With this travel guide to Lake Como we hope to help you organise your trip to one of Italy's most famous tourist areas and we're sure you'll fall in love with it as soon as you arrive.
Located in the northern region of Lombardy, Lake Como's spectacular alpine scenery contrasts with the lake's curious inverted Y-shape, whose branches meet at Bellagio, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area.
Based on our trip to Lake Como, here are our top 10 tips for travelling to Lake Como. Let's get started!
1. When is the best time to travel to Lake Como?
In this case we can delimit in some way what is the best time for a trip to Lake Como based on the weather and the closure of some infrastructures during some months of the year.
High season (June to August): these are the two busiest months of the year and also the ones that drive up accommodation prices. Although you are assured of good weather, the overcrowding in some villages can be a bit overwhelming.
Mid-season (April and May / September and October): for us, spring and autumn are undoubtedly the best times to visit Lake Como. The weather is usually stable, prices are lower and there is less tourism.
Low season (November to March): during these months the weather is more unstable and some of the tourist infrastructure such as hotels, shops and restaurants tend to close, so it is important to take this into account before planning a trip at this time of year.
Remember that if you are travelling in high season it is highly advisable to book flights, car hire and accommodation in advance to have more options and to be able to get better prices.
2. Entry requirements for travel to Lake Como
If you are a Spanish or European Union (EU) citizen, you will only need your ID card or passport to enter Lake Como (Italy). If you have another nationality, you should consult the entry requirements on the embassy's website.
In addition to this documentation, it is highly recommended that you carry the European Health Insurance Card to travel to Lake Como, with which you will receive free medical attention in case you need it.
Despite this, we always recommend travelling with the best travel insurance to Europe, with which you will have the best professionals, the best medical centres and above all, repatriation included, if necessary, as well as many other extras.
Due to the current health situation, all Mondo insurances include medical assistance in case of coronavirus infection. Also included is the extra stay in case of quarantine infection and of course, the test in case it is necessary.
3. Safety when travelling to Lake Como
Travelling to the Lake Como is completely safe although, as always, it is very important to apply common sense to avoid any unpleasant mishaps. Remember not to leave valuables unattended, especially in crowded or touristy places. If you are going out at night, it is a good idea to ask at the accommodation if there are any areas that are not recommended and it is also advisable to have a copy of all your important documents such as ID card, passport, insurance policy, etc. in the cloud so that in case of theft or loss, you can carry out the procedures in a much quicker and more agile way.
If you are going to rent a car, remember to check the traffic regulations, always wear your seat belt and above all, do not exceed the speed limits.
Bellagio, one of the places to visit on Lake Como
4. How to start a trip to Lake Como?
The first thing to do before starting a trip to Lake Como is to find a flight to this part of Italy. The best option is to fly to Milan, which is served by many airlines including low cost airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet. You can use this flight search engine to find the best options at the best prices.
Once you have your flight, the next step is to book your accommodation. For this point we recommend you to check this search engine for hotels in Lake Como, where you will be able to see all the available options at the best prices.
Although you can get to Lake Como from Milan perfectly by train, if you want to travel to other must-see places in Italy, it can be a good option to rent a car to have total freedom of schedules and movements.
Another option, if you want to take a day trip, not worrying about transport or getting to know the area with a guide in English, is to book this excursion to Lake Como and Bellagio or this excursion to Lake Como.
Lake Como
5. Where to stay
Although there are hundreds of options where to stay in Lake Como, after our experience, we would go for two options:
Bellagio: this is one of the most popular places to stay in Lake Como. Here you will find a wide range of hotels and restaurants, although the prices are a bit higher than in the rest of the towns.
Find your accommodation in Bellagio hereComo: this is the largest town, the one with the most options and the best offers. It is the one we chose when travelling to Lake Como and we opted for the B&B Al Porticciolo di Sant'Agostino located near the centre of Como and the train station. In addition to its great location, this bed and breakfast has parking, full breakfast and one of the best quality/price ratios in town.
Search here for your accommodation in Como or your accommodation in Lake Como here.
Bellagio on a trip to Lake Como
6. Lake Como Tour
Although as we mentioned above, if you don't have many days, it is totally feasible to make a day trip to Lake Como from Milan, whenever you can, we recommend you to dedicate at least a couple of days to get to know the area better and also to stay in one of its villages and experience this amazing place up close.
If you land in Milan to travel to Lake Como you can opt for public transport or rent a car, the latter option being the one that will give you more freedom of movement and schedules as well as allowing you to get to know this area from another perspective.
We leave you the post How to get from Milan to Lake Como so you can see in detail all the options to make this transfer.
Tips for travelling to Lake Como
Once in Lake Como, the first day we recommend you to make a route through Villa Balbianello, Lenno, Bellagio, Brienno, Cernobbio and Como, which are some of the must-see places in Lake Como, being this last one the place where you can stay, if you want to stay in a town with a better offer and prices.
This first day, if you have rented a car, you can do the whole route by road and discover another perspective of this beautiful lake. You will find parking in all the villages, although if you are travelling in high season, it may be more difficult to find a parking space quickly.
On the second day, we recommend you take a boat trip on Lake Como that includes Varenna, Menaggio and Nesso, three of the most famous places you can see when travelling to Lake Como and that we recommend you not to miss.
