Lake Como is quite probably the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life. No exaggeration.
I visited in March during a weekend break to Milan with my BFF and it surpassed every expectation. Spring was a perfect time to visit, it was warm enough to wear a light sweatshirt & jeans, but the summer crowds had not yet descended. I can imagine those narrow streets get pretty hectic in the height of July & August.
You can easily spend longer than a day here (well, I could live here), but if you’re working with limited time &/or funds, here’s how to get the most out of Lake Como on a day trip from Milan.
Train from Milan -> Varenna
We selected our hotel in Milan based on proximity to Central Station. It’s not the best district, but it allowed us to catch the earliest possible train up to Varenna and it was totally worth it.
You should get to the station at least 20 minutes before departure to allow time for buying tickets from the machines and finding your platform.
Single ticket: €6.70.
Varenna
When you arrive at Varenna-Esino station, you won’t immediately see the lake. But a short walk (follow the sign posts) later and you see the true beauty of Lake Como for the first time.
We spent a few hours here, wandering around the town, taking a billion pictures and enjoying the unbelievable shades of blue that surrounded us.
The highlight and must-see in Varenna is the Villa Monastero. The small entrance fee is 100% worth it for access to the beautiful gardens and panoramic views of the lake.
Boat from Varenna -> Mennagio (approx 10:30am)
I would love to tell you exactly when we got the ferry between each of the towns, but the boat schedule was so impossible to predict. The internet, posters and humans at the ticket booths all gave us different timetables every time we checked! My only advice would be to ask the people at the booth as you buy the ticket in each of the towns.
Mennagio
Each town on the lake has unique characteristics and vibes, so it’s certainly worth exploring them all.
Mennagio felt more residential than Varenna, but equally as gorgeous. We explored the cobbled streets and took a walk along the water front before stopping at an adorable cafe (because you didn’t really go to Italy if you didn’t base every day around food!)
Watching the world go by surrounded by snow capped mountains and a stunning lake, whilst tucking into an incredible slice of carrot cake was utter perfection.
Boat from Mennagio -> Bellagio (approx 12:15)
We didn’t stay super long in Mennagio because we decided to catch the next boat to Bellagio. Again, we struggled to find a reliable boat timetable, so we just hung out and enjoyed the views near the ferry port to be sure not to miss it.
Bellagio
I’ll be honest, I thought Bellagio was a hotel in Vegas… turns out the Italian town came first! Who knew?!
It was postcard perfect and as the boat arrives you get amazing views of the colourful buildings that line the shore. It’s no wonder George Clooney bought a house here! (There’s a joke in there somewhere involving Ocean’s 11, Clooney & The Bellagio but I can’t work it out.)
We walked the most here out of all 3 towns as we did a loop around the peninsula. It’s totally worth it for some epic views over the rooftops and across the water.
It also meant I burned off the cake enough to get some gelato before the next boat, which is hands down my favourite thing about Italy. (Sorry centuries-worth of history, culture & architecture!)
Bellagio -> Como (approx 3pm)
The final boat of the day was a little different. The rest had been drive-on ferries and we could walk around outside, but this one was more an enclosed water-taxi. It’s worth being aware of to be sure you took all your ‘I’m on a boat’ pictures before you get to this point in the day.
This ride is also a bit longer and stops off at a few other towns en-route, where you can get off and explore if you buy the right ticket and have enough time.
Como
Como is a larger town and notably busier than the others (according to Wikipedia it’s actually a city and has a population of 84,000.) But it’s still worth exploring.
The area around the lake is still gorgeous and there are a number of cafe’s and restaurants which makes it a perfect early-dinner spot before you catch the train back to Milan.
If you are going to stay in the area for longer than a day, Como is the best and most affordable base for exploring the rest of the lake.
The town itself has some pretty buildings & a church that we admired on our way back to the station.
Como -> Milan (approx 6pm)
We caught the train back to Milan as the sun was setting. As it was only March it started to get cooler, and all in all it had been a long day. We arrived back at Milan Central Station in time to rest & freshen up before heading into the city for evening drinks.
Single ticket: €4.80.
Despite taking on 2 trains, 3 boats and 4 towns in less than 12 hours, overall it felt like a very well paced day.
Lake Como has such a chill vibe that nothing ever felt rushed or crammed in. There are plenty of moments to stop, breathe in the crisp mountain air and marvel at the beauty of such a perfect place.
Lake Como surpassed all my expectations and I hope that after reading this, you feel inspired to go explore it for yourself.
Please leave a comment below to ask any questions or let me know if you check it out!
