it costs more than the regular ferries.
• Car/Pedestrian ferries in the central part of Lake Como . They ferry both vehicles and pedestrians between the towns of Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio, and Cadenabbia. The crossing from Bellagio to Menaggio, for example, lasts only 15 mins. The crossing from Varenna to Bellagio is also only a quarter of an hour. These ferries are very convenient, open beautiful panoramic views, and most importantly, you are not stuck on them for hours. During the high season, there is also a shuttle boat for pedestrians connecting Bellagio, Tremezzina, Varena, and Bellano. This is very convenient if you want to visit some of the most famous historic sights here, for example, Villa Carlotta and Villa Monastero . The waterfall of Orrido di Bellano is also a must-see.
• Pedestrian ferries connecting Lecco to Bellagio . These are usually operational only during the high season.

You can buy ferry tickets online in advance or on the day from the ticket kiosks at the ferry terminal in each town (which usually is right next to the town’s lakefront promenade). You can purchase a one-way or a return ticket to a specific destination. Alternatively, you can opt for a one-day or a multi-day pass which gives you a chance to hop on and off the ferry so as to visit the many different lakefront towns along the way.

For updated ferry times, prices, and tickets, always refer to the official website of  Navigazione Laghi . 

5. Explore Lake Como on Foot

Often, your own two feet are all you need to explore Lake Como from the most advantageous viewpoints.

There is a large number of hiking paths all around Italy’s most famous lake. Not to mention the gorgeous promenades that stretch along the waterfront in many of the lakefront towns and open beautiful views over the lake and the mighty mountains that hold it in a tight embrace.

Just make sure that you wear your most comfortable shoes! If you decide to explore the trails around the lake, these need to be proper hiking boots with a good grip. Plus, many of the lakefront towns are built on steep cliffs and their centuries-old streets are often covered with jagged cobbles which are difficult to walk on in flip-flops or sandals. In many cases, the streets here are actually long and sinuous stairways with an endless number of irregular cobbled steps. The towns of Nesso, Varenna, and Bellagio have plenty of these. So, make sure that your feet and ankles are supported at all times.

There are, roughly speaking, three ways to get walking around Lake Como:

• Gentle walks around some of the flat lakefront towns – if you don’t enjoy uneven surfaces, the towns of Como, Lecco, Cernobbio, and Menaggio may be just what you need. With plenty of even ground here – both in their historic centres and along their promenades – you will still get to see some of the most beautiful corners of Lake Como without really having to go uphill. While Bellagio has some steeper streets, the walk to Punta Spartivento where the lake’s three branches meet follows a generally flat road. Another easy walk to do is in the hilltop town of Brunate where you can follow the road from the funicular station past many beautiful villas in the Art Nouveau style to a fantastic panoramic viewpoint over the Como branch of the lake.
• Exploratory walks around the steeper lakefront towns – often Lake Como’s towns are made of small frazioni – or hamlets in English – connected by centuries-old cobbled paths. Called mulattiere – or mule tracks in English – they go across steep slopes and open splendid panoramas. The town of Nesso is a case in point. Here you can walk from the ferry terminal to the town’s centuries-old hamlet of Borgovecchio along one such mulattiera.
• Hikes for all abilities – the hills and mountains around Lake Como are crisscrossed by numerous hiking paths. Some of them follow ancient Roman roads. Others take several days to complete. Among the most well-known hikes here are the Sentiero del Viandante and the Greenway del Lago di Como . Every town here, however, is the starting point for many short and long hikes. You can find information in the local tourist information offices where leaflets with maps and routes are usually available for visitors to the lake.

6. See Lake Como on Board a Sleek Motorboat

Crisscrossing Lago di Como on board a sleek motorboat is the poshest way to travel around Italy’s most famous lake.

There are many companies all around the lake that charter boats to visitors. You can ask for recommendations at your accommodation or simply head to the promenade to chat directly to the boat reps there. Alternatively, you can book a boat online in advance for two hours or four hours .

If you don’t have any experience with motorboats, you can hire a boat with a skipper to take you places and show you many hidden corners. Alternatively, you can choose to share the boat with other people for a cheaper yet fun experience.

A serious word of warning here, however!  The lake water can get very cold very quickly. Especially, the further away from the shore you are. Lake Como is the deepest lake in Italy. Its waters drop to a depth of 410 m! The risk of drowning is real.

The boat chartering company should provide you with life jackets and advise you specifically where it’s considered safe to anchor and how close to the shore you can get.

During the high season, there is a high level of boat traffic in Lake Como. Many luxury boats here travel at full speed. You need to observe proper distances from other boats, yachts, and the shore at all times.

According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the water at certain points of Lake Como may be polluted. This article (in Italian) has more details or you can try to search for other sources of information, too.

7. Take a Taxi at Lake Como

Taxis in Italy are white by law and while they may cost a pretty penny, they offer a convenient way to get around Lake Como and explore the many exciting sights on its shores. Especially, if you don’t want to bother with a rental car or with public transport. And, especially, if you don’t have much time to spend at the lake but you want to see as much as possible.

You can book a taxi even before your arrival as many taxi companies that serve Lake Como have websites in several languages. You just need to search for ‘taxi Lake Como’ or ‘taxi  the name of the lakefront town you want to visit ‘ and your favourite search engine will return dozens of results.

Otherwise, you can get a taxi at the train and bus stations in the larger lakefront towns. You can also ask your hotel to call you one or to recommend a local taxi company for you to use.

Ask the taxi driver in advance approximately how much it will cost you to reach your destination. Be prepared that on Sundays and public holidays, a surcharge may apply.

The main inconvenience of travelling by taxi here is the cost of the service. At the same time, getting a taxi here may be a necessity. Especially, if you need to reach a corner of Lake Como that is off the beaten track. Or if you need to return to your accommodation late at night when public transport is not running.

Taxi companies may also offer customised tours of Lake Como or of certain towns and sights around it. This gives you a chance to explore a branch or two of the lake in a day and to stop exactly where you want on its shores.

8. Book an Organised Tour to and Around Lake Como

Finally, you can easily book a guided tour to take you to and around Italy’s most famous lake – Lago di Como. This option works well if you want to see the most and yet you don’t have much time to spend here. It is also the best option if you prefer to be shown all the best corners of the lake by an experienced tour guide instead of trying to do it all by yourself.

This  guided day trip  from Milan to Lake Como comes highly recommended. It takes you to several of the prettiest corners around the lake. It also combines travel by coach and boat for the best views and the maximum range of experiences.

You can also book a guided trip starting from the town of Como itself. This one  packs a lot of activities in a day and takes you to the two most popular lakefront towns – Bellagio and Varenna.

While you can also do it all by yourself using the tips shared in this blog post and have a wonderful time, sometimes, it pays to be shown around. Especially, if it’s your first visit to Lake Como, if you have only a short amount of time or you find it overwhelming to find your way around in a country where you don’t speak the language.

9. Get to Lake Como by Plane and See Italy’s Most Famous Lake from Above

Finally, let’s talk about getting to Lake Como by air. The nearest to Lake Como large international airports are:

Milan Malpensa – more convenient for the Como branch of the lake. From the airport, you can get the Malpensa Express train to the small town of Saronno. Once there, take the train to Como Nord Lago – a small end-of-the-line railway station next to the town of Como’s lakefront promenade. Along the way, the train also stops at Como Camerlata and Como San Giovanni – two other railway stations serving the town of Como. Total travel time by train is around 1 h 20 mins.

