Lake Como Guide: Villas, Villages & the Italian Lakes

Lake Como is 70 km north of Milan — an inverted Y-shaped lake surrounded by the pre-Alpine foothills, its shores lined with 19th-century villas and their elaborate gardens, the towns of Bellagio, Varenna, and Tremezzina climbing the hillsides above the water. The combination of the lake’s deep blue (it reaches 425m depth), the backdrop of snow-capped Alps for most of the year, and the Neoclassical and Art Nouveau villas that accumulated here during the Risorgimento era produces a landscape that has been described as the most beautiful in Italy with some regularity since the 18th century.

It’s an easy day trip from Milan; it rewards multiple days for those who want to absorb the slower lake pace and explore more than the ferry circuit.

Getting There from Milan

Train from Milan Centrale to Como San Giovanni: 40 minutes, Trenord regional trains every 30 minutes. Fare: €5–7. From Como San Giovanni station, the lake waterfront is 10 minutes’ walk.

Train to Varenna-Esino: Direct Trenord service from Milan Centrale. 1 hour 15 minutes. Deposits you at the most beautiful station access point on the lake — a short walk down to the Varenna waterfront.

By car: 1–1.5 hours on the A9 motorway (traffic-dependent). Parking at the lake towns is limited and expensive; the train-and-ferry combination is better for day trips.

The Ferry System (Navigazione Laghi)

The key to Lake Como. A network of car ferries, passenger ferries, and hydrofoils connects all lake towns — the most important service for visitors is the triangular car ferry between Bellagio, Varenna, and Cadenabbia/Tremezzina (crossing time: 10–15 minutes, every 30 minutes).

Day Pass: A day ticket (approximately €23) allows unlimited ferry travel on the lake for the day. The best investment for anyone spending a day at the lake — you can visit 3–4 towns without buying individual tickets.

Timetables: navigazionelaghi.it. Seasonal variation — more frequent services April–October.

The Towns

Bellagio

The most famous lake town — located at the tip of the central promontory where the two branches of the lake meet. Views in two directions across the water, with Alpine peaks as backdrop. The steep streets climbing from the waterfront (Via Garibaldi, Salita Serbelloni) lined with hotels, gelato shops, and silk fabric boutiques.

Villa Serbelloni garden: Owned by the Rockefeller Foundation, guided tours twice daily (April–October, €10, book at the tourist office). The gardens are on the promontory above the town — the views from the upper terraces are the best available from any public vantage point on the lake.

Bellagio’s limitation: It is extremely popular. In July and August, the waterfront is crowded from 10 AM until evening. Arrive on the first morning ferry or stay overnight (the town is quieter before 9 AM and after 6 PM).

Varenna

The least developed of the main towns and, for this reason, preferred by visitors who find Bellagio too commercial. The Varenna waterfront (the Passeggiata degli Innamorati — lovers’ walkway, a narrow boardwalk along the waterline) connects the ferry dock to the old harbor.

Villa Monastero: A former Cistercian monastery converted into a villa in the 19th century, with a botanical garden stretching 2 km along the lake shore. Open April–November, entry €6.

Villa Cipressi: Adjacent to Villa Monastero — smaller garden, now a hotel, but the garden is accessible to non-guests (€3).

Fiumelatte: A 15-minute walk south from Varenna — a tiny stream that runs for only about 250m before entering the lake. The “shortest river in Italy” (debated), its name meaning “river of milk” for the white color of the water in the fast-flowing section.

Tremezzo and the Villa Carlotta

Tremezzo: A quieter town on the western shore, best reached by ferry. The main reason to visit is:

Villa Carlotta: The most visited garden on Lake Como — a Neoclassical villa built in 1690, with terraced gardens extending down to the lake. Famous for its April rhododendron flowering (one of the most spectacular garden events in Italy, when the entire hillside is covered in pink and purple blooms). Open year-round; entry €12.

Como Town

The city at the southern end of the lake — a full city of 85,000 with a cathedral (Duomo di Como, begun 1396, a mix of Gothic and Renaissance), an attractive old town within Roman walls, and a lakefront promenade. Most day-trippers pass through Como as a transport hub without exploring the city; this is a mistake.

The Duomo: An unusual cathedral whose construction spanned 400 years — the Gothic nave, Renaissance dome, and Baroque chapels all visible within the same building. Free entry.

Funicular to Brunate: From the Como waterfront, a funicular (€3.40) climbs to the village of Brunate (720m) in 7 minutes. Panoramic views over the lake; a network of walking paths on the hillside above.

Villas

The private villas of Lake Como — Villa d’Este, Villa Balbianello, Villa Oleandra (George Clooney’s house, not open to the public but visible from the lake) — are the defining visual element of the landscape. Many are accessible only from the water.

Villa del Balbianello (near Lenno, Tremezzina): The most photographed villa on the lake — a loggia protruding into the water at the tip of a wooded promontory. Used as a film location for Casino Royale (2006) and Star Wars Episode II. Accessible by foot from Lenno (closed to pedestrians on Tuesday and Thursday when the private boat is the only option). Entry: €10 garden, €20 including villa interior. Open April–October, closed Monday.

Practical Notes

Day trip vs. overnight: A day trip from Milan covers Como town and Bellagio by ferry adequately. Two nights allows Varenna, Villa Carlotta, Villa del Balbianello, and a slower pace.

Best months: April–June (rhododendrons in bloom at Villa Carlotta in April, fewer crowds than July–August, temperatures comfortable for walking). September–October for autumn color and calmer conditions. July–August are beautiful but very crowded and expensive.

Where to eat: The lakeside restaurants serve lake fish — missoltino (sun-dried shad), lavarello (whitefish), persico (perch) — as the local specialty. Prices are significantly higher at waterfront restaurants than at establishments one or two streets back from the shore.