Explore the beauty of Lago Como and the Villages that surround it!

Lake como has been a much talked about travel destination for the past few years. Seeing it live; in the flesh is honestly something I'll never forget but information online make planning the trip seem almost impossible!! The lack of clarity almost put us off going altogether but thankfully we did and now you don't have to experience the same thing!!

Location, Location...Location?

Lake Como isn't a place on its own! The Picturesque waters are actually surrounded by lovely Villages and Towns, with Como being the main one. We spend a majority of our time between Como and Bellagio which I’d argue are the best! The 9 other main villages are: Como, Varenna, Menaggio, Tremezzo, Cernobbio, Lecco, Lenno, Bellano and Gravedona. They all have individual things to offer, but for the best experience and numerous things to do, i'd recommend spreading your time between Como and one other village if you can’t see them all.

Travel

Getting to Lake Como and the surrounding Islands is actually pretty simple! Milan is the closest City so you can fly in to Malpensa Airport and get the Malpensa express train to Saronno; taking a train from there to Como Nord Lago. Alternatively, you can get a straight train from Milano Centrale to Como Nord Lago (this is what we did). Return tickets for this train are fairly cheap, I believe we only paid 16 Euros each, and the journey takes just over an hour. Be sure to schedule your time to make the last train back to Milan!

Como is the main town of Lake Como and therefore the only train station. You can access the other towns via boats at the main dock, just a 15 minute walk or short bus journey from the train station. The public ferries are the most frequent and inexpensive option. They stop at every main village port, giving you more options to explore. You also have a chance to chat with locals who live in the area, and get some great recommendations! Be sure to ask what time the last boat leaves back to Como, as once this leaves...you're stuck! That panic run to make the last boat was probably the fastest i've ever moved in my life, but watching the sun set over the lake whilst we caught our breathe on the ferry was definitely worth it! Alternatively, you can hire a boat privately which may give you more time flexibility if you’re staying in a different village or heading back to Milan that day as you can create your own schedule.

Accommodation

Staying in the areas surrounding Lake Como definitely isn't necessary! We stayed in Milan for the entirety of our trip and came down for the day, but this ended up being a HUGE regret! We literally fell in loveeee with Lake Como once we got there, but unfortunately couldn't explore everything we wanted to (mainly because we woke up late lol), as we had to get the last train back to Milan. For those looking to only see and stay around Lake Como, there are plenty of beautiful traditional Italian Villas and B&B's to choose from, but if you're anything like me and love the feel of a nice hotel, i've got a few recommendations for you:

Bellagio: Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni and Hotel Du Lac & SPA

Cernobbio: Casa Santo Stefano

Como: SantAgata

Cremia: Casa Olea Hotel

Leno: Hotel Leno

Lezzeno: Filario Hotel

Moltrasio: Passalacqua

Tremezzo: Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Verenna: Hotel Villa Cipressi

Things to Do

Aside from the millions of photo ops and shopping at the cutest boutique stores, there are actually so many things to do in Lake Como areas, especially in the Summer. In the home of the worlds best food and wine, attend a winery tour and tasting at the best vineyards in Bellagio and Menaggio. Learn how to make authentic Italian Cuisines in classes hosted by locals in various villages, or Hire a private boat tour or Kayak experience and just explore the Lake.

For those who enjoy rich history, there are so many Villa Museums and botanical gardens such as the famous Villa Monastero in Lecco, Villa Barbianello in Lenno and Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo. Of course, it wouldn't be an Italy Guide without a Duomo, so explore Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta in Como and for cyclists or those who love a good view, visit Madonna del Ghisallo Sanctuary and Cycling Museum, which boast panoramic views of Lake Como.

Restaurants

I'm sorry....Nothing compares to Italian food! Of course if you're gluten free or counting carbs you may unfortunately disagree, but for me, some of the best food i've ever tasted has been here. I always recommend stopping into small local restaurants whilst you're exploring, because that's where you'll find the best and most authentic food, as well as the lovliest people with amazing stories to tell. On our way home, we stopped off at a lovely place next to the Como dock. If this is your first time visiting, you should note that typically, a portion of the menu is translated into english but if not, google translate and the apple “translate” app have a helpful feature that translates images live. What you should also note is that moderations to meals aren't really appreciated! I'm sure this sounds absolutely absurd, but unless you want the chef to come out personally, just to scream a bunch of words at you that you dont understand, I suggest you look at that menu extra hard!

Burano: The Gatto Nero

Bellagio: Bar Sanremo, La Punta Ristorante

Isola Comacina: Locanda Dell'isola

Como: Terrezza 241

Lezzeno: Ittiturismo da Abate

Torno: Albergo Ristorante Vapore, Il Sereno Al Lago

Tips

Whatever you choose to do, I guarantee that you'll be walking A LOT!! Although you may not even realise because of all the fun you'll be having, comfortable shoes will make this trip a lot easier, especially due to the hills and cobbled roads. This and SPF 50+ are essential!

It really doesn't matter where in Lake Como you stay, because everything is so easily accessible! With the ferry's and private boats, you can easily hop from town to town and explore what every village has to offer. Just be sure to leave enough time to see everything. Italy as a whole is so beautiful, but Lake Como will truly take your breathe away!

Esele xox

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