A lake shaped like an upside-down Y, with villas on every arm. Three days, planned around boats and closing days.
Photo: Henry Kellner, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Como is shaped like an upside-down Y, left by a glacier that carved three arms and left a lake over 400 meters deep. Rich Romans built villas here, and Pliny the Younger was born in Como itself. After the Romans came silk merchants, Milanese aristocrats and Napoleonic politicians, who built the neoclassical villas you can still walk through.
Three days is the right length, with one condition: you stay on the lake and you let the boats set the pace. The distances look short on the map, but the shore roads are slow and the best villas are on opposite sides of the water. Three days gives you Como, the west shore and the central triangle of Bellagio and Varenna. The honest catch is the calendar: from November many villas cut their days sharply or close.
Day one is Como town and the funicular to Brunate. Day two is the west shore: Villa del Balbianello, a section of the Greenway, and Villa Carlotta. Day three crosses the lake to Bellagio, Villa Melzi and Varenna. Start on a Friday: Balbianello is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays, Villa Monastero on Tuesdays (and Wednesdays from November), and the Duomo limits tourist visits on Sunday. A Friday start puts the villas on a Saturday and Sunday, when they are all open. Our Italy page covers the wider country. Most people arrive from Milan, and Lugano is a short train ride across the border.
Every stop from the plan below, colored by day. Pick a day to see its route.
The lakefront and the Duomo, a perch risotto, Volta's temple and Villa Olmo, then the funicular up to Brunate for the view at dusk.
A villa on a wooded peninsula, a walk along the shore, the grandest garden on the lake, and a ferry to Menaggio for dinner.
Gardens and stairs in Bellagio, a 15-minute crossing, then Varenna's villa, castle and waterfront dinner.
Como is the lake's one proper city, and it is built to be walked. Do it on a weekday if you can: the Duomo opens to tourists at 10:30 and limits visits on Sundays. Once the clocks go back (25 October in 2026) the sun sets around 5 pm, so go up to Brunate by 4 pm, not after dinner.
Piazza Cavour is the square where Como meets the water. The piers for the Navigazione Laghi boats line the lungolago, the lakeside promenade. Have a coffee standing at a bar counter, which is cheaper than sitting.
Como's cathedral is usually described as the last Gothic cathedral built in Italy. Work began in 1396 and the dome, by Filippo Juvarra, was only finished in 1770, which explains why a Gothic building ends in a rococo cupola. The west front, built between 1457 and 1498, has a rose window and two statues of the Plinys, Como's most famous Roman sons.
Inside, look for the 16th-century tapestries and the paintings by Bernardino Luini and Gaudenzio Ferrari.
The old town is a compact grid of lanes behind the Duomo, and its restaurants are where Como feeds you properly. Order risotto al pesce persico, rice stirred with butter and parmigiano and topped with perch fillets fried in butter. It is the lake's signature dish.
Ask whether the perch is from the lake, because a cheap plate often means imported Nile perch. Skip any place with a laminated picture menu on the street.
The Tempio Voltiano is a small neoclassical rotunda on the lakeshore, modeled on the Pantheon, and it holds the instruments of Alessandro Volta, the Como-born physicist who invented the first electric battery. After a fire destroyed a centenary exhibition in 1899 and many original instruments with it, the industrialist Francesco Somaini paid for a permanent building, finished in 1927.
It is a modest museum. The walk through the lakeside gardens is the better half.
Walk the shore west of the town to Villa Olmo, about a kilometer from the temple. Marquis Innocenzo Odescalchi began a summer retreat here in 1782, and the Swiss architect Simone Cantoni gave it its neoclassical form. The villa is named after an elm that no longer stands.
The interior opens only during exhibitions, but the lakeside gardens are free in daylight, so it is the easiest villa on the lake to enjoy without a ticket.
The funicolare from the lakefront to Brunate opened on 11 November 1894, first with a steam winch, and takes about 7 minutes to climb roughly 500 meters. Brunate sits at 715 meters on the slope of Monte Tre Croci, and from the terrace you look down on Como, the lake's three arms and, on a clear day, the Alps and the Lombard plain.
The Faro Voltiano, a 29-meter lighthouse tower built in 1927 for the centenary of Volta's death, stands about 1.8 kilometers away and has been closed since April 2026, so don't plan a walk to it. You don't need it. Wander the village lanes, stay for the sunset and ride down when the lights of Como are on.
This is the day the calendar decides. Villa del Balbianello is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays and needs a booked ticket, and Villa Carlotta shuts to the public from December. Book the first Balbianello slot, eat early, and be on the Greenway by 14:00, because Carlotta's last ticket is at 17:00.
