Practical guide

It is my first time — where do I start?

The most important choice on a first visit is where to sleep.

Illustration

The short answer

In the centre of the lake. Sleep in Varenna or Menaggio, use the ferry as everyday transport, and do not try to see the whole lake: it is forty-six kilometres long and any end-to-end transfer costs half a day.

In short

The lake's Y shape determines how much of your trip is spent moving.
The centre of the lake, between Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Tremezzina, has Villa Carlotta, Villa del Balbianello, Villa Melzi and Villa Monastero, linked by the ferry.
The ferry beats the car for crossing, and usually beats it for travelling too.
Late April and May for the gardens in flower, September for the weather; July and August are the hottest months.
With fewer than four nights, do not change base.

Lake Como has two branches, the Como branch and the Lecco branch, which meet off Bellagio; to the north the lake continues as the upper lake.

You get from one branch to the other by boat across the centre of the lake, or overland through Erba. Keep this in mind when booking: from a base far from the centre, trips to the other branch take much longer.

Understand the shape of the lake first

Lario divides into three: the Como branch to the south-west, the Lecco branch to the south-east, and the upper lake running towards the Alps. The two southern branches are separated by the Triangolo Lariano: to get from one to the other you cross the lake in the centre by boat, or travel between Como and Lecco by car or bus through Erba. Between Bellagio and Varenna the ferry takes a quarter of an hour; from Como to Lecco through Erba, the drive takes about three quarters of an hour.

The two branches and the upper lake meet off the Bellagio headland. That is why the centre of the lake is the easiest base for a first visit: from there the boats reach both shores and both branches quickly, while from Como or Lecco any trip to the other branch takes far longer.

How many days you need

One day is enough for a crossing and a garden. Two days is the minimum if you do not want to keep an eye on the clock. Three days lets you add Como or a walk. A week is the only length of stay that also takes in the upper lake and the Lecco branch.

The arithmetic is simple: every new base costs half a day. With fewer than four nights, use one base.

Mistakes to avoid

Hiring a car to stay in the centre of the lake: the centres of Bellagio and Varenna are limited-traffic zones, and you get between the villages by ferry. Booking in Como on the assumption that it is near Bellagio: it is fifty minutes by the fast service and an hour and ten minutes by bus. Planning three villas in one day: there is time for two. Staying for dinner on the opposite shore without checking the time of the last sailing back.

Frequently asked

Bellagio or Varenna?

Varenna if you arrive by train and want the simplest logistics; Bellagio if you want to be at the geographic centre. They are fifteen minutes apart by ferry: the choice matters less than it seems.

Do I need a car?

For the centre of the lake, no. You need one for the Lariano Triangle, the Val d'Intelvi and the mountain trailheads.

When is the best time to go?

Late April and May for the gardens in flower, September for the weather and the light. July and August are the hottest months; from November to March the villas cut back to a few days or close, each on its own calendar.