Bergamo Orio al Serio  – more convenient for the Lecco branch of the lake. From Bergamo Orio al Serio airport take the shuttle bus to Bergamo railway station. Once there, take the train to Lecco. Total travel time starts from just over an hour.

Milan Linate  – convenient for both the Como and the Lecco branches of the lake. From Milan Linate airport get the  Airport Bus Express  to Milano Centrale railway station (25 mins travel time). Once there, you can continue by train to Como, Lecco or another lakefront town with a railway connection.

Alternatively, you can get bus line 73 from Milan Linate Airport to Milano Forlanini railway station. Once there, you can continue by train to Como, Lecco or another lakefront town with a railway connection. Travel times are longer than taking the train from Milano Centrale and you will need to change trains along the way in the city of Monza.

Plus, if you really want to have a one-of-a-kind travel experience at Lake Como, consider seeing it from above. All throughout the day, seaplanes crisscross the skies above Italy’s most famous lake.

Standing by the Volta Temple on the town of Como’s lakefront promenade, you will see them flying out of their hangar and gliding up. They are operated by Aeroclub Como – the oldest seaplane organisation in the world which also runs a flight school.

Learn More:

• 3 Best Airports for Lake Como, Italy (With Transfer Options, Travel Times, and Maps)
• 11 Major Airports in Northern Italy

Practical Tips About Visiting Lake Como in Italy

Where to Stay at Lake Como, Italy?

There is a huge selection of places to stay at Lake Como in any season.

You can choose from lavish historic villas that nowadays function as exclusive hotels. You can opt for a cosy B&B in the centre of a lakefront town. Or you may prefer a self-catering accommodation to enjoy a home-from-home experience.

If you are arriving by car, then make sure that your accommodation also offers parking spaces or can recommend a nearby car park. Especially, if you are planning to stay outside of the larger lakefront towns like Como and Lecco. Parking spaces in the smaller lake towns may be difficult to come across and are usually taken by the locals.

If you are relying on public transport and your accommodation doesn’t provide transfers, then make sure that you have easy access to the nearest bus stop or ferry port. You don’t want to have to walk for miles luggage in hand or depend on taxis every time you want to go to the town centre.

Here are some suggestions for places to stay at Lake Como. All come highly recommended:

Luxury: Grand Hotel Victoria concept & spa by R Collection Hotels , Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni

Mid-Range: Casa sull’Albero , Hotel Lenno ,

Budget: Locanda Alberti , Valle dei Mulini – Lake Como ,

Alternatively, have a look at this map giving you a quick visual idea of the available accommodation options around Lake Como, Italy. You can zoom in and out, type in your specific travel dates, and then click on the different price points for detailed information about the hotel you are interested in:

In addition, have a look at this blog post which explains the different types of accommodation you can book in Italy. It will give you plenty of ideas to look into for the best and quirkiest places to experience here:

• Where to Stay in Italy – 19 Types of Accommodation to Suit Any Budget

How Long to Spend at Lake Como?

Lake Como has a lot to offer no matter your style of travel. You may be after a peaceful and relaxing holiday with stunning lake views, a pampering experience with spa procedures and some pool lounging, an active nature break with lots of hiking or an unforgettable day trip. Or you may just want to be able to say that you’ve been to Lake Como and understand what all the fuss is about. Any reason to visit is valid!

So, how long to spend here depends entirely on you and on the amount of time you have at your disposal.

Let’s say that this will be your first visit to the lake and you just want to test the waters. Then you can easily take a self-organised or guided day trip from Milan to Lake Como and see one or a few of the most popular lakefront towns like Como, Varenna, and Bellagio. You can also book a guided day trip around the lake taking you to some of its best sights ( this one comes highly recommended).

Alternatively, you can pencil in a weekend break or an even longer stay at Lake Como. It’s a big place that easily caters to all types of travellers.

What to Pack for a Visit to Lake Como?

Lake Como has its own microclimate with moderate temperatures which vacillate around 26 degrees Celsius in summer and drop to around 4 to 8 degrees Celsius in winter. May and June are the wettest months in terms of rainfall and snow days in winter are very rare. Nights can get chilly in any season.

As such, no matter when you choose to visit, make sure that you pack plenty of layers. A light jacket or a cosy jersey may come in very handy during the high season. I am speaking as someone who got caught in a cold downpour in Varenna in July without a jacket because I had wanted to pack light and had assumed that summer is always warm in Italy. At the same time, don’t forget your sun cream, a hat/sunglasses, and a swimming costume.

In winter, you will want to be able to peel off a layer or two on one of those not-rare days when the sun shines bright at lunchtime and it feels like it’s spring already. At the same time, don’t forget your hat, scarf, and gloves as it feels so nice to be wrapped up warm in the evenings.

Bringing my padded hat with ear flaps (similar to this one ) was my best packing decision during my last visit to Lake Como over ten days this past Christmas. It kept me really cosy during festive market explorations and hiking around.

Always pack a pair of good walking shoes for Lake Como. Plus, hiking shoes/boots are a must when you go exploring in nature. With many of the towns and villages around the lake having steep cobbled streets and often flights of steps instead of streets altogether, your ankles need to be well supported at all times.

Unless you are planning to visit just the towns of Como, Lecco, and Cernobbio (the central parts of which are flat), make sure that you bring an appropriate pair of shoes to allow you to safely navigate uneven surfaces and steep slopes.

Which Are the Best Towns to Visit on Lake Como?

There are easily dozens of small towns and villages clustered along the waterline and clinging to the steep slopes above Lake Como. Some of them – like Bellagio – are famous worldwide. Others are much less known yet they have beautiful historic centres, a number of curious sights, and are linked to numerous hiking paths crisscrossing the lake’s lush natural setting.

Have a look at this blog post to pick the Lake Como towns that appeal the most to you based on your own interests and travel plans:

• 18 Best Towns to Visit on Lago di Como – Italy’s Most Famous Lake (With Maps, Itineraries, and Essential Travel Guide)

Otherwise, here is a shortlist of four of the most gorgeous towns on Lake Como to explore during your visit. All of them are easy to reach by train or by train/bus/ferry from Milan. This makes them great destinations for day trips and weekend breaks as well as for longer stays on Italy’s most famous lake.

Como – one of the largest towns on Lake Como. Come here for the imposing Duomo, the sights dedicated to Alessandro Volta (the inventor of the first electric battery), and the funicular taking you up a vertiginous slope to the town of Brunate. Regular trains link Como to Milan all throughout the day. Once in Como, you can also take a bus to nearby Cernobbio (another beautiful lakefront town) or a ferry up to Bellagio.

Bellagio – this is easily the most famous town on Lake Como. It stands on the tip of Punta Spartivento – the meeting point of the lake’s three branches. Bellagio is very picturesque and has a number of easy to see in a day sights – from the botanical garden of Villa Melzi to the cobbled streets of its historic centre populated by silk shops and craft workshops. You can reach Bellagio by bus or ferry from Como, by bus from Lecco, and by ferry from Varenna.

Varenna – the most charming town on Lake Como is a delight to explore. It has a cute little harbour, a waterfront promenade with far-reaching lake views, medieval castle, and next door to it stands the magnificent Villa Monastero with its delightful garden. Regular trains connect Varenna to Milan all throughout the day. Ferries link this lakefront town to the towns of Menaggio and Bellagio, too, so that you can see them all in a day.