Balbianello sits on the tip of the wooded Lavedo peninsula, and it is the best-looking house on the lake. A Franciscan convent stood here from the 13th century. Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini turned the site into a literary retreat in 1787 and added the loggia you see in every photograph. The last owner, the explorer Guido Monzino, filled the rooms with souvenirs of his expeditions and left the villa to the FAI in 1988. Film crews followed, for Star Wars Episode II and Casino Royale.
Getting there is part of the visit. From Lenno it is a 1-kilometer uphill path of about 25 minutes, partly gravel, or a 2.5-kilometer trekking route of around 45 minutes. A taxi boat from Lido di Lenno is the alternative, by reservation only (the FAI points to Bellagio Boat Service). The villa ticket adds a guided tour of about 50 minutes, worth it for Monzino's expedition museum. There is no cafe on site.
Lunch in Lenno, before the walk. The fish to look for is lavarello, a whitefish introduced to the Italian lakes from the Swiss ones at the end of the 19th century, usually pan-fried or in carpione, marinated in a vinegar sauce and served cold. It is lighter than a risotto when you have 5 kilometers to walk afterwards.
The Greenway del Lago di Como is a 10-kilometer way-marked path from Colonno to Cadenabbia, rated easy, about 3 hours 30 minutes in full. It links villages and old paved paths; follow the signs for La Greenway del Lago.
You don't need the whole thing. The stretch from Lenno to Tremezzo is about 5 kilometers, 1 to 1.5 hours, and it ends at the entrance of Villa Carlotta. It is the best answer to a day of boats: the lake at walking speed.
Villa Carlotta began as a country estate for the Clerici, a family of silk merchants turned Milanese aristocrats, in 1690, and was completed in 1745. Later the banker Giovanni Battista Sommariva filled it with sculptures by Antonio Canova and Bertel Thorvaldsen. In 1847 Princess Marianne, wife of Prince Albert of Prussia, gave it to her daughter Charlotte as a wedding gift. The villa kept her name.
The museum holds works by Canova, Hayez and Thorvaldsen, but the botanical garden above the water is the reason to come. Give the garden most of your time and the rooms about an hour.
Cadenabbia, where the Greenway ends, has a pier and old hotels. The ferry between Cadenabbia, Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio runs from early morning to about 20:00 in the autumn timetable, with gaps at midday, and Menaggio is a less staged town than Bellagio or Varenna, a good place for an ordinary dinner.
Pizza isn't a lake dish, but a pizzeria is the cheap, easy dinner after a day of walking. Pick one full of locals, not one with a menu board in six languages, and check the last ferry back before ordering.
The center of the lake is a triangle, and a short ferry links the points. Once the clocks go back (25 October in 2026) Villa Melzi closes at 17:00 and the light goes soon after, so do Bellagio in the morning and cross by 14:00. Villa Monastero closes at 18:00 in October and 17:00 from November, so see it before climbing to the castle.
Francesco Melzi d'Eril, the duke of Lodi, was Napoleon's choice for vice president of the Italian Republic in 1802. He built this villa on the Bellagio shore from 1808 to 1810, with Giocondo Albertolli as architect, in the strict, symmetrical neoclassical style. Stendhal and Franz Liszt were guests.
Visit the gardens, not the house: they run along the water with a chapel, an orangery and old trees. Buy the ticket at the gate.
Bellagio is at the tip of the promontory called the Triangolo Lariano, where the lake splits into its two southern arms. It is the postcard town: steep stepped lanes like the Salita Serbelloni running up from the lakefront, souvenir shops and cafes at the pier. It is beautiful and crowded, even in October.
Walk the lanes, then continue to Punta Spartivento, where the lake divides, for the view up both arms. The park of Villa Serbelloni opens only for guided tours, from April to early November, closed Mondays.
Bellagio is the most expensive place to eat on the lake, so be selective. The pier cafes charge for the view; walk two lanes uphill, where menus get shorter and prices drop.
Gelato isn't a lake specialty, but a cone is the cheap way to eat in Bellagio. Pistachio should be dull green, not neon, and a tub heaped in a mountain is a bad sign.
The crossing from Bellagio to Varenna takes about 15 minutes on the car ferry. The fare table lists 5.50 EUR for the third fare zone, the one the operator applies to people traveling on car ferries. Fast hydrofoils need a supplement even with a day pass. Be on the boat by about 14:00, so the villa gets its full time.
From the pier, Villa Monastero is a short walk along the water. It began as a Cistercian convent for women, founded in the late 12th century by nuns from Isola Comacina. Carlo Borromeo moved the nuns to Lecco in 1566 and the order was closed in 1567. Between 1897 and 1909 a German owner, Walter Kees, rebuilt the house in an eclectic style, and in 1936 it passed to the Italian state. Since 1953 it has hosted a physics school named for Enrico Fermi.
The botanical garden is a long strip on the lake, with cypresses and a view that justifies the price. Fiumelatte, a river just 250 meters long that Leonardo da Vinci wrote about, is a short walk south. It flows from March to October, so it may be dry by November.
Climb to the castle ruins above the village for the view over the roofs and the lake in both directions. Walkers' reports put the steep, cobbled climb at 30-40 minutes from the center, and it is the best viewpoint in Varenna.
The castle is open every day from 1 March to 1 December, and in winter only on weekends and holidays when the weather is good. Last entry is 20 minutes before closing.
Varenna was recorded as a fishing village in 769, and its old center is small enough to walk end to end in ten minutes. The Passeggiata degli Innamorati, a lakeside path, is the place for the end of the day. Allied with Milan, Varenna was destroyed by Como's forces in 1126, and it later took in exiles from Isola Comacina. Their quarter was called Insula nova, new island, and the name spread to the whole village.
Have an aperitivo before dinner, then eat close to the water if the weather allows. The train station stands above the village.
Three days cover the town, the west shore and the center of the lake. With a fourth, these are the best additions, nearest first.
A wooded island off the west shore, a Byzantine stronghold in the 6th century, devastated in 1169 and its refugees sent to Varenna. The famous Locanda restaurant has been closed since about 2019 and no reopening is confirmed, so don't plan lunch on it.
Getting there: Boat from Ossuccio (taxi boat) or the Navigazione Laghi service that stops at the island, about 28 km and 45 minutes by road from Como
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003, with 14 Baroque chapels built between the 1630s and about 1710 on a path up to the Madonna del Soccorso sanctuary, some 200 meters above the lake. The climb is steady, so allow an hour or more.
Getting there: Ossuccio, on the Greenway, about 28 km and 42 minutes by road from Como
An old walking route on the east side of the lake, the first path certified by the Touring Club Italiano, in 2020. Take a stage from Varenna along the hillside above the water for the quiet version of the lake.
Getting there: Starts in Lecco and runs along the east shore past Varenna; about 75 km to Morbegno, usually walked in stages, with Varenna a natural stop
Across the Swiss border by train, with its own lake and mountain viewpoints. Our Lugano guide covers it day by day. Bring your passport.
Getting there: About 33 km and 33 minutes by road from Como; around 30 minutes by train from Como San Giovanni
Most people arrive or leave through Milan, and a spare day there is worth it. Our Milan guide has the full plan.
Getting there: About 52 km and 52 minutes by road from Como; around 40 minutes by train to Como San Giovanni
Lake Como eats lake fish, polenta and cheese, with a Lombard classic and the staples around them.
Creamy rice from northern Italy, slow-cooked with broth and finished with butter and parmigiano. On the lake the version to order is risotto al pesce persico, topped with perch fillets fried in butter.
Where to try it: An old-town restaurant; ask whether the perch is from the lake, because cheap versions are often imported.
The Milanese specialty of braised veal shanks with white wine and gremolata, often on saffron risotto.
Where to try it: A traditional trattoria in Como or Bellagio, in colder months.
Born in Naples in 1889, with tomato, mozzarella and basil. Not a lake dish, but the easiest and cheapest dinner in any village.
Where to try it: A pizzeria full of locals, open in the evening from about 19:00.
Not a lake specialty, but a daily habit: denser and less airy than American ice cream. Look for natural colors and covered tubs.
Where to try it: A gelateria away from the pier in Bellagio or Como, where flavors change with the season.
Miascia, or turta di paisan, is the Como dessert of bread softened in milk and baked with fruit and pine nuts. Tiramisu, the coffee-soaked ladyfinger and mascarpone dessert, isn't local, but it is on nearly every menu.
Where to try it: Pastry shops and trattorias in Como, for the miascia. Tiramisu you'll find anywhere.
The pre-dinner drink with snacks. Expect generic Italian bar food such as bruschetta and prosciutto di Parma, and ask for local cheese like zincarlin, a soft cheese from the Intelvi valley west of the lake.
Where to try it: Any lakefront bar around 18:00; a small plate usually comes with the drink.