In addition to these proposals, the boat passes through other villages that you can also visit if you have a few extra hours or days.
7. Lake Como boat trip
This is, without a doubt, one of the best ways to get around Lake Como. Even if you have opted for a rental car to get here, we recommend at least a day trip around the lake to enjoy this perspective.
Although there are jetties in every town, the most common are Como and Bellagio. In any of them you will find kiosks where you can find information about the many options and different routes available.
Before taking any of the boats, it is important to check the timetables, as there is a fast service that takes about 1 hour to do the Como-Varenna route, while the slow boat takes about 2 hours and a half. In our case, we preferred the slow boat option, so that we could take advantage of the opportunity to stop in several villages, take photographs and enjoy the incredible scenery.
The one day tickets, which include the boat route on Lake Como, from Como to Varenna, getting on as many boats as you want, costs 25,30 euros per person and there is also a weekly voucher for 72 euros per person, which can be a very interesting option if you are going to be in the area for that length of time.
Remember that you can also book this Excursion to Lake Como and Bellagio or this Excursion to Lake Como, both with English speaking guide.
Lake Como Boat Tour
8. Driving on Lake Como
We opted to rent a car to travel to Lake Como and we have to confess that we did not read many positive opinions about this decision, but after our experience, we can say that it was a good choice, especially if you want to know the towns of this area from another perspective and also, you want to make a getaway to the surroundings or your flight arrives or departs at infrequent times.
Despite this, we must also say that this does not mean that you should forget to take a boat trip on Lake Como, something that we believe is also essential in this area, as it allows you to enjoy unique views of the villages from the lake and the landscapes of the area. There are even ferries that cross the lake from one village to another so you don't have to drive around the lake.
As for driving in Italy, it is important to bear in mind certain aspects:
Driving in Italy is a bit special. It's not that it's dangerous or unadvisable, it's just that they are a bit more aggressive in their driving, so it's worth paying attention and always drive with caution.
You will probably read that the roads on Lake Como are bad. We have found them to be very good, or at least good for driving, so if you feel like renting a car, this should not be an impediment. What is true is that in some stretches they are narrow and there are many bends, but nothing that would prevent you from driving.
The issue of parking on a trip to Lake Como is probably the most complicated. In our case, the first day we used the car, we didn't pay on any of the occasions, as we always found free parking, but we did see towns like Bellagio, where parking is more complicated than in the rest.
If you are going to rent a car, try to make sure that your accommodation has a car park or, failing that, that there is one nearby.
When renting a car, check the documentation, take photos of the car (pick-up and drop-off) and, above all, read before signing any document. We don't want to generalise, but Italy was the only country where they tried to sneak in extras we didn't want in the documents we had to sign.
Varenna
9. Gastronomy at Lake Como
Although we know that it is definitely impossible to summarise in a few lines all the dishes of Italian gastronomy and especially that of Lake Como, we do want to leave you in this space some of the dishes that we tried during our trip to Lake Como so that you can enjoy them and have a broader idea of this exquisite gastronomy.
Pizzoccheri: pasta with a shape similar to tagliatelle served with sauce.
Antipasti: typical Italian starters that usually include cold meats, pâtés and pickles.
Risotto: typical Italian dish in which the main ingredient is rice.
Polenta: dish cooked with corn flour, water and salt, to which sauce, meat or other ingredients are added.
Cotoletta alla milanese: breaded meat.
Recommended restaurants
Here is a selection of restaurants in Lake Como that we tried and found to be very good value for money. Remember when travelling to Lake Como that restaurant opening hours are normally until 3pm to midday, but the kitchen usually closes at 14:30h, so after 14:00h they usually do not accept more tables.
If you want to have lunch or dinner in a particular restaurant, reservations are highly recommended, especially in high season.
La Fontana Bellagio: located in Bellagio, in this restaurant we ordered cod tartare with olivada and two pasta dishes plus soft drink, beer and two espressos for 53 euros, a price that we think is more than reasonable, especially considering the location and the prices that are common in this part of Italy.
Al Prato Varenna: located in Varenna, this is a very charming place. We ordered a lasagne and a plate of ravioli, which were incredible, plus two desserts and two coffees for 43 euros. A price that, as in Bellagio, seems to us to be more than right and reasonable, taking into account what we ate and the place.
Riba Café: a pizzeria on Lake Como where they serve very thin, oval-shaped pizzas that are delicious. We ordered a couple of pizzas plus drinks for 31 euros.
Kazan Sushi: located in Como, if you want a change from Italian cuisine, this Japanese restaurant is a great choice. They have a variety of starters and rolls and the quality/price ratio is more than reasonable. We went a couple of times and paid an average of 40 euros with a starter, several roll dishes and drinks.
Pasta dish at La Fontana Bellagio
10. More tips for travelling to Lake Como
Other top tips for travelling to Lake Como:
If you are travelling by train to Lake Como we recommend you check timetables and even make reservations on this page.
If you're travelling by rental car, it's advisable to take a GPS, either offline or online, to help you find your way around.
Although the currency in Italy is the Euro, we recommend using the Vivid card and the N26 card- they are the ones we use, they are free and will save you a lot of money.
You can find much more information on this subject in the post The best cards to travel without commissions.
In Italy the voltage is 230V, the frequency is 50Hz and the plugs are F/L type.