Lake Como is a beautiful lake surrounded by cutesy cities in opposition to a backdrop of the Lombardy Alps. As the deepest lake in Italy, Lake Como is widespread for watersports and is filled with marine life. Its substantial measurement because the third largest lake in Italy additionally signifies that there are many issues to do in Lake Como alongside its shores. There are luxurious villas transformed into museums and unimaginable hikes for those who enterprise away from the waterfront promenade. If visiting northern Italy, go to Lake Como for an unique lakeside environment. Lake Como has gorgeous views of the encompassing mountains and delightful old-town surroundings.
Top Things to Do in Lake Como, Italy
We’ll check out the 16 greatest Lake Como sights. From botanical gardens at Villa Carlotta to wine tasting and water sports activities, these are one of the best issues to do in Lake Como. Let’s dive straight in.
1. Villa Carlotta’s Botanical Gardens
Villa Carlotta is a surprising villa-turned-museum devoted to the humanities. The luxurious villa sits on the shores of Lake Como on 14 acres of lush gardens and strikes one of the crucial iconic landmark views in the area. The elaborate stairways to the entrance of the villa spill out right into a well-known botanical backyard with uncommon bushes and bursts of flowers.
Visitors are welcome to stroll the gardens and chill out exterior. While those who need to go inside can head to exhibition rooms unfold throughout two flooring. You can seize your ticket right here in advance together with the ferry or you may go for a personal speedboat tour of the lakeside Villas right here.
The first flooring comprises a marble and plaster room with gorgeous sculptures of historic figures. There’s additionally a portray room, a Napoleonic room, and the Magdalene room. Plus a tapestry room and parlors on the second flooring. Lake Como is legendary for stunning gardens and delightful villas, and Villa Carlotta ticks each packing containers.
Villa Carlotta’s intimate art work show additionally makes it price visiting Lake Como. Art fanatic or not, you may readily admire the attractive setting and cautious collections.
2. Take A Boat Tour
Boat excursions are one of the crucial widespread issues to do in Lake Como. And understandably so, contemplating the entire space is located round a scenic lake. Most excursions final round 2 hours, though some final 4 hours or perhaps a entire day if you’d like. Rather than the native ferry choices, these chartered boat excursions are devoted to tourism. You can discover dinner cruises, luxurious Venetian boat excursions, and particular itineraries like villa sightseeing boat journeys. Establish your splendid timeframe and what you’d like to see on Lake Como, then take a look at totally different boat tour itineraries to see what piques your curiosity.
This sightseeing tour is a basic choice – together with just a little little bit of the whole lot with villas, lake historical past, and gorgeous views. Or a sundown dinner cruise if you’d like a night exercise. You can ebook boat excursions on arrival in most ports alongside Lake Como. But it’s greatest to ebook in advance to assure a spot, particularly in the hectic excessive season.
3. Villa Del Balbianello
Villa Del Balbianello is Hollywood heaven and simply probably the greatest issues to do in Lake Como, Italy. It’s simple to be raptured by the elegant great thing about the villa. However, film followers must also pay this Lake Como attraction a go to. Villa Balbianello has been used in a number of Hollywood motion pictures, together with Star Wars Attack of the Clones. Italy is not any stranger to getting used as a Hollywood filming location, however Villa Balbianello is one thing else. It’s simple to see why it caught Hollywood’s eye.
Guests can wander the 18th-century villa in and out – admiring the surroundings and structure and reveling as they tread in the identical footsteps as film stars.
4. Sentiero Del Viandante
Sentiero Del Viandante was as soon as an previous mule observe in the Roman period. Sentiero Del Viandante is hailed as one of many best mountain climbing trails in Lake Como – if not Italy as a complete. The 45km path runs alongside the japanese shores of Lake Como and may be accomplished in little sections for those who don’t have time for a multi-day hike. The shorter sections are principally 5 hours lengthy, so they’re good to full as a half-day hike earlier than stopping for a meal in a scenic village. You can simply hike between cities and catch the prepare on the east facet.
Sentiero Del Viandante passes castles, stunning views of Lake Como and its mountains, and plenty of little villages with scrumptious locations to eat. You can plan not less than 2-3 stops at historic sights no matter which part you hike.
5. Villa Melzi
Villa Melzi is one other certainly one of Lake Como’s luxurious villas with botanical gardens. The villa is owned by Prince Fulco Gallarati Scotti, however its gardens are open to the general public. If you’re simply in botanical gardens, it’s a superb various to Villa Carlotta, which tends to be busier and extra touristy than this privately-owned attraction. Villa Melzi was constructed between 1808 and 1810 in a neo-classical fashion impressed by Napoleonic France. However, the backyard is rather more of a treasure trove.
