Getting around the Great Lakes without a car With the train, you can easily reach Stresa, Como, Lecco or Peschiera del Garda. If you want to explore the lakes for a longer period of time without a car, a boat is the best way to get around, as there are no winding roads and no parking problems.

Navigating the Italian Lakes (Como, Garda, and Maggiore) in 2026 is best achieved through a combination of ferries and trains. On Lake Como, the "Battello" (public ferry) system is the lifeline, offering "Rapid" hydrofoils for speed and "Slow" ferries for scenic views. For Lake Garda, the eastern shore is well-served by buses, but the water remains the most traffic-free route. While renting a car offers the most flexibility, 2026 travelers should be warned that lake roads are notoriously narrow, and parking in towns like Bellagio or Sirmione is both expensive and scarce. A supportive 2026 strategy is to take the Trenitalia train from Milan to a lakeside hub (like Varenna or Desenzano) and then use the "Daily Pass" for the ferries to hop between villages. Most ferries now accept contactless "Tap-and-Go" payments at the pier, making spontaneous island hopping much easier than in years past.