Things to Do in Lake Como

Lake Como is not a destination you visit for a single reason. The lake's reputation rests on its beauty - and yes, the scenery is extraordinary - but what makes Como genuinely rewarding is the range of experiences available within a compact geography. Historic villas with gardens that have been cultivated for centuries. Mountain trails with views across three countries. A dining scene that spans family-run trattorias to Michelin-starred restaurants. Silk workshops, Romanesque churches, and ferry rides that double as the most scenic commute in Europe.

The lake is roughly 50 kilometres long, shaped like an inverted Y, with the three branches meeting at Bellagio. This means that most things worth doing are within 30 minutes of each other by ferry or car - and the ferry system itself is one of the best things about the lake.

Villa Tours

Villa del Balbianello

The most photographed villa on Lake Como, and for good reason. Balbianello occupies a dramatic headland on the western shore near Lenno, its terraced gardens rising from the water on three sides. The property belonged to the explorer Guido Monzino - the first Italian to summit Everest - and the interiors reflect his extraordinary life: expedition artefacts, pre-Columbian art, and a library that feels like a set from an adventure film.

The gardens are the main attraction. Layered over the rocky promontory, they frame views of the lake that are genuinely breathtaking from every angle. The villa has appeared in Casino Royale and Star Wars: Episode II, which tells you something about the calibre of the backdrop.

Access is by boat from Lenno (a short water taxi ride, around €10 return) or via a 20-minute walk from the same town. The villa and gardens are managed by FAI (Italy's National Trust equivalent) and open from mid-March to mid-November. Book morning visits to beat the afternoon crowds.

Villa Carlotta

Directly across the lake from Bellagio, Villa Carlotta is the finest botanical garden on Como and one of the best in northern Italy. The 18th-century villa houses a small but distinguished collection of neoclassical sculpture - Canova's Cupid and Psyche among them - but the gardens are the real draw.

Eight hectares of terraced grounds hold over 500 plant species, including one of Europe's outstanding collections of azaleas and rhododendrons. In late April and May, the flowering is spectacular - hundreds of varieties blooming simultaneously against the backdrop of the lake. Even outside peak bloom, the gardens reward a slow wander: ancient cedars, bamboo groves, fern valleys, and a formal Italian garden with geometric hedges and citrus trees.

Villa Carlotta is open daily from March through October. Allow at least two hours. The on-site cafe overlooking the lake is a pleasant spot for a coffee between the indoor galleries and the upper gardens.

Villa Melzi

In Bellagio itself, the gardens of Villa Melzi stretch along the waterfront south of the town centre. The grounds are quieter than Carlotta and Balbianello - many visitors walk right past the entrance without noticing it - which is part of the appeal. The English-style landscape garden, designed in the early 1800s, features ancient trees, a Japanese pond, neoclassical statuary, and views across the lake's southern arm.

The villa interior is not open to visitors, but the gardens and the small museum in the orangery are worth an hour. Entry is around €8. It's the perfect complement to an afternoon exploring Bellagio's steep lanes and waterfront.

On the Water

Ferry System

The public ferry network on Lake Como is not merely transport - it is one of the best experiences the lake offers. Navigazione Laghi operates a fleet of ferries, hydrofoils, and car ferries connecting dozens of lakeside towns, and a day spent riding the routes is a day well spent.

The slow ferries (battelli) are the ones to take. They call at every small harbour along the route, giving you a waterline view of the villas, gardens, and villages that you simply cannot appreciate from the road. The central lake triangle - Bellagio, Varenna, Cadenabbia/Tremezzo - is served by frequent crossings that take 10 to 15 minutes each. A day pass covering the entire lake costs around €15 and represents extraordinary value.

The car ferries between Bellagio, Varenna, Cadenabbia, and Menaggio run every 20 to 30 minutes and are the fastest way to cross the lake if you're driving. But even if you have a car, leave it parked for a day and take the ferries on foot. The experience is incomparably better.

Private Boat Tours

For something more exclusive, wooden speedboat tours depart from most major towns along the lake. A classic Riva or Venetian-style wooden boat, a knowledgeable driver, and two to three hours on the water - it's the quintessential Lake Como experience and worth every euro.

Standard routes cover the central lake's greatest hits: Balbianello from the water, the Clooney villa at Laglio, the colourful waterfront of Varenna, and a stop for swimming in one of the quieter coves. Half-day tours typically run €250-400 for a private boat (up to 6 passengers). Full-day tours with lunch stops cost €500-800.

The best time for a boat tour is late afternoon, when the light softens and the western shore glows gold. Morning tours are also good - the lake is at its calmest before the afternoon breeze picks up.

Swimming

Lake Como's beaches are unconventional - pebble coves and lido complexes rather than sand - but the swimming is exceptional. Clean, deep water surrounded by mountains and ancient villages makes for a memorable experience. The beach guide covers the best spots in detail, from the groomed Lido di Lenno to wild, free-access coves at Colonno and Onno.

Water temperatures are comfortable from mid-June through September, peaking at 22-24°C in late July and August. Bring water shoes - nearly every access point involves pebbles or rocks.

Mountain and Lakeside Walks

Greenway del Lago

The Greenway is a 13-kilometre walking path along the western shore, connecting Colonno to Griante through olive groves, lakeside villages, and hillside trails. The route passes through some of the lake's most beautiful countryside and links several of the major villa gardens, making it easy to combine a walk with cultural stops.

The full route takes four to five hours at a moderate pace, but the beauty of the Greenway is that you can walk any section and catch a ferry back. The stretch between Lenno and Tremezzo is the most scenic and the most manageable (about 45 minutes), passing directly below Villa del Balbianello with views across to Bellagio.

