The ultimate Lake Como Travel Guide
Lake Como is the crowning jewel of the Northern Lakes district of Italy. This place has attracted celebrities (such as George Clooney and Madonna), social elites and tourists from all over the world for centuries. However, they have good reason to love it here. In this blog post, I’ll share everything you need to know to plan your upcoming trip to Lake Como.
1. Bellagio
Easiest to access by ferry, Bellagio is located in the heart of Lake Como, with beautiful lake and mountain views everywhere. It is a small city with only around 3000 inhabitants. The Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas is inspired by this town.
If you want to see the sights around Bellagio without all the walking, take the kiddie train (I’m serious) at the ferry terminal. It departs a few times a day, you can hop on/off as you like and you’re going to see so much more of the town and its surroundings. Other than that, make sure to walk around in the village, have an ice cream, buy souvenirs and look into the shops. Don’t forget to visit the beautiful street Salita Antonio Mella, prominently featured on Instagram.
For Lunch, I’d recommend Restaurant de L’Hotel Florence, where you can have great food under the trees with lake views. Another great option that is on the more expensive side is to have a cocktail or lunch/dinner at one of the restaurants at Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni. The hotel is stunning and a sight itself. The food is good too, and their frozen Strawberry Daiquiri is among the best I’ve had.
2. Varenna
My personal favorite, only populated by around 800 people, and mostly used as a gateway to Bellagio, Varenna is a town that deserves more attention than it gets. This is where I’d stay next time I go to Lake Como. Everywhere you turn is stunning, and it’s far less crowded than Bellagio. Varenna is also on the cover of my Eyewitness Travel Italy guide, which means that it must also be stunning when comparing to other places in Italy as it must have competed with thousands of locations for that cover.
The streets are very narrow, and the most beautiful parts of town are a bit inaccessible and hard to find as you enter the town. Make sure to go all the way down to the water and you’ll find a small beach and boardwalk with restaurants, shops and cafés where you can easily spend an afternoon. For lunch, gelato or anything else, I’d recommend Café Varenna.
3. Domaso
Another hidden pearl located in the northwesten part of the lake, with a population of around 1 500 people. This town is far less touristy than the towns south of Bellagio, which means less crowds (or none at all when I was there) and more moderately priced restaurants. Most of the town is centered around a small beach, which is right below a boardwalk along which you can find a couple of restaurants and cafés with a good view of the lake.
On my visit, I stayed at an AirBnB in nearby Vercana up in the mountains, We had walking distance to Domaso, and going there for ice cream or dinner was great. Our Airbnb isn’t listed anymore, but this one was right next door and it looked absolutely beautiful. You’ll find the link to that HERE.
There’s a cute café with gelato, comfortable chairs and a view of the lake called Bar Gelateria Pochintesta, their chocolate gelato is divine.
4. Argegno
With only a population of 650 inhabitants, this is the smallest town on the list. You can walk through this little town in less than an hour, but on a day when you just want to relax, enjoy the views, and find a nice place to eat, this is the town you should go for.
There are plenty of beautiful buildings and views in this town, and just like Domaso, it isn’t filled to the brim with tourists. It’s genuine, stunning and a great place to spend an afternoon. For dining, I recommend Ristorante Il Sorriso. Their personnel is very kind, and a table on one of their balconies overlooking the lake in the sunset is a dream. The food is impeccable as well.
WHEN TO VISIT
I’ve visited during summer and fall, and I can easily say that fall was my favorite time to go, as it was less crowded and temperatures were a bit cooler. I think that spring is a really good season for Lake Como as well, just make sure not to go too early in the spring, as it’s in the mountains and actually get snow during winter.
HOW TO GET THERE AND GET AROUND
Ryanair has cheap flights to Bergamo, which is located approximately an hour from Lecco, which is on the southeastern tip of the lake. Milano Malpensa airport is located about an hour from Como, which is on the southwestern tip of the lake. A car is preferable when exploring Lake Como, but you can easily manage travelling to Varenna and Bellagio from Milan by train and ferry which takes around two hours one-way.
WHAT TO AVOID
There are towns, such as Como and Lecco, that are popular simply because they are on the southern edges of the lake, and easy to access. These are, however not as picturesque or unique as the other towns around the lake, and they have more of a city vibe. I encourage you to take the time to visit the towns that are located north of Como and Lecco, especially Bellagio and Varenna. You miss out on quite a lot if you go to Lake Como and only visit Como or Lecco.
I hope you enjoyed these tips, feel free to drop a comment if you have any suggestions or recommendations on places you shouldn’t miss in Lake Como. If you’re looking for more ideas, tips and for your upcoming trip to Lake Como, I recommend you to visit the Lake Como Travel Guide.
