Lake Como
Northern Italy's most storied lake: where old-world grandeur meets la dolce vita on the water.
Lake Como sits in the foothills of the Italian Alps, a slender glacial lake lined with Liberty-style villas, terraced gardens and stone harbours. The shoreline has drawn aristocrats, artists and industrialists for centuries; George Clooney chose Laglio for his retreat, and the lake's mix of discreet glamour and genuine tranquillity explains why.
The accommodation here matches the setting. Grand Hotel Tremezzo, with its Art Nouveau facade and floating pool, remains the quintessential Como address, while Villa d'Este at Cernobbio, a Renaissance palace set in 25 acres of lakeside gardens, offers the kind of old-world grandeur that has graced a thousand magazine covers. More recently, the Mandarin Oriental on the eastern shore has raised the bar with a contemporary take on lakeside luxury: spa gardens tumbling down to a private jetty. Whether you favour a historic palazzo suite or a sleek modern villa, the standard is uniformly exceptional. The where to stay guide covers the best towns and hotels around the lake.
Beyond the hotels, Como rewards the curious. Take a wooden speedboat to Villa Balbianello, whose layered gardens appear to float above the water. Linger over a plate of missoltini (sun-dried lake fish pressed with bay leaves) at a family-run trattoria in Varenna. Wander the silk museums of the city of Como itself, a reminder that this region once clothed half of Europe's courts. In spring the azaleas and camellias erupt along every waterfront promenade; in autumn the surrounding peaks blush copper and gold.
Explore Lake Como
Lake Como Directory
Curated restaurants, hotels, beaches, and villas in Lake Como.
Restaurant
Albergo Milano
Varenna, on the eastern shore, is quieter and less polished than Bellagio, which is exactly its appeal. The waterfront is lovely, with a narrow lakeside promenade and a handful of restaurants that catch the afternoon sun and the views across to the western mountains.
Restaurant
Bilacus
In Bellagio, the waterfront restaurants along the lungolago tend to trade on location rather than quality. For better cooking, head uphill to the quieter streets behind the waterfront, where Bilacus serves reliable Lombardian cuisine in a pleasant courtyard in the old town.
Restaurant
Crotto dei Platani
A crotto is a traditional Lombard restaurant built into or against a natural rock formation, using cool air from mountain caves as a natural refrigerator, a technique that predates electricity by centuries. Crotto dei Platani, in the small village of Brienno on the western shore, is one of the finest examples. The terrace extends over the water beneath enormous plane trees, and on a still summer evening it is as atmospheric as dining gets.
Hotel
Filario
Filario is a modern lakefront hotel in Lezzeno, between Como town and Bellagio on the eastern shore. The 10 rooms are minimalist and elegant, with floor-to-ceiling windows over the lake, and there is a small pool, a good restaurant, and a jetty for boat arrivals.