Bellano – this is Lake Como’s hidden gem of a town. With a beautiful promenade, a cute harbour, and a dramatic gorge cut through over millions of years by a powerful waterfall, Bellano has a lot to offer. Yet, you can easily see it all in a few hours or over a very leisurely day. Even better! Bellano is on the same train line as Varenna, making it possible to visit both towns as part of the same trip.

What Are the Best Things to Do at Lake Como?

There are many things to do and enjoy around Italy’s most famous lake – Lago di Como. For an extensive list, have a look at this comprehensive travel guide:

• 25 Best Things to Do in Lake Como, Italy (With Maps, Travel Info, and Practical Tips)

Otherwise, here is a shortlist:

Sightseeing – the shores of the lake are studded with historic villas, centuries-old churches, and excellent museums. The most well-known are the Duomo, the Volta Temple, the Civic Art Gallery, and the Silk Museum in Como, Villa Balbaniello near Lenno, Villa Monastero next door to Varenna, Villa Melzi in Bellagio, the Moto Guzzi Motorcycle Museum in Mandello del Lario, and so many others.

Hiking and Nature Exploring – it is so very easy to get close to nature around Lake Como. Hiking paths (some of which follow ancient Roman roads) crisscross the steep slopes and link the small towns and villages here. Powerful waterfalls crash through tall canyons and flow into the lake. Don’t miss Orrido di Nesso and Orrido di Bellano. You don’t even need to break a sweat to get out and about in nature here. A number of funiculars offer the chance to enjoy sprawling lake views from the comfort of a smoothly ascending cabin.

Shopping – Lake Como is a great place to indulge in some shopping no matter if you are after the latest fashions of the best Italian brands or artisan items by local craftsmen. The area is also famous for its locally designed silk accessories. Silk has been produced around the lake for centuries and nowadays you can get beautiful silk bags, scarves, and ties for yourself and your loved ones. Don’t miss the local brand Acqua del Lario which makes perfumes, candles, and home scents inspired by the towns and vistas of Lake Como.

Where to Find More Information About Lake Como and the Region of Lombardy?

If you are considering a trip to Lake Como in particular and the Northern Italian region of Lombardy in general, you may want to also have a look at the following categories and posts on my blog:

• Lake Como – a full list of all my blog posts about Italy’s most famous lake
• Lombardy – a full list of all my blog posts about this must-see region in Italy
• Lake Como – The Beauty of Italy’s Most Famous Lake in 25 Photos
• Lake Como in Winter – 10 Reasons to Visit Italy’s Most Famous Lake in the Off-Season
• 10 Reasons to Visit the Region of Lombardy in Italy
• 15 Must-See Cities and Towns in Lombardy, Italy

They are based on my first-hand experience of visiting these destinations in Italy and provide lots of practical information to help you plan your travels.

In addition, for the most up-to-date information about events and local sights, keep an eye on the official websites of Milan , the Region of Lombardy , and the major towns on Lake Como, for example, Como , Bellagio , Varenna , Lecco , and so on.

Finally, if you want to invest in a good guidebook, this one covers Lombardy, Milan, and the Italian lakes which makes it very handy to carry around with you during your travels.

Where to Find More Information About Visiting Italy?

I have been blogging about travelling to and within Italy for eight years now providing detailed and first-hand tried and tested information about the best things to do in this beautiful country. It’s all based on my close to twenty years of visiting Italy solo and with my family. Six of these years, we actually spent living in Vicenza in the north of the country .

If you are after in-depth researched and illustrated with dozens of pertinent photos articles about Italy, have a look at the following categories and blog posts:

• Italy – a full list of all my blog posts about Italy
• 10 Reasons to Visit Northern Italy
• Veneto , Trentino , Emilia Romagna – full lists of all my blog posts about these Italian regions
• Venice , Padua , Lake Garda , Milan – full lists of all my blog posts about these must-see destinations in Italy.

In addition, right at the end of this blog post, you will find a list with links to some of my most popular blog posts about many beautiful and exciting cities, towns, and regions to visit in Italy. So, just scroll down and then click on the ones you are interested in.

Finally, Italy’s official tourism website is a great source of the latest news about travel in Italy. Otherwise, this is one of the best guidebooks about Italy.

In Conclusion

Lago di Como is a must-see destination in Northern Italy . The lake is internationally famous for its beautiful natural setting, long list of historic sights, and strings of charming lakefront towns and villages. It’s not in vain that for decades it has been a favourite place to relax for famous people from the worlds of acting, fashion, music, and even politics.

If Lake Como is on your bucket list and you are starting to look into a possible visit to it, this blog post will help streamline your Italy travel planning. It explores in detail the nine best ways to get to Lake Como and navigate around it. From road and railway to air and your own two feet, all available modes of transportation are covered.

It’s all based on my own first-hand experiences of visiting and travelling around Lake Como over the last five years. To help you even further, I have also condensed a section with practical tips about the best places to stay at the lake, the best towns to visit here, and the best things to do during your visit.

I hope that all this information will come in handy and that will allow you to get the most out of your time at Italy’s most famous lake.

Enjoy Lake Como!

Travel tools, now, get ready quick for your trip to lake como in italy.

Get a guidebook from Amazon. Buy plane tickets , train tickets , and bus tickets through Omio. Rent a car from Europcar. Research accommodation on Booking.com. Select local tours and activities on GetYourGuide , Viator , and Tiquets .

More Helpful Italy Info for You

Best of Italy:  Italian Piazzas ,  Italian Markets ,  Accommodation for Every Budget ,  Best Times to Visit Italy ,  Italy in Summer ,  Italy with Kids Italian Food:  Best Italian Food Gifts ,  Cheap Italian Food ,  Rules of Italian Breakfast ,  Italian Breakfast Foods Italian Coffee:  Italian Coffee Culture ,  Italian Coffee Drinks ,  History of Coffee in Italy Christmas in Italy:   Fun Facts ,  Things to Do ,  Italian Nativity Scenes ,  Panettone ,  Christmas Guide Northern Italy:  Best Cities to Visit ,  Major Airports ,  Reasons to Visit Lake Como: Best Things, to Do ,  Reasons to Visit in Winter , Inspiring Photos ,  Best Airports , Nesso Lake Garda Towns and Villages:   Best Towns ,  Desenzano del Garda ,  Riva del Garda ,  Malcesine ,  Torri del Benaco ,  Punta di San Vigilio ,  Campo di Brenzone ,  Borghetto and Valeggio sul Mincio Visiting Lake Garda:  Map of Lake Garda ,  Getting Around Lake Garda ,  Lake Garda with Kids ,  8 Best Airports ,  Venice to Lake Garda ,  Verona to Lake Garda ,  Milan to Lake Garda ,  Bologna to Lake Garda Verona:  Things to Do in One Day ,  Verona Opera Festival ,  Day Trips from Verona ,  Romeo and Juliet Itinerary ,  Verona to Venice ,  Verona to Milan Padua:  Things to Do in One Day ,  101 Facts About Padua ,  10 Reasons to Visit Padua ,  Day Trips from Padua Vicenza:  Things to Do ,  Day Trips from Vicenza ,  Best Museums ,  The Beauty of Vicenza Veneto:  Top Places to Visit ,  Unique Adventures ,  Most Colourful Places ,  Mysterious Places ,  Most Beautiful Lakes ,  Reasons to Visit ,  Main Cities ,  Prettiest Small Towns ,  Most Beautiful Villages Lombardy:   Best Cities and Towns ,  Reasons to Visit ,  Brescia Friuli Venezia Giulia:   Venzone ,  Most Beautiful Villages Emilia Romagna:  Bologna ,  Ravenna ,  Comacchio ,  Most Beautiful Villages Marche:   Reasons to Visit ,  Gradara ,  Frasassi Caves ,  Temple of Valadier Umbria: Reasons to Visit Perugia

Thank you for reading! Please, leave me a comment, pin the images or use the buttons right at the top and at the end of this blog post to share it on social media.