Agoni, a freshwater shad, salted and dried in controlled ovens (the old open-air sun method is no longer used), then grilled or kept in oil and served with polenta concia, polenta stirred with cheese and butter. Salty, oily, and worth one bite.
Where to try it: Traditional trattorias in Como and the lake villages, on lake-fish menus.
Lake whitefish, usually lavarello, fried and marinated in a vinegar sauce and served cold. It is lighter than the risotto, and a good starter.
Where to try it: Waterfront restaurants in Lenno, Tremezzo and Varenna. In Varenna, Vecchia Varenna has a lake terrace, a kitchen open 12:00-15:00 Wednesday to Sunday and no reservations (its site).
Coffee is an espresso at the bar counter. Breakfast is a cornetto, an Italian croissant, with a cappuccino.
Where to try it: A neighborhood bar; standing at the counter costs less than sitting at a table.
Ask for the reds of Valtellina, the valley east of the lake's northern end. Grappa is the Italian pomace brandy, 35-60 percent alcohol, taken after dinner.
Where to try it: Wine bars and restaurants; order a glass of a local red.
Where you sleep matters more here than in a city, because the lake is long and the boats stop early in winter. Pick the base that fits how you arrive.
Best for: Arriving by train, rainy days and the lowest prices
Trains to Milan and Switzerland, the most restaurants and the funicular. The catch is that the villas are an hour or more away by boat or bus, so days two and three get long.
Best for: The postcard and the best central position
The lake's most photographed town, with frequent ferries to Cadenabbia, Menaggio and Varenna. The catch is price and crowds, there is no train station, and from Como you need a boat or the bus.
Best for: Car-free trips and the train from Milan
A small fishing village with its own station and a 15-minute ferry to Bellagio, the easiest base without a car. The catch is that it is small, steep and quiet in the evening.
Best for: Walkers, buses and an ordinary town
A real town with shops, buses along the Regina road and ferries to Bellagio and Varenna. Tremezzo and Lenno, just south, put Villa Carlotta and Balbianello at your door. The catch: no train.
In Map Drop the countries of Europe fall one at a time and you drop each into its place - Italy is one of the pieces.
The practical stuff that makes the first day in Lake Como easier.
Navigazione Laghi runs the slow boats, fast hydrofoils and the car ferries. In 2026 the autumn timetable runs from 5 October to 1 November, and the winter one wasn't published on 22 October. Ordinary one-way fares run from 3 EUR to 14.50 EUR by zone, and day passes from 8 EUR to 32 EUR. Fast services need a supplement even with a pass. Buy at the pier office: on board, where an office exists, it costs 1 EUR more.
As published on 22 October 2026: Villa Carlotta opens only on weekend dates from 14 November to 8 December, then closes; Balbianello opens on listed days in December and January; Villa Monastero closes Tuesdays and Wednesdays; Villa Melzi closes for the winter on an unannounced date. Check each site the week you go.
Como San Giovanni and Como Lago are the two Como stations; Varenna-Esino serves the east shore. The ASF buses, line C10 up the west shore and C30 to Bellagio, are slow on the narrow shore road. Check asfautolinee.it.
Shore roads are narrow and slow, and parking in Bellagio and Menaggio is hard. If you must drive, use the car ferries between Cadenabbia, Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna, from about 10 EUR for a small car with driver.
Cards work in most places, though small bars prefer cash for coffee. Many restaurants add a coperto, a per-person cover charge, and tipping is optional.
English is common in the lake towns. Wear shoes with grip for the Greenway and the paths up to Balbianello and Castello di Vezio.
Yes, for Como, the west shore villas and the center of the lake. It isn't enough to see every village, and you shouldn't try. Add a fourth day for Isola Comacina, the Sacro Monte di Ossuccio or a walk on the Sentiero del Viandante.
For one base, Varenna if you travel by train, Bellagio if you want the postcard and can pay for it, Menaggio for a more ordinary town. Como is cheapest and has the trains, but the villas are far.
It is quiet and beautiful, but many villas close or open only on set days, and boats thin out. Como, Bellagio's lanes and Varenna still work, but check each villa's dates first.
Villa del Balbianello, Villa Carlotta, Villa Melzi, Villa Monastero, Bellagio, Varenna and the funicular to Brunate. The boat rides between them count as much as the stops.
Yes. The FAI says booking is required, online at fondoambiente.it. It is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays, and in winter opens only on listed dates.
Yes, and it is easier. Boats, ferries and buses link the main towns, and the Greenway connects the west shore on foot.
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