Best Things to Do at Lake Como, Italy (2026 Guide)

George Clooney bought Villa Oleandra here in 2002, but Lake Como has been seducing travellers for over two thousand years. Roman emperors, Romantic poets, and Hollywood directors have all fallen for the same Y-shaped lake hemmed in by Alpine peaks, where pastel villages cling to the shore and ferries connect a string of Renaissance villas. It is the most glamorous lake in Italy and somehow still one of the most photogenic places on Earth.

The best things to do at Lake Como include taking a private boat tour past the lake's famous villas, visiting Villa del Balbianello (a Star Wars and James Bond filming location), exploring the Centro Lago villages of Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio, riding the Como–Brunate funicular for panoramic views, kayaking past Villa Melzi, and joining a cooking class at a local Cesarina's home. Lake Como is roughly 50 km long with three branches that meet at Bellagio, and the best way to see it is by ferry or private boat.

We pulled together this guide after researching every angle of Lake Como, comparing boat tours, villa entries, and ferry logistics, so you can plan a trip that hits every highlight without wasting a euro on tourist traps. If you only have one day, see our companion guide on doing Lake Como as a day trip from Milan. If you are still picking a base, we compare every town in deciding which Lake Como town to stay in.

Lake Como has 50 kilometres of shoreline and roughly 35 villages, almost all of which are best seen from the water. The public ferry system (Navigazione Laghi) connects the major towns at affordable prices, but it is the private and shared boat tours that get you close to the famous villas, the Nesso waterfall, and the celebrity homes that hide along the western shore.

Classic wooden boat tours on Lake Como typically cruise past Villa del Balbianello, Villa Versace, and George Clooney's Villa Oleandra.

The Centro Lago, where the lake's three branches meet between Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio, has the densest concentration of must-see scenery. Most boat tours focus their itinerary here. A typical shared 2 to 3-hour group tour with audio guide costs 60 to 80 euros per person, while a private classic wooden boat charter for up to 7 people starts around 350 euros. The most popular add-on is a sunset aperitivo cruise with prosecco, which we recommend doing on your first evening to get oriented.

For sociable travellers on a budget, the Lake Como shared boat tour with Prosecco aperitif is the best entry point. It departs from Como, lasts about 2 hours, and includes a glass of Prosecco while the captain narrates the famous villas. For couples after something more atmospheric, the Lake Como classic wooden boat private tour takes you out on a vintage 1950s wooden boat that looks like something out of a Bond film.

Travellers who want to maximise scenery in a short window should look at the Lake Como 2-hour luxury boat tour with captain, which visits Clooney's Villa Oleandra, Villa Versace, and Villa d'Este. For a longer day on the water with stops at multiple villages and waterfalls, the Lake Como 3-hour boat tour with villas, waterfalls, and Bellagio is the highest-value option. It includes Nesso waterfall, Villa del Balbianello from the lake, and a stop in Bellagio.

If you only have a single day on the lake, prioritise a 90-minute boat tour over an extra ferry hop. The angles you get from the water (and the captain's local stories) are the part most travellers remember.

Lake Como's villas are not just garden estates. They are 17th to 19th-century palaces commissioned by cardinals, generals, and Napoleon's deputies, and four of them are open to the public with cinematic gardens and lake views.

Villa del Balbianello (left) is the most photographed villa on Lake Como and a Star Wars filming location. Villa Carlotta (right) in Tremezzo has 70,000 square metres of botanical gardens that peak in late April and May.

Villa del Balbianello is the most photographed villa on the lake, perched on the Lavedo peninsula in Lenno. Built in 1787 and now owned by FAI (the Italian National Trust), it was the filming location for Anakin and Padme's wedding in Star Wars Episode II and James Bond's recovery scene in Casino Royale. Park-only entry costs around 11 euros, and the full villa interior tour is 22 euros. Closed Mondays and Wednesdays. Access is by public ferry to Lenno followed by a 30-minute scenic walk along the shore, or directly via private boat. The easiest way is the Villa del Balbianello gardens visit with ferry tickets from Como, which bundles the round-trip ferry and the gardens entry.

Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo is a 17th-century villa with 70,000 square metres of botanical gardens and is best visited from late April through May, when more than 150 varieties of azaleas and rhododendrons explode in colour. Inside the villa, the highlights are sculptures by Antonio Canova and a delicate marble copy of Cupid and Psyche. Entry is around 14 euros. If you are visiting just the park rather than the full villa, look at the discounted Tremezzina park-only entry ticket for Villa del Balbianello as a complement.