For more useful information like this, please, like my blog’s page on  Facebook  and Instagram and  subscribe  to my strictly no-spam newsletter.

Email address:

Melissa Glorioso

Sunday 15th of January 2023

I wish you had included how to get to Lake Como from Venice! I do not know why, but I thought I had read an article you had written a couple of years ago about it. I suppose I am mistaken. I used lots or your information when I went to Lake Garda 2 years ago from Venice. I will be in Venice 6 weeks and have rented a house on Lake Como for a week this coming May. Please give me a heads up if you did do a story about getting to Como from Venice before, and I just cannot find it! Thank you so much..I have been following you for a few years now and your writings about Italy. So very helpful!

Monday 16th of January 2023

Thank you for your kind words, Melissa! I hope you have a wonderful time in Italy this coming May. I don't as of yet have a separate article about getting to Lake Como from Venice. At present, I have such an article for Lake Garda. In any case, it's not difficult to get to Lake Como from Venice. You can travel by train or by car. If you travel by train, you can get either the direct high-speed train from Venice to Milan or the fast regional train from Venice to Verona and then change to the regional train to Milan. (It's all explained in some detail in this blog post.) The train station you'll need in Milan is called Milano Centrale. Once at Milano Centrale, you can get the train to Lake Como as explained under point 2 in this blog post above. Just pick the train station that is nearest to your accommodation on the lake. The map shows the train stations around the lake. Once at the lake, if need be, you can continue by local bus or ferry (as covered above). If you travel by car, your GPS will calculate the best route and the tips under point 1 above, hopefully, will come in very handy. I hope this helps!

Best wishes,

Sharing is Caring

Help spread the word. You're awesome for doing it!

Active Dolomites and Lake Como Private Tour

Why you should go.

This active, significantly less-touristy private tour will guide you through the stunning mountain and lakeside landscapes of Italy. Spend your trip trekking along Italy’s natural terrain with highlights in the Dolomites and Lake Como.

As one of Europe’s most unique mountain ranges and UNESCO sites, the Dolomites are home to a wealth of alpine flora, thousands of miles of hiking trails, and exquisite alpine lakes and meadows. We believe the picturesque views of the Dolomites pair perfectly with the spectacle that is Lake Como, Italy’s deepest lake. Quaint coastal villages surround this body of water, each offering something unique. More hiking excursions and even a private boating experience await adventure-lovers on this private tour. Remember to bring your camera!

Best Travel Time: Spring Summer Fall

*The average cost of our fully comprehensive itineraries ranges from USD $4,000 – $6,000 per COUPLE per DAY. All of our private tour itineraries are inclusive of all luxury accommodations, private guide/driver throughout, meals as specified, INTERNAL air flights/rail/private transfers, & all taxes/service fees.

Sample Itinerary

Each private luxury tour is custom to the wishes of each client. This itinerary is a sample. Partnering with our long-established relationship with United Airlines, our sister company, TRAVNET, may provide competitive Polaris/Business Class international airfare, along with mileage points conversion.

Fly to Venice Through our sister company, premium air provider TRAVNET, we may assist with your international airfare, as well as with mileage points conversion.

Meals: — Accommodations:  —

Arrive Venice + Transfer to Dolomites + Hiking Upon arrival at Venice Airport, you will be transferred to Hotel Miramonti. There, set out on a four-hour, eight-mile trek in the stunning Dolomites surrounding your hotel. With a highest point of 6,155 feet, hike along wide paths through forested areas with a stop at the idyllic Bruggen Weiher Pond . The many Alta Vias (highways) in the Dolomites set the scene for weeklong running and hiking excursions, with backdrops such as sister mountain peaks Sassolungo and Sasso Piatto towering over the lush, green terrain of Alpe di Siusi.

Meals: Breakfast Accommodations: Hotel Miramonti

Dolomites Wine Route Biking This morning, a private driver will escort you to Caldaro for a wine-focused experience on two wheels! This guided tour will take you through the Monticolo Woods, where you will find the two Monticolo Lakes. Take a break from cycling and enjoy a swim before continuing to the town of Cornaiano: home of the most beautiful views of the vineyards in the basin of Bolzano. Return to Caldaro on your bike where you will be able to taste some of the best wines produced in this area.

Verano Hiking Excursion Travel 15 minutes to Verano for your hiking experience on Rotstein Knott mountain. An approximately four-hour, 10.6-mile hike will take you to the Knottnkino, one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the region. Relax on the wooden/metal seats by artist Franz Messner and view the Texelgrupperange all the way to Penegal mountain and the Weißhorn peak.

Private Transfer Dolomites – Lake Como Following breakfast, you will be privately transferred to the Villa d’Este on Lake Como, an approximately four to five-hour drive. For the remainder of your day, enjoy the hotel amenities and the lakefront ambiance.

Meals: Breakfast Accommodations: Villa d’Este

Private Lake Como Boat Tour Today, enjoy a tranquil day on Lake Como with a private boating experience. Board a traditional Riva boat; a mahogany, hand-made boat that has continuously been produced by the Riva family for more than 300 years! Glide across the lake’s calm waters before disembarking for your first stop: Villa Balbianello. On a walk through its terraced gardens, a private guide will teach you about the villa’s rich history during WWII.

After your visit, reboard your Riva boat and make your way to the town of Bellagio, located on a peninsula in the middle of Lake Como. Shop for silk scarves, ties, etc. while learning of Bellagio’s long history of silk production.

Antica Strada Regina Walk This morning, a private driver will transfer you to Colonno to begin your low-intensity hike along the historic Roman road, following the traces of the Antica Strada Regina between Tremezzo and Lenno. On this 3-hour, 6-mile hike, explore the ancient villages of Mezzegra and Ossuccio, including the Sacro Monte di Ossuccio.

Fly Venice/Home Following breakfast at the Villa d’Este, you will be privately transferred to Venice Airport for your flight home.

Meals: Breakfast

We consider the 44-room boutique Hotel Miramonti our favorite luxury property in the Dolomites, with no peer. Miramonti is set at a picturesque 4,050 ft altitude overlooking the commune of Merano. Among the various minimalist, modern designed rooms, our favorite is the 516 sq ft ROOFTOP LOFT with its spectacular views over Etsch Valley and Vigiljoch mountain pass. Wonderful dining options at Miramonti’s three restaurants; Panorama, Classic/Klassick and Stube. Wellness services include a picturesque infinity pool, an onsen pool, a nice gym, sauna and spa. With access to the nearby 30-acre hardwood/softwood forest, we are particularly impressed how Miramonti has integrated the Japanese therapeutic concept of “forest bathing” (Shinrin-yoku) to its many outdoor options. Kudos to owners Carmen and Klaus Alber for creating a heavenly, friendly, high-touch sanctuary!

Hotel Miramonti

Built in 1568, the Villa d’Este on Lake Como is a Renaissance patrician residence in Cernobbio and is as enchanting and beguiling a place as you can imagine. This palatial resort has hosted royalty, celebrities, and foreign dignitaries alike throughout its 152 individually unique rooms and suites. A stroll through the gardens leads you past terraced water gardens, a mosaic wall, old fortresses, and enchanting views of the lake and Alps. Pellegrino Pellegrini, the architect of the main villa, constructed a Nymphaeum with the perspective of the fountain of Ercole from which the water flows over 130 granite basins.

Villa d’Este

Request Custom Itinerary

Thank you for your interest in Kipling & Clark. We look forward to serving you!

Please note we specialize in global private luxury travel, including private guides and drivers throughout,

high-quality accommodations, inclusive of safari lodges and ryokans, in-country rail/air, and all taxes/service fees.

Dependent on destination and seasonality, our comprehensive private tour costs are upward of USD 5K-6K per couple per day.

                                          (312) 351-3121

                             [email protected]

Similar Trips

Start Your Adventure

(312) 351-3121 [email protected]

500 N Clark St #200 Chicago, IL 60654

• Latest from K & C
• Giving Back

The Ultimate Travel Guide For Lake Como, Italy

• Last Updated On: August 1, 2022

Lake Como, with its timeless appeal and stunning landscapes, is one of Italy’s most prized destinations. It’s been a vacation destination since the time of the Romans and has been popularized in recent years as George Clooney’s hideaway. It’s famous for its medieval remnants and cobble stone streets in towns like Varenna and Bellagio, as well as its natural appeal as mountains tower all around it.

Traveling to Lake Como means exploring the dozens of quaint villages, eating your dream Italian meal, and exploring impossibly beautiful villas of the rich and famous.

Lake Como is large lake at 146 square kilometers and is the deepest lake in Europe at 450m in depth. It’s a rather large lake and it’s impossible to cover it properly without at least a few days of travel. The lake is surrounded by mountains with the highest peak being Mt.Legnone (approx. 2700m high) which dominates the town of Colico at the northern tip of the lake.

Visiting Lake Como in the era of Coronavirus

I spent a week in Lake Como and it was the first place I traveled to after the inter-Schengen travel ban ended in the era of Coronavirus . It was a bit surreal to come here, not so much the beauty of the lake (which it is of course amazing), but because I was able to travel again and so soon. Italy was incredibly hard hit in the beginning but with a very tough lockdown, they were able to get cases under control and deserve to open up its tourism to Europeans.

Please enable JavaScript

People wear masks indoor and outdoor and you could see the impact it had on the psyche of the people.

I explored as much of the lake as I could in my week here. I came in mid June and the weather was largely perfect. In normal times, you’d be greeted by huge tour buses, traffic jams, and crowded streets. Because I was one of the first foreign tourists to come, I was able to enjoy it with relatively no crowds to speak of, restaurants that didn’t require reservations, and a feeling like I had the place to myself. It was a bit surreal!

How to get to Lake Como

Since I live in Germany, it is quite easy for me to drive from my home in Frankfurt. Simply drive south through Freiburg , into Switzerland, and Lake Como is right near the border of Switzerland and Italy.

However, for most people, it’s likely you’ll be coming through on a trip in Italy. The closest major city to Lake Como is  Milan  which makes Lake Como a very easy to reach destination since Milan is a large airport.

From Milan, there are a few methods to getting to Lake Como

Take the train from Milan to Varenna

Probably the quickest way to get to Lake Como from Milan is the train ride to the town of Varenna. This train is only 90 minutes and runs every hour of the day. It’s also very cheap as a one way fare on this train starts around €6.50.

From the train stop, you can walk right into Varenna town and thereby continue to take the ferry to other towns like Bellagio and Menaggio. This is certainly the best way to see Lake Como if you want to do a day trip from Milan.

If you’re looking to come straight from the Milan Bergamo Airport, then simply take an Uber to the Milan Centrale train station and continue onwards

Bus from Milan to Lake Como

There are numerous bus lines that also make this trip but it much more time consuming and more expensive. Take the train and never look back!

Getting around Lake Como

I think most people that visit Como are on short day trips or guided tours. However, if you want the freedom to really explore Lake Como without much hassle, than a car is necessary. You can rent cars for very cheap from the Milan airport. I had a car the entire time and it made exploring towns much easier. In addition, we stayed in a house up on the hills with an absolutely spectacular view of the Lake but this meant we were far from really anything so a car is required.

Driving in Lake Como

Driving in Lake Como is quite straight forward. The main towns of Lake Como are well…right on the lake. There is a main road that encircles the entire lake and you can visit all the towns from this road.

The road itself is mostly one lane which means during high season you can expect to have some serious traffic jams. In some towns like Argegno, the road really narrows in Italian fashion and for the inexperienced, it may be a bit scary to drive fast.

There are parking lots in every town that you can pay for at the rate of €1 per hour. Again, during high season, it will be harder to find parking. As we visited during the Coronavirus era, we had no problems at all.

Driving around the entire lake Como in a day

If you have a car, you can feasibly drive around the entire lake in a day. It’s roughly 2.5 hours to encircle the lake without making any stops. If you make a detour to drive to Bellagio, add another 1.5 hours onto the trip. With stops, you can feasibly see 3-4 towns in a day without much issue.

Getting around by Ferries and buses

If you don’t plan on renting a car, there’s no need to worry. The towns are largely connected by buses and ferries. However, the ferries only really run between  Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio.  If you don’t plan on renting a car and want to explore the whole area, then I’d recommend staying in these three towns or in towns that are nearby.

The ferries run every hour or so between the three towns in a triangle. Each leg of the trip is only 10-15 minutes as it is very close. These ferries are also the main method to transport cars between different sides of the lake. If you look at Lake Como on a map, you’ll see that it is long and thin with no bridges anywhere. Therefore, if you are in Menaggio and want to get to Varenna on the other side of the river, your only options are to take the ferry or drive half of the lake which will take you 1 hour.

There is also a high speed ferry that runs between Domaso in the north to Como city in the very south and it makes numerous stops.

Lake Como by boat

Last but not least, and without a doubt the best way to get around the lake, is by speed boat. My friends happened to just have one lying around and we used this boat as our main method of transportation between towns.

Not only was it the fastest way to get around, but you get a very unique perspective of the lake from being on the water. There isn’t much traffic on the lake at all and there was always ample space to dock the boats when we arrived at a town we wanted to visit.

Plus you’re on a boat, enough said.

If you don’t have a boat handy, then you can always rent a boat. There are numerous companies that will rent a boat by the day assuming you have a boat license. You can also rent a boat for the day with a personal driver. Although this is not cheap, it would be quite reasonable if you’re a larger group.

Different parts of Lake Como

Lake Como is a huge lake. It takes roughly 3.5 hours to drive around it in its entirety. If you don’t have a car, where you stay will dictate which area you explore.

For the most part, the towns in the south are more expensive. They attract the weekenders from Milan and it’s a place for people to live posh. Think of it as the Milanese Hamptons. The towns in the middle like Bellagio, and Varenna are still quite posh and sees much larger numbers of tourists. It’s not hard to see why Bellagio attracts the amount of foreigners as it does.

Finally, the towns in the north are far less touristy with cheaper accommodations to boot. Towns in the north are also still quite picturesque even if it’s not as iconic as the towns in the south.

Bellagio, the Pearl of Lake Como, is famous worldwide for its beautiful  villas  overlooking the water (like Villa Serbelloni or  Villa Melzi ), but also for its small yet charming alleys, full of shops, boutiques and restaurants. Bellagio is probably the most well known and visited town in Lake Como. it’s certainly one of the most picturesque Its old town is in fantastic conditions and they alleyways are perfect to walk and get lost in.