Villa Melzi Garden is filled with Egyptian and Roman statuesEnvision a complete image of romance and also you may come shut to a picture of Villa Melzi. The backyard is one thing David Attenborough or probably the most avid botanist would adore. Yet it’s stunning sufficient to ensnare the untrained eye as properly. It’s filled with cedar bushes, azaleas, rhododendrons, and water lilies. The backyard opens between March and October from 10 am till 7 pm. During this time, you may stroll the complicated community of paths and revel in all the eye to tremendous particulars. The greatest means to discover all the Villas on Lake Como is with this tour which incorporates all of the entries to the most well-liked stops.
6. Sagra Di San Giovanni
Sagra Di San Giovanni is among the greatest issues to do in Lake Como when visiting in June. Celebrating an area pageant provides you a a lot stronger perception into a spot and its folks and historical past. If you’ve but to finalize your dates to go to Lake Como, take into account touring to the lake for its famed pageant Sagra Di San Giovanni. The pageant is well known by a whole lot of fireworks in a dramatic reenactment of the battles between Isola Comacina and Barbarossa in 1169. While the story itself is fairly darkish, the festivities are flamboyant and completely infectious.
Fireworks over Lake Como will not be a sight you’ll overlook shortly. The show begins at round 10:30 pm in the night and lasts slightly below an hour. You can watch from one of many promenades (and even your resort window for those who select lodging correctly). Or alternatively, splash out on reserving a ship so you may watch the fireworks from the water.
7. Villa Monastero
You’ve guessed it – one other of Lake Como’s stunning luxurious villas with a spectacular botanical backyard. However, Villa Monastero’s gardens have a unique vibe from the opposite two featured. Instead of a backyard filled with paths and towering plants, Villa Monastero has beautiful terraced gardens neatly organized in stone overlooking Lake Como. Villa Monastero has a way more formal backyard association. Dating again to the 1800s, you may see the interval’s opulence in its present aesthetic.
Apart from the terrace facet, Villa Monastero focuses extra on the view than the opposite villas. There are gorgeous viewpoints all through and ornate seating areas to sit and relish your environment. Unlike Villa Melzi, it’s also possible to enterprise inside to see the rooms and examples of interval structure, which is a pleasant contact. It is ideal for anybody in inner structure and a ravishing backyard.
8. Enjoy Water Sports
You don’t keep subsequent to the deepest lake in Italy and never take pleasure in some watersports. Lake Como isn’t the form of place you go on occasion cruises or scream throughout the bay clinging to a banana boat. It presents extra sedate watersports centered round tranquility and sightseeing. For occasion, this kayak tour is a peaceful means to expertise Lake Como from the water. Water sports activities are good for getting a unique perception into Lake Como and a extra energetic various to boat journeys. Fitness fanatics be aware this down as one of the crucial energetic issues to do in Lake Como.
Rowing, crusing, diving, and fishing can be found on Lake Como. While if you’d like to push the boat out just a little with extra exhilarating actions, wakeboarding and kitesurfing may be discovered with sure tour operators.
9. Castello Di Vezio
Castello Di Vezio is a beautiful walled fort overlooking Varenna, certainly one of Lake Como’s hottest cities. Situated on a hill that takes round half-hour to attain on foot from the city middle in a reasonably troublesome climb. Castello Di Vezio is a surprising vantage level and an enchanting piece of native historical past.
The Twelfth-century fort is filled with reveals, uniting the historical past obsessed and the extra severe vacationers in a quest to fill a thirst for data. The views of Lake Como and its mountains are much more stunning from its tower. And for the courageous amongst guests, excursions of Castello Di Vezio dungeons are one of the crucial spooky issues to do in Lake Como.
10. Go Wine Tasting in Lake Como
When in Rome, proper? Italy is hailed worldwide as an absolute goddess when it comes to wine manufacturing. The nation has been producing wine for over 4,000 years, and its local weather is good for viticulture. Italy has 20 areas with over 545 totally different vine varieties, so there are many decisions for the fussy (or enthusiastic) palette. Wine lovers will significantly love Lake Como. Lake Como is a part of the Lombardy wine area. It has grape varieties, together with white Verdes, Rosseia, merlot, and Sangiovese.
Visit Lake Como in autumn to get probably the most out of wine tasting, as you’ll arrive simply in time for the grape harvest. Wine tasting is among the greatest issues to do in Lake Como. You get to expertise scrumptious produce and get an perception into the tradition and historical past of the area. Wine-tasting excursions may be booked on boat journeys or land excursions to wineries and scenic vineyards.