The path is well-marked and mostly flat or gently undulating, with some stepped sections between villages. It's accessible to anyone with reasonable fitness. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water - shade is intermittent.

Lighthouse Walk (Faro Voltiano)

Above the town of Brunate - itself reached by a charming funicular railway from Como - stands the Faro Voltiano, a lighthouse built in 1927 to honour Alessandro Volta, who was born in Como. The walk from Brunate to the lighthouse takes about 30 minutes along a well-maintained mountain trail, and the views from the top are staggering: the entire southern arm of the lake, the city of Como directly below, and on clear days the peaks of the Bernese Alps on the Swiss border.

The funicular from Como departs every 15 to 30 minutes and costs around €6 return. The whole excursion - funicular up, walk to the lighthouse, lunch in Brunate, funicular down - fills a pleasant half-day.

Monte Grona

For more serious hikers, Monte Grona (1,736m) offers a challenging but non-technical ascent from the village of Breglia, above Menaggio on the western shore. The climb takes roughly three hours and rewards with panoramic views across Lake Como, Lake Lugano, and into the Swiss Alps. The final ridge walk is exposed and dramatic, though never dangerous in good conditions.

This is a full-day commitment. Start early, carry sufficient water and food, and check the weather forecast carefully - mountain conditions above 1,500m can change rapidly, even in summer. The best time to visit Lake Como guide covers weather patterns in detail.

Towns Worth Exploring

Bellagio

Bellagio needs no introduction - its position at the point where Como's three branches meet has made it the lake's most famous town. The appeal is real, not merely reputational. The stepped lanes climbing from the waterfront to the upper town are lined with shops, restaurants, and gelaterias, and the views from the Punta Spartivento park at the tip of the promontory are among the finest on the lake.

Visit the Villa Melzi gardens, browse the silk shops on Via Garibaldi, and have lunch at one of the waterfront restaurants. The town is busiest between 11am and 4pm when day-trip ferries are running at full capacity. Early morning and evening, when the crowds thin, Bellagio reveals the quieter charm that earned its reputation.

Varenna

On the eastern shore, directly opposite Bellagio, Varenna is the lake's most atmospheric small town. The waterfront is a procession of pastel-coloured houses, the Passeggiata degli Innamorati (Lovers' Walk) hugs the shoreline, and the pace is noticeably slower than tourist-heavy Bellagio.

The Castle of Vezio, perched on the hill above town, is a 20-minute climb from the centre and offers commanding views of the central lake. The gardens of Villa Monastero, stretching along the eastern waterfront, are worth an hour. And the restaurants here are excellent - genuinely good food at prices that haven't inflated to match Bellagio's fame. The restaurant guide has specific recommendations.

Como Town

The city of Como, at the lake's southwestern tip, is often overlooked by visitors who head straight up the lake to Bellagio. That's a mistake. Como has a magnificent Gothic-Renaissance cathedral (the Duomo, completed over four centuries from 1396), a historic silk industry with several museums and workshops, and a lakefront promenade that's particularly pleasant in the evening.

The Tempio Voltiano, a neoclassical temple on the waterfront, houses a small museum dedicated to Volta and the history of electricity. It's a quirky but fascinating stop. The walled old town, compact and walkable, has good shopping and dining that caters as much to residents as to visitors.

Cultural Experiences

Silk Heritage

Como has been the centre of Italian silk production since the 15th century, and the industry still operates here - roughly 80% of Europe's silk is finished in the Como district. The Museo della Seta (Silk Museum) in Como town traces the history and process of silk production, from silkworm cultivation to weaving and printing.

Several workshops and showrooms around the city sell locally produced silk scarves, ties, and fabric at prices well below what the same quality commands in Milan. Ratti, Mantero, and Seteria Bianchi are among the names to look for.

Romanesque Churches

The lake district is rich in Romanesque architecture, the legacy of centuries of prosperity and piety. The Basilica di Sant'Abbondio in Como, with its twin bell towers and 14th-century frescoes, is the finest example. The church of San Giacomo in Bellagio, dating from the 11th century, sits in a small piazza above the waterfront. And the island church on Isola Comacina - the lake's only island - can be visited as part of a short boat trip from Sala Comacina.

Food and Wine

Dining on Lake Como is an activity in its own right, not merely something you do between sightseeing. The lake has its own culinary traditions - missoltini (sun-dried shad served with polenta), risotto al pesce persico (perch risotto with saffron), and lavarello (lake whitefish) - that you won't find anywhere else in Italy. The restaurant guide covers the best places to eat, from waterfront trattorias to Michelin-starred fine dining.

Wine-wise, Lombardy rewards exploration. Franciacorta sparkling wines rival Champagne in quality, Lugana whites pair beautifully with lake fish, and Valtellina reds (made from Nebbiolo grown on impossibly steep alpine terraces) are some of Italy's most distinctive and underappreciated wines.

Planning Your Days

A week on Lake Como might unfold like this: a day exploring Bellagio and Villa Melzi, a morning at Villa del Balbianello followed by an afternoon swimming at the Lido di Lenno, a full-day boat tour of the central lake, the Greenway walk with a long lunch in Tremezzo, a day trip to Como town for the Duomo and the Silk Museum, the Brunate funicular and lighthouse walk, and a final evening watching the sunset from Varenna's waterfront.

The ferry system makes everything accessible without a car, though having one opens up the mountain trails and eastern shore towns that are less well served by public transport. Where you base yourself matters - the central lake (Bellagio, Varenna, Tremezzo) offers the most convenient access to the majority of sights, while Como town is better for cultural attractions and the southern shore.

Whatever you do, resist the temptation to rush. Lake Como's greatest pleasure is the pace - slow ferries, long lunches, late afternoons on the water. The scenery has been here for millennia. It will wait while you finish your espresso.