Funny enough, I had always thought Bellagio was just the name of a hotel in Las Vegas. I’m ashamed to admit that I discovered Bellagio is a medieval town that predates the Vegas hotel by a thousand years.

The best part of Bellagio is walking through its beautiful streets. The old town center of Bellagio has one main road,  Via Giuseppe Garibaldi , which gets to Punta Spartivento (tip of the village) in less than 10 minutes.

It’s quite a small town and I could see how during normal non coronavirus times, it would be extremely packed. However, this wasn’t really the case during my visit. We had amazing gelato at Gelateria del Borgo before having some afternoon aperitivos at Bstyle Bellagio.

Unfortunately, the iconic villas that Bellagio is famous for were closed.

After walking on the romantic lakeside Lungo Lario Manzoni, you will reach the world famous Villa Serbelloni, a  luxury hotel  built in the 15th century and currently owned by the Rockefeller Foundation.

If you’re not a guest of the villa, you cannot visit the interior. However, you can  book a visit  and enjoy a walk into the  50 acres of park and gardens  that surround the villa (contact  Promo Bellagio  for more information).

Varenna is an essential stop for anyone wishing to visit one of the most  typical and quite towns  of the lake. A must if you are in  Milan  (from where you arrive after an hour train ride) or in  Bellagio , which is just 15 minutes away by ferry. The town is absolutely picturesque especially if you’re on the water looking at it with the mountains in the background. The town is incredibly well preserved and every corner you turn you’ll find something new and charming.

A visit to  Villa Monastero  is definitely one of the best things that you can do in Varenna. The villa was once an old monastery, that later became a patrician residence.

Besides being an international conference center, Villa Monastero attracts tourists from everywhere because of its beautiful  botanical garden  that collects  many rare plant species .

Menaggio is a beautiful town on the western shore of Lake Como in Lombardy. Unlike many of the lake’s small towns that literally “climb” on the banks, Menaggio is in a larger area, which allowed it to expand more than the others. It is therefore not difficult to find something to visit or do in Menaggio.

The waterfront is a pleasant stroll with impressive indoor squares, fountains, bars, ice cream parlors and pizzerias. This tourist wealth can help make Menaggio less authentic than Bellagio and Varenna, which are linked to Menaggio by a picturesque harbor. The quay and the small modern harbor full of yachts give it a certain charm.

As soon as you enter the historic center of Menaggio, the beauty of this small but extremely fascinating village will delight visitors. The heart of the city is Piazza Garibaldi, where you can see the facade of the Santa Marta church, enriched by the presence of a Roman plaque. Another medieval testimony is the church of San Carlo, built in the 18th century.

You cannot stay in Menaggio without visiting the beautiful Villa Mylius Vigoni, a house museum from the first half of the 19th century, surrounded by a garden of rare beauty.

A few kilometers from Como resist Cernobbio, a city known for its historic houses. You see yourself in a convenient location, in the heights of the Bisbino mountain and on the shores of Lake Como. Despite the rights to Como, Cernobbio has very personal rights. The landscape can also be heard on foot as well as by boat and various vacation conditions north.

The promenade, which Como and Cernobbio removed, is a 5 km long bike path that is also accessible and is characterized by an enchanting panorama.

Among the many people’s villas from Cernobbio from the 19th century, the religious Villa d’Este is of public artistic interest. The villa now houses a luxury hotel and was built by Pellegrino Tibaldi in the 16th century. It is part of its beautiful gardens. Along the stream dominated by the villa you will get a promontory on which the Villa Pizzo stands, an interesting and interesting example of a historic house from the 19th century.

Do not miss Villa Erba, which was built in the 16th century as a women’s monastery and is now a congress center at an advanced level. Villa Bernasconi was built in Liberty style and now houses art exhibitions and major cultural events.

Located in the north of Lake Como, Cremia is where I stayed for the week. Cremia is much quieter than other towns with fewer bars and restaurants. Nevertheless, it was a great place to base ourselves to explore the lake. It’s much cheaper and doesn’t see the crowds that towns in the south do.

In addition, if you’re a water sport fan, this is where you’ll want to be if you are keen for kite surfing or windsurfing.

Argegno is a small town located in a large cove on the western shore of Lake Como; despite its small dimensions, there are many interesting things to see and visit here. The village is also the starting point of the famous cable car which takes only five minutes to take you to Pigra, which is located at 1000 meters above sea level; from this place you can admire breathtaking views of Lake Como and the Alpine foothills and also make excursions to Mount Galbiga, Tellero and Alpe di Colonno. Argegno is also the outer municipality of Val d’Intelvi, whose roads connect Lake Como to Lake Lugano.

The city is very picturesque and is characterized not only by the magnificent lakeside with fascinating houses overlooking the banks, but also by the ancient village divided in two parts by the Telo stream and connected by an old bridge with pointed arches, dating from to the Roman-medieval times. Many remains of fortifications still present in the historic center bear witness to the Roman origins of Argegno, which owes its name to the consul Publio Cesium Archigenes.

The most beautiful churches are the parish of the SS. Trinity, built at the beginning of the 20th century in the neo-Roman style, the Sanctuary of Saint Anne of the 17th century, which preserves precious works of art by Barberini and Isidoro Bianchi, and the Romanesque church of San Sisinnio, considered a real gem.

Located in the southeast part of Lake Como, Lecco feels like a real town. It has 50,000 inhabitants with schools, shops, and the like. Lecco is perhaps one of the most geographically stunning towns on the lake. The mountains here are more rocky reminding me of the Dolomites or the Western Cape in South Africa rather than the more tree-dense mountains on the other side of Lake Como.

Simply walk along the waterfront for sweeping views of the picturesque town with the alps in the background. The old town one street in from the harbor is also quite beautiful. The baroque style buildings are beautifully maintained and there is a plethora of restaurants to eat at.

I had some of the most delicious gelato of my life at  Cape Horn Artisanal Gelato.  You know it’s good when there’s a huge queue of Italians waiting on a hot summer day.

Laglio is a small town located on the west shore of Lake Como, just 15 kilometers north of Como. The village is an excellent starting point for walks along the lake and across the surrounding hills, from where you can admire a panorama of rare beauty. The slopes above the village are rich in vineyards, olive groves and laurel plants, one of which once extracted laurel oil, famous for its medicinal qualities. After years of incredible anonymity, Laglio gained notoriety when famous actor George Clooney bought the historic Villa Oleandra in 2002, making it in his summer home.

Since then, this small town on Lake Como has indeed become a favorite place for paparazzi, fans or simply the curious, to the point that the city council had to approve a specific by-law in order to protect the privacy of Clooney (and that of its extremely famous guests), prohibiting everyone from standing in the immediate vicinity of the villa. Villa Oleandra is located near a picturesque harbor and it was built on an ancient Roman colony; it is also part of a larger property with three other adjacent buildings, all connected to each other by elegant scaffolding.

Where to eat

Of course one of the main highlights of any Italian trip should be focused around food! Expect to eat very well in Lake Como with all of your favorite Italian specialties. Also expect to drink on the regular as Northern Italy is the birthplace of the aperol spritz. Aperitivos are a way of life in this part of Italy and it’s quite an easy lifestyle to embrace.

Prices in Lake Como are generally higher than the Italian average. You’d expect to pay more for visiting places in Northern Italy than say somewhere in the south like Puglia. Also, Lake Como can be quite a fancy place depending on which area you’re in so you can pay for some really high end michelin starred tastings that will rack up a bill quickly.

