Lake Como: A Gentle Guide to Italy's Mountain-Framed Lake

Lake Como is shaped like an upside-down Y, a long ribbon of deep water folded between steep, wooded mountains in Lombardy, close to the Swiss border. Villages in ochre and rose sit at the water's edge, and the Alps rise behind them.

The best way to enjoy it is slowly. You can see most of its beauty from a ferry seat, a café terrace or a garden bench, and you don't need to hike for it.

This guide is for travellers who want the views without the effort. It covers where to see the lake at its best, which walks are gentle, and where the stairs and slopes will catch you out.

A little history

People have admired this lake for two thousand years. The Romans used Bellagio as a garrison town, where troops wintered sheltered from the north winds. They also brought Mediterranean plants such as olives and bay laurel, which still thrive in the mild lakeside climate.

Pliny the Younger wrote about his lake villas, which he called Comedy and Tragedy. Tragedy was the one high on the slope and Comedy the one at the water's edge. Historians still argue about where they stood. Some say Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio may occupy the site of Tragedy, but that is a tradition, not a certainty.

Villa Serbelloni was built around 1600 and bought by the Milanese Serbelloni family in 1788. In 1959 it passed to the Rockefeller Foundation, which runs it as a study centre. The lake is Italy's deepest, at about 410 metres, and covers roughly 146 square kilometres.

The point of Bellagio, where the lake's southwest arm meets the main arm, seen from a ferry.

The lake from the water

If you only do one thing, take a ferry. Boats run between the main lakeside towns, and sitting on deck is the most comfortable way to see the mountains and villas slide by. Some services also carry cars from ports such as Bellagio, Menaggio, Cadenabbia and Varenna.

The crossing between Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes. It is a good way to link the eastern and western shores. The service is most frequent from April to October and thinner in winter. Check the current timetable with the operator, Navigazione Laghi, before you plan your day.

Boarding usually involves a small step or gangway. Staff are generally helpful, but go early if you want an outside seat.

A ferry leaving Bellagio, seen from another boat on the lake.

What to see

Bellagio

Bellagio sits on the point where the lake divides into two arms, and many people call it the prettiest town on the lake. Its waterfront is flat and easy. Many of the lanes leading up from it are steep and stepped, so keep to the promenade if your knees complain, and choose a hotel near the harbour.

Villa Melzi gardens

The gardens of Villa Melzi stretch along the shore of the Bellagio peninsula, set among the hills. They are a calm, shaded place for a slow stroll beside the water. Check the season and opening days before you go, as the gardens do not open all year.

Como and the Brunate funicular

The funicular from Como to the hilltop village of Brunate opened in 1894. The ride takes about seven minutes and climbs from near lake level to over 700 metres. From the top you get wide views over the lake, and on clear days they reach towards Switzerland. It is a very easy way to get a high view, because you are carried up and walk only a little at the top.

Varenna

Varenna, on the eastern shore, is a small village of colourful houses, with a station about a ten-minute walk from the centre. It is easy to reach from Milan by train and a good base if you want to avoid driving.

The gardens of Villa Melzi stretch along the lakeshore on the Bellagio peninsula.

Easy walks and viewpoints

You don't need to climb to find a good view. Many of the best ones come from the water's edge or from short, gentle strolls.

• Lakeside promenades. The waterfronts at Bellagio, Como and Varenna are flat and give you the lake and mountains with no effort.
• The Greenway del Lago di Como. This is a signposted walking route along the western shore, linking villages around Tremezzina and Lenno, where Villa Balbianello stands. Sections vary, with some steps and slopes, so walk a short stretch and take the boat back.
• Viewpoints across to Bellagio. From the western shore near Griante you can look across the water to Bellagio and the mountains behind it.
• Brunate. After the funicular, a short walk gives you the best high panorama without a hike.

View towards Lake Como and Bellagio from Griante, on the western shore.

Honest advice for comfortable travel

• Stairs and slopes. Lakeside towns are built on steep hillsides. Waterfronts are flat, but lanes above them often have steps. Ask your hotel about step-free access.
• Where to stay. Choose a hotel within a few minutes' walk of the ferry landing. In Bellagio, Varenna or Como, that keeps luggage and walking to a minimum.
• Heat. July and August can be hot and humid, and trains do not always have good air conditioning. April, May, September and October are kinder.
• Crowds. Summer is busy, especially on ferries and in Bellagio. Travel midweek and in the morning if you can.
• Driving. Lakeside roads are narrow and winding, and parking in the villages is hard. Trains and boats are less stressful than a car.
• Tickets. If you travel by train, validate paper tickets at the platform machines. Fines are given on the spot.
• Winter. Some shops, restaurants and ferry services are reduced from November to March.

What to eat

Lake Como cooking is built on fish from the lake and on polenta.

• Risotto con pesce persico. Creamy risotto served with fillets of perch, fried in butter and often flavoured with sage. This is the signature dish of the lake.
• Missoltini. Shad that is salted, dried and pressed in a barrel, usually served with polenta. It has a strong flavour, so try a small portion first.
• Lavarello. A lake whitefish, often grilled and a milder choice.
• Fish in carpione. Fish that is fried, then marinated in a sweet and sour dressing.

Take a table with a view and have a long lunch. Lakeside restaurants can cost more, and a short walk back from the water often gives better value.

Getting there

Milan is the gateway. Como is about 45 to 50 kilometres north of the city, roughly an hour by road and 40 minutes by direct train.

Looking south down Lake Como towards Bellagio from the Menaggio–Varenna ferry.

Our verdict

Lake Como suits travellers who want beauty without hard work. A ferry seat, a garden bench or a funicular ride will give you the finest views. Base yourself in one town near the water and let the boats do the travelling. Come in spring or early autumn, when the light is soft and the lake is quieter.

“On Lake Como the mountains lean in close, and the water does all the walking for you.”

Photo credits

• Bellagio panorama from Lake Como ferry: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Point at Bellagio from Lake Como ferry: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Bellagio and Lake Como ferry: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Villa Melzi, Bellagio, Lake Como: Ray in Manila, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Griante Vista sul Lago di Como & Bellagio 01: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Bellagio and Lake Como from Menaggio-Varenna ferry: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons