Curator’s statement
I have traveled all over Italy, and Lake Como is one of my very favorite destinations that I will definitely be going back to. The views at every moment are incredible and it has such a relaxing, yet luxurious ambience.
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Where to stay in Lake Como
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Things to do in Lake Como
Boat Tour — we booked a shared tour through Bellagio Water Limousines to take us around the lake on a vintage classic Italian boat. It took us to see the famous villas like George Clooney’'s and the villa where the season finale of Succession was filmed
Visit Villa Balbianello — our boat tour had a stop here and included a guided tour of the whole property, but you can also just pay to enter the gardens and explore on your own. Casino Royale and Star Wars were filmed on the property and it was unreal to see in person!
Wander the streets of Bellagio — there are so many shops to explore and you have to stop by -Encanto Principessa for a wine tasting
Visit Villa Melzi — you can walk here from Bellagio, has beautiful gardens to explore
Varenna - cute town a short ferry from Bellagio. Visit the Villa Monastero gardens
Swim - there are plenty of public swimming areas and pebble beaches
Places to eat & drink in Lake Como
Nando or La Fontana - cute cafes with gluten-free options
Restaurant de l’hôtel Florence - a beautiful lakeside restaurant for dinner
La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi - at the Grand Tremezzo Hotel, beautiful view
La Veranda Villa d’Este - this dinner was definitely a splurge but worth it just to see the Villa grounds. You need a reservation far in advance, and you can only visit the villa if you are a hotel guest or have a dinner reservation. We arrived early to have a drink at their outdoor bar! The wine list at dinner was probably 40 pages long, so if you are a wine enthusiast, you’ll love it.
Need to know
Something to note when visiting Lake Como and choosing what town you stay in is how accessible it is. The best way to get around the lake is by ferry, but something we wish we knew is that the ferry tickets sell out. You cannot buy them online, so if you’re planning to visit the opposite end of the lake, you have to go early in the morning to a ferry station and buy your tickets. The lines get very long in the afternoon and ferries completely sell out! Also, most of the ferries stop around 7 pm, so if you have dinner in a different town, the only way back is by taxi, which can be expensive. Once you are in the towns, though, most are very walkable and you can get around easily.
Travel Advisor
Merissa D Bradford
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This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to Lake Como. Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out my guide, 5 Nights in Lisbon, Portugal.