Nevertheless, for every fancy upscale restaurant, there are 10 more that just serve solid Italian cooking in a relaxed environment for a reasonable price. I was never shocked at the prices I paid for any of my meals.

There are way too many restaurants to count and you could spend years experiencing them all. Here are some of the restaurants that I really enjoyed:

Hotel Du Lac – Varenna

While walking around Varenna, we discovered this beautiful hotel with a terrace that has views of the entire lake. This is the perfect place to have an aperitivo while watching the sun set over the mountains.

In addition, this hotel/restaurant also has a private dock so if you have your own boat (wink wink), then this is the perfect place to roll up like a VIP and go to your dinner. The food is fine dining style and also quite delicious albeit more expensive than other similar restaurants.

Da Luciano – Laglio

While we were in Laglio searching for George Clooney’s house (just kidding), we found this fantastic tapas style bodega right on the waterfront. This is definitely a lesser touristy spot that serves amazing cheeses, meats, breads, and wine. We got a little bit of everything including their lunch menu which were meatballs to die for.

The view from our little bench was breathtaking. Would definitely go back here.

Located in Cremia where we stayed, this is by far the best cocktail bar I found around Lake Como. They are located right on the docks with perfect views of the lakes and even the alps at the very north of the lake.

They make one of the best negronis I’ve ever had. This was an aperitivo time regular for us!

Continue Reading:

How to get from naples to the amalfi coast: everything you need to know, the ultimate travel and wine tasting guide for montepulciano, italy, the ultimate piedmont travel itinerary and guide: italy’s most underrated wine region, most beautiful towns on the amalfi coast: my favorite places to visit.

• The Perfect Naples, Capri And Amalfi Coast Itinerary

Visiting Matera: Italy’s Most Unique And Beautiful City

The perfect tuscany, italy road trip itinerary: florence, montepulciano, chianti and more.

• Skopje And Lake Ohrid: The Perfect North Macedonia Trip
• The Perfect Road Trip Travel Itinerary For Sicily, Italy
• The Perfect Puglia, Italy Road Trip Itinerary
• The Perfect One Day And Two Day Itinerary for Zurich, Switzerland
• Visiting Corvara in Alta Badia: The Dolomites’ Most Picturesque Town
• Guide To Visiting Lake Atitlán, Guatemala – Heaven On Earth
• The Ultimate Dolomites, Italy Travel And Skiing Guide

Related Posts

One comment

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 Yes, add me to your mailing list

Add Comment  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

Post Comment

Amazing Photos! great to see people traveling again in Italia!!

9 of the best holiday destinations in Italy for 2024

W ith a rich cultural heritage, fine cuisine and a Mediterranean climate, southern Europe ’s global tourist hotspot, Italy , gives dull summer holidays the boot – literally.

Famed for its romantic allure, dynamic mountain regions in the north meet idyllic islands in the south, plus there are mainland cities brimming with echoes of the past. Charming Positano fuses days spent sunbathing with sightseeing, fashion capital Milan boasts a wealth of delights for every season, and the olive groves and vineyards of the Tuscan countryside offer visitors a chance to live in the hills as the Romans did.

Whether a food lover, artist or history buff, feast your eyes (and stomach) on iconic landmarks and ancient architecture while enjoying a slice of authentic pizza on glamorous seaside shores.

Read more on Italy travel :

• Milan city guide: Best things to do and where to stay in Italy’s northern powerhouse
• Best hotels in Rome: See the Italian capital in style
• Italy travel guide: Everything you need to know before you go

Best for: History buffs

Rome  is home to art masterpieces, ancient mythology and the  Vatican City , the smallest country in the world. The passionate Italian capital is littered with ancient ruins, Roman villas, haunting temples and 13 heritage landmarks, including the  Colosseum  and the Pantheon. Within the walls of the historic centre, a Unesco World Heritage Site, indulging on streetside carbonara, tiramisu and fried artichokes to refuel from long days of sightseeing comes highly advised, after all, when in Rome ...

When to visit Rome

A good time to visit Rome is the spring shoulder season from March to May, as temperatures are warm but mild, and crowds are far more sparse than in the height of summer. Accommodation and flight prices tend to see better rates and average daily temperatures reach highs of 24C in May – perfect for sightseeing.

Where to stay

The exuberant  Mama Shelter Roma  in Prati offers quirky decor, three restaurants and a spa in the basement. A short walk from the Vatican, loud fabrics, lush greenery and comfortable bedrooms greet guests who can enjoy a Roman pizza and homemade gelato in the colourful lobby.

Amalfi Coast

Best for: seaside towns.

Italy’s rugged southern shore on the Sorrentine peninsula is 50km of world-famous pastel houses, fishing villages and magical grottos. From A-list hotspot Positano to Ravello, Amalfi and Vietri sul Mare, chic boutiques, cliffside lemon groves and grand villas dot the popular holiday destination, a taste of azure paradise at the foot of Monte Cerreto mountain. Keen hikers can trek the “Path of Gods”, old-mule trails through the picturesque villages, for the most breathtaking views of the awe-inspiring Amalfi Coast .

When to visit Amalfi Coast

It’s off-peak tourism season in May, September and October, which is an ideal time to enjoy the coastline with fewer tourists. Comfortable temperatures in the low to mid-20s are still pleasant for days on the beach as well as afternoon walks in the famous lemon groves that bloom in spring.

Palazzo Avino,  a 12th-century palazzo, boasts panoramic Amalfi views, stylish rooms and romantic garden terraces in Ravello. Antique accents, infinity pools and free shuttles to a private beach club on the coast give holidaymakers a taste of luxury before even dining in Rossellinis, the hotel’s Michelin-star restaurant.

Best for: Idyllic beaches

Off the west coast of mainland Italy, Sardinia ’s serene beaches and Emerald Coast ooze glamour. The opportunity to soak up the sun on quality sands attracts VIPs to decadent villas and superyachts on the Costa Smeralda every summer. The second largest Italian island has allure in abundance, with luxury spas and beaches on the coastline of Cagliari , the capital, and speciality regional dishes such as porcheddu (suckling pig) for tourists to try in between days spent living like a rockstar in Olbia.

When to visit Sardinia

The height of the summer holidays from June to August brings scorching temperatures, warm seas and luxury boats great for a beach holiday. With daily average temperatures of 32C in the hottest month (August), the renowned Mediterranean climate is a paradise for tourists. To swerve the sun seeking crowds, visit Sardinia in March for reduced room rates, calmer beaches and highs of 17C.

A few metres from Poetto Beach  Hotel Nautilus  in Cagliari exudes nautical style and authentic Italian vibes. Buffet breakfasts are complimentary and spacious sea-view rooms feature terraces and en suite bathrooms, some with outdoor whirlpool tubs. 

Best for: Retail therapy

Northern city Milan , Italy’s fashion and design capital, is home to heritage brands such as Prada, Giorgio Armani and Dolce & Gabbana, renaissance art such Leonardo da Vinci’s mural The Last Supper , and the Gothic Duomo di Milano cathedral. For those who like the finer things in life, the undeniable style of the flashy metropolis in high-end stores, decadent architecture and bustling business districts, once part of Italy’s industrial Golden Triangle, has a unique lure.

When to visit Milan

September to December may see mild highs of around 18C and rainy days but are optimum conditions for those who wish to spend days in museums and shops on a budget. Ski holidays at nearby mountain resorts are also easily accessible from Milan.

The four-star  Avani Palazzo Moscova Milan Hotel  offers a small spa, outdoor terrace and contemporary Italian cuisine from inside Milan’s historic old railway building. It’s just five minutes to the cosmopolitan fashion hubs of Corso Como and Porta Nuova business district.

Best for: Italian charm

Glistening waters, romantic gardens and glamourous villages epitomise Italy’s third-largest lake. Lake Como’s Y-shaped body at the foot of the pine-fringed Alps is best enjoyed on picturesque private boat tours, secluded beaches and enchanting walks through the villages of Bellagio, Varenna and Tremezzo. The regal shores are dotted with ochre villas, fine dining and fashionable boutiques.

When to visit Lake Como

Head to Lake Como from April to June for mild weather, quiet shores and lower humidity. Highs of 25C bless the lake in June, but sporadic rain showers are not uncommon as Como’s gardens start to bloom.

Casa Sull’Albero , on the shores of Lake Como, features a minimalist design, airy natural furnishings and monochromatic bedrooms. Exploring leafy gardens, a small pool and activities, from wine tasting to water skiing, are on the itinerary for guests. There’s even an “honesty kitchen” stocked with local farm produce.

Best for: Walking holidays

The Dolomites ’ 18 peaks are a Unesco World Heritage mountain range in northeastern Italy. Sheer cliffs, dramatic valleys and glacial lakes populate the dynamic landscape and alpine adventures (skiing, hiking) and wellness holidays are abundant. Bordered by chocolate-box villages with winter markets and mountain museums, this Italian corner including South Tyrol, Trentino , and Belluno are great for chic stays in front of a breathtaking backdrop.

When to visit the Dolomites

June to September is an ideal time to visit the Dolomites on a hiking holiday. The region rarely tops 25C, a comfortable temperature for outdoor activities, and mountain huts are open on paths free from heavy snow and regulars on the skiing scene.

If quaint wooden rooms, cosy saunas and mountain views in the centre of Vipiteno are what you desire from a Dolomites holiday, then  Steindl’s Boutique Hotel  should fit the bill. Less than 100m from cycle trails, local restaurants and cable cars to the Monte Cavallo ski area.

Best for: Foodie delights

Medieval Bologna is a haven of culinary delights in the north of Italy. Swap afternoon teas for Aperol aperitifs and idle past Renassaince fountains to fairytale piazzas and al fresco gelato spots in the historic capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. The 11th-century university town houses collection of libraries, fine art and ancient squares – go on a food pilgrimage around the terracotta-tiled streets to best savour the taste of rich culture and cuisine in the home of bolognese.

When to visit Bologna

The best time to visit Bologna is in September and October, when the weather is still in the pleasant 20Cs but humidity levels are down. With autumn usually comes food festivals of local produce and dwindling crowds so better hotel rates.

I Portici Hotel , in the heart of Bologna, boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant, a bar and spacious rooms with intricately frescoed ceilings. A five-minute walk from Bologna Central Station, a lively atmosphere and park view terrace welcome guests to the historic town. 

Siena, Tuscany

Best for: country landscapes.

The scenic Tuscan countryside is made up of rolling hills, leafy olive groves and world-famous vineyards. Siena , a raised medieval city with ancient piazzas and an old-world soul, sits amid distant green and brown fields, vines and lines of Cypress trees. Be charmed by the terracotta districts, unique museums and a wealth of tradition – including hosting the thrilling Palio horse race in the cobbled central streets – all an easy bus ride from the rest of Tuscany’s mesmerising sights.

When to visit Siena

Visitors should plan a trip from May to June. Crowds are more manageable, the Tuscan landscape is at its most vibrant and weather conditions reach highs of around 25C. However, for cheaper flights and quieter piazzas, visit off-peak in autumn to watch the leaves change colour.

Hotel Palazzo di Valli  is an 18th-century villa built in traditional Tuscan style just 400m from the historic heart of Siena, with rooms featuring valley views, ornate Italian decor and authentic ceiling frescoes. 

Palermo, Sicily

Best for: cultural classics.

Sicily, a volcanic paradise island of seafront resorts and cultural treasures is best absorbed in the musical capital, Palermo . The third largest opera house in Europe, theatrical architecture and echoes of Norman royalty make Palermo’s diverse landscape a hot spot for creative travellers in a fusion of occupier's past. Awash with beaches, chapels and authentic street food markets, a week in Sicily would not be complete without days in Palermo’s ancient world.

When to visit Palermo

The shoulder seasons of autumn and spring are the best time to visit Sicily, as the sweltering temperatures of summer begin to rise and fall to 20C but balmy evenings can still be spent tasting wine with only a light jacket required. Money-saving travellers should visit in winter – between December and Feburary – for the best deals and fewer crowds.

Villa Igiea  offers world-class service on the Bay of Palermo. The pricey luxury villa has elegant suites, an outdoor swimming pool and a restaurant serving Sicilian specialities – all just a stone’s throw from pristine beaches, museums and ancient catacombs.

Headed for a holiday in the Italy this year? Here’s everything you need to know before you go

The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking news brand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. We have grown a huge, global readership of independently minded individuals, who value our trusted voice and commitment to positive change. Our mission, making change happen, has never been as important as it is today.

• Tour Account ›
• Travel Forum ›
• Travel Forum
• Route from Lake C...

Route from Lake Como to the Dolomites

We are planning a trip in September. We start at Lake Como, drive to the Dolomites for a few days before going on to Slovenia. The Auto Michelin guide shows the fastest route from Tremezzo (Lake Como) to Ortisei in the Dolomites is to go down through Milan, take the A4 and then go up through Verona to Ortisei, Has anyone done the more northern route through the mountains? If so, is it scenic and worth the extra time and how long did it take?

The drive is slow, and view limited. The train is a much better choice, much more scenic.

Thanks for the reply, Steve. We're driving anyway as there are four of us traveling together, and we have a car rented for our whole trip - Trying to decide which is the better route by car.

Check with your rental car company, many (most) rentals in Italy don't allow travel to Slovenia. I believe it has to do with insurance.

Thanks for the advice. We are renting from Avis and they don't seem to have a problem with us going to Slovenia as long as we don't put the car on a ferry. We are renting and returning the car in Milan.

Hi Donna, I've been told that he route via Sondrio (SS38) from Lake Como to the Dolomites is quite scenic. It adds 2 hours versus the highway... a bit over 6 hours non-stop. I'd go the Milan/Verona/Bolzano highway route myself. It's already over 4 hours non-stop. With 4 people in the car, do you think everyone really wants to spend 6 to 7 hours in the car when you could get to the Dolomites in 4 hours and enjoy the magnificent scenery when you get there? The Dolomites are spectacular and I'd rather "be there" than to be "in transit" for the day. If you don't have reservations yet, you may want to check out the Alta Badia, just over the Gardena Pass from the Val Gardena. We prefer the overall scenery of the Alta Badia to the Val Gardena. That's just our opinion. We've stayed once in St. Christina, Val Gardena and twice in La Villa, Alta Badia. www.garniariston.com www.montanara.it We have photo's of these and the Dolomites at: http://www.worldisround.com/articles/355539/index.html http://www.worldisround.com/articles/324504/index.html http://www.worldisround.com/articles/351565/index.html Paul

Thanks for your suggestions Paul- sorry to take so long to reply. I think you make a very valid point for getting to the Dolomites more quickly so that we can enjoy that area! Thanks also for your many post both here and on Trip Advisor - we are very excited about our trip and appreciate the help!

Hi Donna, No trouble and you're welcome. Hope you have trip which is safe and filled with lifelong memories. Paul

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.