Lake Como Day Trip

Lake Como is the most glamorous day trip from Milan and one of the most beautiful places in Italy. Shaped like an upside-down Y, the lake fills a deep glacial valley between steep, wooded mountains, with villages of ochre and pastel houses stepping down to the water and grand villas set in terraced gardens along the shore. It has been a retreat for wealthy Milanese since Roman times, when Pliny the Younger kept villas here, and for poets, composers and film stars since. For a day visitor, the classic destination is the central lake, where the three branches meet. Bellagio, on the point of the promontory, is the most famous village, with steep stepped lanes, silk shops and the gardens of Villa Melzi. Across the water, Varenna is smaller and quieter, with a lovely lakeside walk and the gardens of Villa Monastero; Menaggio, on the western shore, is a lively little resort. A short ferry ride from Menaggio, at Tremezzo, Villa Carlotta has one of the great gardens of Italy, famous for its spring azaleas and rhododendrons, and further south the Villa del Balbianello, on a wooded promontory at Lenno, appears in films including Star Wars and Casino Royale. The town of Como itself, at the southern tip, is a handsome walled city with a fine cathedral and a lakeside promenade, and a funicular climbs from the shore to the village of Brunate for a sweeping view. Ferries, operated by the state lake navigation company, link all these places, and hopping between them by boat is the whole pleasure of the day.

Getting there independently: direct regional trains run from Milan to Varenna-Esino in about an hour, which is the best base for the central lake; from there, frequent ferries cross to Bellagio and Menaggio in a few minutes. Alternatively, trains from Milano Centrale reach Como San Giovanni in under an hour, and trains from Milano Cadorna reach Como Nord Lago, right on the waterfront; from Como, slower boats and faster hydrofoils run up the lake, but the journey to Bellagio takes much of the morning. Buy a day ferry ticket for the central lake if you plan several crossings. In summer, ferries and trains are crowded and queues build at the landing stages, so start early.

Guided day trips: an organised tour from Milan, sold through platforms such as Tiqets, removes all the planning. Most leave from central Milan by coach in the morning, include a boat ride and free time in Bellagio or Varenna, and some add a stop in Lugano across the Swiss border, so bring your passport or ID card. They suit first-timers with only one day, though you have less freedom to linger. Private boat tours on the lake are a splurge worth considering for couples and groups.

When to go: the season runs from spring to autumn, and late April to June and September are the sweet spots. In winter, many hotels and restaurants close, ferry timetables are reduced and the famous villas and gardens, including Villa Carlotta and Balbianello, generally close from around November to March, so a November or winter visit is about the scenery, the quiet and the town of Como rather than the gardens. Check opening dates before you plan a villa visit. Lake Como can be busy and expensive at the height of summer; Varenna and the smaller villages are calmer than Bellagio.