Villa Melzi d'Eril is in Bellagio and was built in 1808 for Napoleon's Italian vice-president. The villa interior is closed to the public, but the gardens are open and feature a famous lakefront orange grove, Egyptian sphinxes, and a serene Japanese garden tucked behind the family chapel. Entry is around 8 euros. Allow 60 to 90 minutes. Villa Olmo in Como is free to enter and hosts art exhibitions year-round.

If you want to hit multiple villas on a single day, the Lake Como lakeside villas entry tickets with ferries bundles villa entries with ferry transport, which removes the awkward timing problem of villa closures and ferry frequency. Most villas close from November to mid-March, so plan accordingly if visiting in winter.

Bellagio sits on the promontory where the lake's three branches meet, the most iconic position on the entire lake. Population is roughly 3,800, but it feels even smaller. Cobblestone streets climb away from the ferry pier, lined with stone arches, gelaterias, and shops selling silk scarves from the Como mills.

Bellagio's cobblestone Salita Serbelloni staircase is one of the most photographed scenes on Lake Como.

The famous Salita Serbelloni is the photogenic stone staircase you have seen on every Lake Como Instagram post. Salita Mella and Salita Genazzini, just a few streets over, are equally pretty and dramatically less crowded if you visit between 11 AM and 4 PM. Walk 10 minutes south of the ferry pier along the lakeside path to reach the Villa Melzi gardens. Walk 15 minutes north and you reach Punta Spartivento, the literal "tip" of the promontory where the lake splits into its three branches. It is the best free viewpoint in town.

For an active morning, rent a kayak from Piazza della Chiesa beach. The Bellagio Lake Como kayak rental from the town beach lets you paddle north along the Villa Melzi shoreline, an angle the ferries do not reach. For a more polished half-day, the Bellagio Lake Como premium shared boat cruise departs from the Bellagio pier with a captain and audio guide.

Bellagio is the most expensive base on the lake but also the easiest to ferry-hop from. If you are still deciding where to stay, see our full breakdown of the best Lake Como towns. For dinner, Ristorante Bilacus in the centre is the local favourite for homemade pasta. For sunset aperitivo, head to the lakefront on Salita Serbelloni with a Spritz and watch the ferries roll in.

Visitors with limited time who want both a Bellagio base and a Villa del Balbianello visit can do both in one trip with the Bellagio Lake Como cruise with Villa Balbianello tour, which leaves from the Bellagio pier and includes the villa gardens entry.

Bellagio gets the magazine covers, but the other two corners of the Centro Lago triangle are arguably more atmospheric. Varenna is the romantic option and the most train-friendly base on the lake. Menaggio is the value option and the gateway to Switzerland.

Varenna's pastel lakefront houses are reachable from Milan in 64 minutes by direct Trenord train.

Varenna on the eastern shore is the easiest base if you are arriving from Milan, with direct Trenord trains from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino in 64 minutes for 7.40 euros. The town has roughly 800 residents and feels like a private fishing village even in peak season. Highlights include Villa Monastero (a former monastery converted into a villa, with terraced gardens stretching along the shore), Castello di Vezio (a medieval ruin perched 263 metres above the lake, with falconry shows and panoramic views, reached by a 20-minute uphill walk), and the Passeggiata degli Innamorati, the romantic lakeside "lovers' walk" between the train station and the centre.

For a quick scenic boat experience direct from town, the Varenna Lake Como 90-minute premium shared cruise is well-priced. For something more memorable, the Varenna catamaran tour with aperitif on Lake Como trades motor noise for sail under the Centro Lago peaks.

Menaggio, on the western shore directly across from Bellagio, is the most affordable Centro Lago base and the most family-friendly. The lakefront promenade is flat and stroller-friendly, the public lido (lake beach) is open in summer with lifeguards, and direct buses connect to Lugano, Switzerland in 35 minutes for around 5 euros. We send active travellers and parents to Menaggio more often than we send couples there. For an outdoors angle that mixes both Varenna and Menaggio, look at the Como Lake half-day kayak trip from Bellagio to Varenna, which paddles past the Rockefeller cliffs.

The Centro Lago triangle is connected by ferries every 15 to 20 minutes. A day pass for unlimited Centro Lago hops costs around 15 euros and pays for itself within three rides.

Como sits at the southern tip of the lake and is its largest town, with around 85,000 residents. Most travellers underestimate it on first read, but Como packs more sights into a walkable centre than any of the smaller villages, and it is the best-connected base on the lake by train.

Como Cathedral was built between 1396 and 1740 and combines Gothic and Renaissance styles. Entry is free.

The Como Cathedral (Duomo) was built between 1396 and 1740, combining Gothic and Renaissance styles in a way you do not often see in northern Italy. Entry is free, and climbing to the lantern for panoramic views costs 7 euros. Adjacent to the Duomo, the Tempio Voltiano is a small museum dedicated to Alessandro Volta, the Como-born inventor of the battery. The lakefront promenade Lungolago Mafalda di Savoia connects the Duomo to Villa Olmo (a free public park) in a 25-minute walk.

The single best Como experience is the Funicolare Como–Brunate, a 7-minute funicular built in 1894 that climbs 715 metres to the village of Brunate. A round-trip ticket is around 7 euros, and from Brunate a 25-minute walk leads to Faro Voltiano, a lighthouse with one of the best panoramic views of the entire lake. Bring a layer; it is consistently 5 degrees cooler at the top.

Como is also Italy's silk capital. The Museo della Seta showcases the city's silk-making heritage, which has been continuous since the 16th century. For a deeper local angle, the Como city walking tour with the Brunate funicular covers the Duomo, the silk district, and the funicular ride in about 3 hours. If you want to start your trip on the water from Como, the Como Lake Como premium shared boat cruise departs from the Como pier.

Como city is the cheapest base on the lake, with budget hotels from 85 euros and mid-range options from 140 euros. We compare every base in our Lake Como where-to-stay guide.

Lake Como is 425 metres deep at its deepest point, making it one of the deepest lakes in Europe, and it is ringed by mountains that rise to over 2,400 metres. The result is a startling amount of outdoor sport for what most travellers think of as a sleepy resort lake.

The best kayak launch points on Lake Como are Bellagio's Piazza della Chiesa beach and the Varenna shoreline.

Kayaking is the best way to see the lake at water level. Bellagio's Piazza della Chiesa beach is the most popular launch point, with rentals around 40 euros for two hours. The Lake Como small-group kayak tour from Bellagio takes you past the Rockefeller cliffs and the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, with stops at swimming spots most ferries do not reach. For a more independent option, the Bellagio Lake Como kayak rental lets you paddle the Villa Melzi shoreline at your own pace.

Hikers should look at the Greenway del Lago di Como, a 10 km signposted trail from Colonno to Cadenabbia along the western shore. It is mostly flat, takes around 3.5 hours one-way, and passes Villa del Balbianello. For a more serious climb, Monte San Primo (1,682 metres) above Bellagio is a 5-hour return hike with 360-degree views of the Centro Lago and the Alps. Cyclists should know about the Menaggio-to-Como cycle path, a 28-kilometre lakeside route that is the easiest extended ride on the lake. E-bike rentals run around 40 euros per day.

For a longer kayak day, the Como Lake half-day kayak trip from Bellagio to Varenna covers the most photogenic stretch of the Centro Lago by paddle. Stand-up paddleboard rentals are available at most lakeside towns; the calmest mornings (before 10 AM) are best for beginners. Public lidos in Menaggio, Lecco, and Domaso are open from June through September with lifeguards, deck chairs, and changing rooms.

Lake Como's food culture sits between Lombard tradition and Alpine influence, and the local specialties show it. Missoltini are sun-dried lake fish (typically agone, a local sardine relative) served with polenta. Risotto with perch fillet (risotto con filetti di pesce persico) is the lake's signature dish. Polenta uncia is a hearty cornmeal preparation with melted cheese and butter, and pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta from neighbouring Valtellina) is the comfort food of choice on cold nights.

Lake Como aperitivo culture is central. An Aperol Spritz with buffet on the Bellagio waterfront costs around 12 euros.

The most consistently top-rated experience on the lake is a cooking class at a local Cesarina's home (a Cesarina is a certified home cook who hosts traveller dinners). The Lake Como market tour and home cooking class includes a morning at the Como produce market, a 3-course meal with regional wine, and the recipes to take home. For travellers wanting a more intimate setting, the Como cooking class at a local's home is hosted in a private kitchen with just a few guests.

For a longer experience that includes a full lunch or dinner with wine pairings, the Lake Como market tour and Cesarina's home cooking class in Lecco extends the morning market visit into a full meal at a local's home.