11. Day Trip To Menaggio
Assuming you keep in Como, you’ll need to plan a day journey or two to different cities round Lake Como. Menaggio is a basic alternative for Lake Como city hopping, good for a day of swimming. Menaggio has a 25-meter-long lido and quite a few public seashores. July, August, and September are the highest swimming months in Menaggio – intention for a summer time journey if you’d like an pleasing swim. Spiaggia Lerai is the most well-liked swimming seaside in Menaggio.
Menaggio is well reached by bus or ferry. Traveling from Como takes round an hour on public transport. It can be a scenic route, hugging the complete western shores of Lake Como and slicing via numerous awe-inspiring villages and cities. Jumping on a e-bike is a good way to get there.
12. Hike The Greenway Del Lago Di Como
Should you want mountain climbing, the Greenway Del Lago Di Como is among the high issues to do in Lake Como. It is extra of a sightseeing path than a normal mountain climbing path – there’s simply a lot to see alongside the best way. Little hamlets cling to the waterfront alongside the lake, and the path often veers off up some dramatic hills to a lookout or detour via shaded woodland. The Greenway Del Lago Di Como is a rewarding hike, and it takes round 4 hours to full the ten km stretch.
While there are some inclines right here and there, the Greenway Del Lago Di Como is a straightforward hike total. With sufficient relaxation stops, close to sufficient, anybody can hike this path. It has a straightforward path with stone flags in most sections and is good for a leisurely stroll with loads of views.
13. Orrido Di Bellano
Orrido Di Bellano is a 15 million-year-old pure gorge. Visitors step into the gorge itself, strolling alongside a slim walkway hooked up to the facet of the rock face. It is certainly one of Lake Como’s most unimaginable hikes and an exquisite day journey. Orrido Di Bellano was minimize by the glacial retreat of an previous river Adda, and now an aqua-blue river runs via the bottom of the gorge. It’s an enchanting little bit of geography, and the thunder of the river under is absolutely atmospheric. The walkway railings are embellished with fairy lights in darker sections, shaded from daylight by the rocks above.
Orrido Di Bellano is well one of many high issues to do in Lake Como. It takes round 1.5 hours to full the mountain climbing route – a splendid use of your time in Lake Como. This ticket even consists of entry and an aperitif afterward.
14. Punta Spartivento
Punta Spartivento is a ravishing remark deck above Lake Como, Italy. As far as scenic issues to do in Lake Como go, Punta Spartivento charges very extremely. The deck really stretches out over a small grassy space with railings spaced out and seating areas and picnic tables. If you’re planning a romantic picnic, Punta Spartivento is a very good shout. With the Swiss Alps on the horizon and the shimmer of the water immediately in entrance of you, Punta Spartivento has an nearly magical serenity.
Punta Spartivento is positioned a 10-minute stroll away from Bellagio’s ferry terminal. It is straightforward to entry and probably the greatest viewpoints round Lake Como.
15. Tempio Voltiano
Tempio Voltiano is a vital museum in the world of science. The attraction is devoted to the reminiscence and lifework of Alessandro Volta, who invented {the electrical} battery. Como born and bred, Alessandro did wonders for technological development in the 18th century. And it’s solely becoming that Lake Como has a museum for him, contemplating that he retired and died in Como in 1827. The museum opened in 1928 and has been a thriving attraction in Lake Como ever since.
Inside, guests can admire the gathering of Volta’s scientific devices. Fascinatingly, there’s additionally a number of his innovations (Volta was a prolific inventor exterior of his creation of {the electrical} battery). Tempio Voltiano is a ravishing exhibit that captures the essence of the scientist behind closed doorways. It is a slice of science historical past and a preserved archive of an unimaginable human life. The blur of science and human historical past makes it good for anyone wanting an indoor exercise.
16. Enjoy The Old Town In Como Town
You should go to Como’s Old Town. It ticks off the whole lot you’d hope to see in a historic Italian city middle – from cobbled streets to al fresco eating places. The smartest thing about each previous city is its glorious eating places, and grabbing one thing to eat in the Como’s Old Town is among the greatest issues to do in Lake Como. You can dine whereas taking in the ambiance and historic environment. The combination of bright-colored buildings and timeless stonework is a surprising culinary backdrop.
After you’ve eaten, wander alongside to Como’s cathedral, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, and the Basilica di San Fedele. Porta Torre is one other hanging conventional landmark price seeing and a metropolis gate relationship again to 1192. Nothing beats a little bit of sightseeing on a glad abdomen. This guided tour consists of all of it and is superb.
