Lake Como is a gorgeous place located at the foot of the Alps with the most picturesque scenery in the world. One of its particularities is its “Y” shape.
It is one of the deepest lakes in Europe and the third largest of the Italian lakes. Many famous people have had and have homes on the shores of Lake Como.
There are many charming and elegant towns along the lake. The most popular one is Bellagio.
View over the LakeComo from Bellagio
Our plan for 3 days in Milan ended in 2 days in Milan and one on Lake Como. We wanted to see Lago di Como (in Italian) so much that we squeezed it in one day. That is barely enough to get an impression of how beautiful it is and to promise yourself you will come back again for at least a week.
You can book a one-day excursion from Milan to Lake Como from many agencies. But by now I guess you have realised that we try to do the travel all by ourselves. In this case, it is very simple.
Lake Como is not far from Milan and has very good public transport connections. Or you can rent a car and drive there, it is only 50 km.
How to get to Como
We already mentioned on our site about transport that the trains in Italy are excellent.
https://seniorglobetrotters.com/plan-your-travel/transport/train/
They have many connections between places, various speeds, they are comfortable and have very good prices. Tickets can be bought online and in advance.
Try on Trainline or Rail Europe.
The trains from Milano Centrale station run frequently to Como San Giovanni railway station. The time to get there is from 40-60 minutes. Look for the fastest connection because the price is the same.
An average ticket cost 4,80€. The same is for the way back.
The bronze monument Le Mani (Hands) greets you on arrival to Como. It is located under the staircase in front of the Como railway station. What a lovely welcome isn`t it?
Itinerary
Our itinerary for this trip was to take the train from Milan at 9 a.m. and arrive in Como at about 10 a.m.
We went to the harbour from the station to buy a ticket for the 12 o`clock boat to Bellagio. That is important because of the limited number of seats on the ship and many tourists try to get on board.
That gave us time to investigate Como and buy some pastry to go.
The ship sails two hours to Bellagio, the focus point of our trip. The sightseeing of the famous place took about three hours including the short lunch stop.
We took the bus on our way back because it drives only 1 hour and 15 min to Como. And it is going on the other side of the lake from the one we came on the ship. Arriving in Como we had another walk through the old town discovering new beautiful spots and buildings. When we got tired we went to the railway station that is only a 10-15 minute walk from the city centre and went back to Milan.
Transport around
The “Navigazione Laghi” (Boats Services) offers various tickets, including the “Hop on and off” service, which allows travellers to get on and off the local ferry boats to explore many of the towns and villages along the shore.
The best choice is to take a boat (not a ferry) on the line Como – Bellagio. On the way, it stops at many places on the lake so that way you can see a lot. Check here for other choices too:
A one-way ticket for the ordinary boat is 10,40€. The departure time and the number of lines depending on the season. The duration of the voyage is about 2 -2,20 hours.
You can go back the same way by boat. We chose not to. First, it takes again 2 hours and goes the same way back. So for the return to Como, we chose the local bus.
https://lakecomotravel.com/bus-service-around-lake-como/#c30-como-bellagio
The bus C30 Bellagio – Como goes from Bellagio every hour. Mind there are 4 bus stops in Bellagio.
The drive to Como lasted 1,10 hours. The bus passes through each town on the right side of the western branch of Lake Como. That is the opposite side from the one we came by boat.
The last stop in Como is in front of the Como S. Giovanni – a railway station for Milan.
The one-way ticket price was 5€ and we bought it from a bus driver.
What to see on Lake Como
Lake Como
A tour of the Lake by boat is a must. To see the beauty of its nature and stunning villas not visible from the roads or streets. Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times.
It is famous around the world for its historic and luxury villas and beautiful gardens. Among others, the most famous are Villa Olmo, Villa Serbelloni, and Villa Carlotta.
Villa del Balbianello on Lago di Como is famous as the setting for several movies like James Bonds – Casino Royale and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
Como
Como is a city at the southern tip of Lake Como. It is known for the Gothic Como Cathedral, Villa Olmo, a scenic funicular railway and a waterfront promenade.
In the town centre, you will notice the incredible amount of cafés and shops. You should visit Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta in the city of Como which is described as the last Gothic cathedral built in Italy.
The Romanesque Basilica of San Fedele is located in the middle of the historic centre of Como on the square that was once a medieval grain market.
Bellagio
Town Bellagio is located halfway between the two branches of the lake. It is also known worldwide for its beautiful villas overlooking the water. Especially for two villas and gardens: Villa Serbelloni and Villa Melzi.
Villas are private and cannot be visited. Unfortunately, Villa Serbelloni Park visits are by guided tour only, with limited numbers of tickets available from the Bellagio Tourist Office.
Salita Serbelloni street
You should walk the narrow streets of Bellagio. Its steep paths and stairways are full of shops and restaurants. Strolling through the cobbled streets, around elegant buildings and Villas you will see many charming corners and details.
On the main square in the village centre is the 12th-century roman style church The Basilica of San Giacomo, the principal church in the town.
Once in Bellagio, you should take a walk on the promenade along lake Como.
First because of the beautiful view over the lake and second for its wonderful plants.