Aperitivo culture is non-negotiable. An Aperol Spritz, Hugo (St-Germain elderflower with prosecco), or classic Negroni at a lakefront bar with a small buffet of olives, focaccia, and salumi typically runs 10 to 14 euros. Our favourite spot is L'Aperitivo on the Bellagio waterfront at sunset. For wine, the closest serious region is Valtellina, an hour from Varenna, where steep terraced vineyards produce Nebbiolo-based reds (look for Sforzato, the Italian answer to Amarone).

Lake Como is exceptionally well-connected by rail and ferry, which makes day trips trivial even without a car. Four destinations stand out for very different reasons.

The Centro Lago junction at Bellagio is also a transit hub for day trips to Lugano, Bergamo, and the Bernina Express.

Milan (1 hour by train from Como or Varenna) is worth a day for the Duomo, the Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The reverse direction, doing Lake Como from Milan, is far more common; see our complete Milan to Lake Como day-trip guide if Milan is your base.

Lugano, Switzerland (35 minutes from Menaggio by bus, 30 minutes from Como by train) is the easiest international day trip. Highlights include Lake Lugano itself, the Monte San Salvatore funicular for panoramic Alpine views, and excellent Swiss chocolate. Bring your passport. Bergamo (90 minutes by train from Como) is a UNESCO World Heritage walled medieval upper town that most travellers ignore on a Lake Como trip. The Città Alta is one of the most intact medieval centres in Italy. For a third option, the Valtellina wine region is 1 hour by train from Varenna and offers steep terraced Nebbiolo vineyards with a fraction of the tourists you find in Tuscany.

The most spectacular day trip of all is the Bernina Express scenic train from Tirano to St. Moritz. Tirano is 1.5 hours from Varenna by regional train, and the Bernina Express climbs through 196 bridges and 55 tunnels into the Swiss Alps over roughly 4 hours. It is one of the most beautiful train rides in Europe. The full Bernina Express day trip from Lake Como to St. Moritz is bookable directly. For the Lugano option, the Lake Como day trip to Lugano with boat tour bundles the cross-border bus with a Swiss lake cruise.

Best time to visit: May to early June and September are the sweet spot. Temperatures sit between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius, the famous gardens are in full bloom (Villa Carlotta peaks in late April and May), and ferry timetables run at full frequency. July and August are hot and crowded with hotel prices 30 to 50 percent higher than shoulder season. November to mid-March most villas are closed, ferry service is reduced, and many lakefront restaurants shutter. Late March through April is shoulder, with cooler weather but quieter towns.

Getting there: The fastest train from Milan goes to Varenna-Esino on the eastern shore in 64 minutes for 7.40 euros, with hourly Trenord regional departures from Milano Centrale. Alternatively, take a Trenord regional from Milano Centrale to Como San Giovanni in 37 to 60 minutes for 4.80 euros. Renting a car is overrated. Lakefront roads are narrow, parking is expensive (20 to 30 euros per day), and you cannot drink at lunch.

Getting around: Public ferries run by Navigazione Laghi are the local bus system. Buy a Centro Lago day pass (around 15 euros) for unlimited hopping between Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio. Slow ferries are cheaper than hydrofoils and show more scenery. The full timetable shifts seasonally, so always check before departure.

Where to stay: Bellagio is best for first-timers, Varenna for romance and easy train access, Menaggio for value and families, Como for budget travellers, and Tremezzo for slow travel. We compare every base in detail in our Lake Como where-to-stay guide. A mid-range couple's daily budget runs 280 to 400 euros, covering hotel, food, ferries, and one paid activity.

Italian phrases worth learning: Almost all lakefront staff speak English, but starting a conversation with a "buongiorno" goes a long way. "Un caffè" gets you an espresso, not American coffee. "Il conto, per favore" is the bill. Avoid Sundays in shoulder season, when many smaller restaurants and shops close.

Lake Como rewards travellers who pick a base, hop ferries, and slow down. Whether you have one day or one week, the three highest-value moves are a Centro Lago boat tour, a Villa del Balbianello visit, and at least one sunset aperitivo on a piazza overlooking the water. Everything else is bonus.

For first-time visitors with limited time, we recommend opening with the Lake Como shared boat tour with Prosecco aperitif on day one to get oriented from the water, then committing day two to a Villa del Balbianello and Villa Carlotta combination. Save day three for a Centro Lago ferry hop with a long lunch in Varenna.

If Milan is your base, our Milan to Lake Como day-trip guide covers the full DIY route. If you have not booked accommodation yet, our Lake Como where-to-stay guide compares every base by price, vibe, and ferry access.