Milan Travel Guide
Day Trips from Milan
How to do Lake Como and Bergamo from Milan by train, ferry and funicular — which villages to choose, guided-tour versus independent travel, what changes in winter, and other easy escapes such as Monza and Lake Maggiore.
One of Milan's great advantages is how much lies within an hour of its stations. The Alps rise on the northern horizon, the great lakes fill the valleys at their feet, and hill towns of Venetian and medieval character crown the foothills. With a regional train ticket and a little planning, you can be on a lake ferry or a Renaissance square by mid-morning and back in time for aperitivo.
Lake Como: the essential day trip. Lake Como is the most famous of the Italian lakes, a long, deep, Y-shaped lake framed by steep mountains, with villages of pastel houses, grand villas and terraced gardens along its shores. For a day trip, the classic destination is the central lake, where the three branches meet and the villages of Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio face each other across the water.
Getting there independently. The best route for the central lake is the direct regional train from Milan to Varenna-Esino, which takes about an hour. From the station, it is a short walk down to the ferry landing, where frequent boats cross to Bellagio and Menaggio in a few minutes. Buy a day ticket for the central lake ferries if you plan to hop around. Alternatively, trains from Milano Centrale run to Como San Giovanni in under an hour, and trains from Milano Cadorna run to Como Nord Lago, beside the water; from Como, ferries and faster hydrofoils run up the lake, but reaching the central lake takes a good part of the morning, so Como town is better as a destination in its own right, with its cathedral, lakeside promenade and the funicular to Brunate for the view.
A day on the central lake. Arrive in Varenna in the morning and walk the lakeside path to the village, with a visit to the gardens of Villa Monastero in season. Cross by ferry to Bellagio, the most famous village, with steep stepped lanes, silk shops and the gardens of Villa Melzi. After lunch, take the boat to Menaggio or, in season, to Tremezzo for Villa Carlotta and its celebrated gardens; Villa del Balbianello at Lenno, which appears in Star Wars and Casino Royale, is further south and has its own access rules. Catch a late-afternoon ferry back to Varenna for the train, and enjoy the light on the water.
Guided tours. If you have only one day and do not want to plan, a guided day trip from Milan is the simplest option. Most leave central Milan by coach in the morning, include a boat trip and free time in Bellagio or Varenna, and return in the evening; some add a stop in Lugano across the Swiss border, so bring a passport or ID card. Tours trade freedom for convenience, and the independent route is cheaper. A private boat tour on the lake is a memorable splurge.
The season matters. Lake Como is at its best from April to October. In winter, many hotels and restaurants in the villages close, ferry timetables are reduced and the famous villas and gardens, including Villa Carlotta and Balbianello, generally close from around November to March. A winter day on the lake can still be beautiful, with snow on the peaks and empty lanes, but plan it around the scenery and Como town rather than the gardens, and check every opening before you go. In summer, start early to beat the crowds at the landing stages.
Bergamo: the hill town. Bergamo is the perfect counterpart to Lake Como: an hour from Milan by train, uncrowded, and enjoyable in every season. Above the modern lower town rises Citta Alta, the upper town, a walled hilltop city of cobbled lanes, palaces and churches enclosed by sixteenth-century Venetian walls that are part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing. From the station, walk or take the bus to the historic funicular, which climbs to the upper town in a couple of minutes, or take bus line 1 all the way.
A day in Citta Alta. Begin at Piazza Vecchia, one of the most beautiful squares in Italy, with the Palazzo della Ragione and the Campanone bell tower, which still rings a hundred times every evening at ten. Behind it, in Piazza Duomo, visit the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, with its gilded interior, tapestries and Lotto's inlaid wood panels, and the tomb of Donizetti, and the dazzling marble Colleoni Chapel. Lunch on casoncelli, the local filled pasta with butter and sage, or polenta. Take the second funicular up to San Vigilio for the best view, then walk the Venetian walls in the late afternoon. If you have time, the Accademia Carrara in the lower town is one of Italy's finest picture galleries.
Which to choose. If you can do only one, choose Lake Como from spring to autumn for the scenery and the villas, and Bergamo in late autumn and winter, or if you prefer a historic town and fewer crowds. With two free days, do both. Avoid trying to combine them in a single day.
Other easy escapes. Monza, twenty minutes by train, has the Royal Villa and its vast park, and the Formula One circuit inside it, home to the Italian Grand Prix each September. Lake Maggiore, about an hour from Milan, has the Borromean Islands off Stresa, with their palaces and gardens, open in season. Pavia, half an hour south, has a fine university and, nearby, the Certosa, a spectacular Renaissance monastery. Turin, Verona and even Venice are within reach by high-speed train, though they deserve more than a day.
Practical tips. Regional train tickets can be bought at stations, from machines or online, and should be validated before boarding if they are paper tickets without a set time. Check the return times before you set off, as evening services can be less frequent. Wear comfortable shoes for steep lanes, and carry layers, because the weather on the lakes and in the hills can change quickly.