Visiting Lake Como: FAQs
Now that we’ve lined one of the best issues to do in Lake Como, let’s have a look at some important FAQs. These essential snippets of knowledge will allow you to finalize your journey to Lake Como.
How to Get to Lake Como
The easiest method to get to Lake Como is by flying into Milan. Milan has an enormous worldwide airport, with direct flights from departure locations worldwide. If you journey from exterior Europe, that is seemingly the route you’ll use. You fly immediately into Milan’s Malpensa Airport after which catch a few trains for two hours to Lake Como. Giovanni and Como Nord Largo are the 2 most important stations in Lake Como, and it solely prices just a few {dollars} per ticket. Alternatively, you may lease a automotive at Malpensa Airport after which drive to Lake Como in about an hour.
If you solely have a short while we advise hopping on today journey from Milan, which features a cruise, the village of Bellagio, and visiting Varenna, Menaggio, or different areas. An awesome deal for the cash.
Another choice is to journey overland – particularly in case you are already in Europe. Europe is extremely well-connected, and it’s common follow to interrail across the area, with offers and reductions on worldwide rail go to hop between nations. You can journey by prepare from Switzerland to Lake Como in lower than 3 hours. Or even Amsterdam in 12 hours for those who wished. We recommend stopping in Germany and Switzerland alongside the best way. Traveling to Lake Como by prepare is among the most adventurous but simply organized methods of transport.
You may additionally drive to Lake Como. This methodology permits extra freedom however is rather more tiring, with many slim roads. The mushy borders in Europe make for straightforward border crossings, although. If you could have loads of time, driving to Lake Como is among the greatest methods to slowly expertise the area at your personal tempo.
Getting Around Lake Como
Hands down, one of the best ways to get round Lake Como is by boat or ferry. Forget boat journeys; being shuttled round by water on one of the crucial stunning lakes in Italy is well one of the best type of public transport you’ll ever expertise. The western facet of Lake Como is exceptionally properly related by boat, and you may hop between the cities on ferries and little shuttle boats.
Of course, disregard our recommendation totally on the japanese facet of Lake Como – you’ll want to scrap the boat concept and run for the prepare. There are barely any ferry providers in the east, providing many prepare providers as a substitute. The greatest means to get round on the east shores is by catching the prepare, with a station in most cities and villages.
A rental automotive is simply a good suggestion in case you are venturing out on many day journeys. Even then, a lot of Lake Como’s surrounding areas are related by prepare. For occasion, by rail, you may attain Switzerland, many mountain villages, and close by main Italian cities. Rent a automotive solely if you’d like extra freedom and highway trip-style day journeys. Or when you have members of your journey occasion with mobility points since catching the prepare can contain a lot of strolling and steps.
Another choice with vehicles is to rent taxis and shuttle providers. Aim to ebook taxis in advance if that is the mode of transport you go for, as they’re extremely popular, particularly in the excessive season.
Of course, you would simply spend your entire keep strolling alongside lakeside promenades – the superb views assist. If you keep in a city middle, obtain Google Maps and discover on foot. Getting round on foot means stumbling throughout tiny backstreet eating places with glorious conventional meals and unmapped viewpoints.
Best Time to Visit Lake Como
The greatest time to go to Lake Como is May. May has common temperatures of 70 levels Fahrenheit but in addition avoids the inevitable crowds from June to September. May is a shoulder season, simply on the cusp of the excessive season. The off-season runs from November to mid-March. While the less crowds may sound interesting, it has chilly climate and fewer sights and resorts open. By selecting May, you get a little bit of a compromise – fewer vacationers however good climate.
In spring, Lake Como’s cities and charming villages are filled with wildflowers, and the botanical gardens are in full explosion. It is a fascinating time of yr to discover Lake Como. It is rather more ethereal than visiting in the chaotic summer time months in stifling warmth and crowds.
Why Should You Visit Lake Como?
Visiting Lake Como is fabulous. In reality, it could possibly be one of many greatest issues to do in Italy. The whole area is filled with pure magnificence – from beautiful gardens to mountain trails and personal seashores alongside the lakeside. Despite its unique vibe and white-collar crowd, the realm presents vacationer sights for all price range ranges. There are many free issues to do in Lake Como. Make the many of the pure sights, museums, and arranged experiences.
Looking for extra inspiration about visiting northern Italy? Check out our guides on the greatest cities in Tuscany, high luxurious resorts in Milan, and issues to do in Lugano for those who cross the Swiss border. Otherwise, have an exquisite time exploring Lake Como, Italy.