How do you spend a few hours in Lake Como?

If you only have one day on Lake Como, I recommend spending your time in Varenna and Bellagio. You also have the option to take a scenic boat cruise past the villas or tour one of the villas on the Lake.



If you only have a few hours in Lake Como, your best bet is to focus on the city of Como or the "mid-lake" hub of Bellagio. In Como, you can quickly visit the breathtaking Duomo di Como, a masterpiece of Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and then take the Brunate Funicular for a 7-minute ride to a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the lake. If you are in the mid-lake region, a two-hour window is perfect for exploring the Villa Melzi Gardens in Bellagio or the Lovers' Promenade in Varenna. For those who want to be on the water, you can rent a small motorboat (no license required for under 40hp) for a one-hour private tour to see Villa del Balbianello from the lake, which provides the most iconic views in the shortest amount of time.

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From unique museums and hiking trails to incredible food and boat rides across the lake, you can't go wrong with almost any activity around Como and the entire lake. One of the must-see spots in Lake Como is the town of Bellagio that has a quaint yet historic center, magnificent views, and impeccable luxury.

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From the villages located in the central area of the lake you can also reach the northernmost villages on the eastern branch, such as Varenna, in a few minutes by boat. But if you want to move along the eastern side (Lecco, Mandello, Varenna, Colico, etc.), train service is probably the best option.

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Bellagio. A highlight of any trip to the shores of Lake Como is a day (or two, or three) in Bellagio. Set conveniently between the two southernmost branches of the lake, the town is made up of steep winding paths where pastel-hued houses provide peripheral pops of color.

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Perfect Pairings: Lake Como & Portofino. Dive into the abundant beauty of Lake Como and Portofino on this breathtaking tour of Italy. Combining the tranquillity of Lake Como with the glitz and glamour of Portofino, this idyllic break takes you to new levels of R&R.

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Public Transportation
  1. Public transportation.
  2. Buses in Como are run by ASF Lines with urban services (lines 3 - 4 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 11 - T3) and extra-urban lines (lines 1 - 6 - 8 - 12). ...
  3. Boat Services on Lake Como are run by Navigazione Lago di Como. ...
  4. Funicular.


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If you are not sure how long to stay in Bellagio, consider this. You can see the town itself in just a few hours, so you can even visit Bellagio on a day trip from Milan. But if you want to experience the best of Lake Como, you should stay in Bellagio for at least 2-3 days.

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The Lake Como Greenway Unwind in the spectacular Lake Como landscape, the Greenway is a pleasant 6 miles (10 km) long hike with plenty to see along the way in each season.

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There are five official legs of the Sentiero del Viandante route: from Lecco to Abbadia, Abbadia to Lierna, Lierna to Varenna, Varenna to Dervio, and Dervio to Colico. Lecco is your starting point, the less glamorous city on the eastern point of Lake Como.

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If you want any kind of night life at all, stay in Como. There's more opportunity for hiking near Varenna, and that's the more scenic part of the lake, but you can get there by boat. Touristy doesn't begin to describe Bellagio and Varenna. If you want any kind of night life at all, stay in Como.

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Use Torno as a base for exploring Lake Como Our first round of research led us to the conclusion that we should stay in either Bellagio or Varenna, both central and charming options that you'll find suggested on most travel guides (including Rick Steves').

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It does not have to be expensive, but can be if you want it to be expensive. Typically I pay abot €11 for lunch in a bar and about €15 for dinner in a trattoria for dinner in the evening (both including wine). Restaurants will be more expensive.

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The hydrofoil takes 45 minutes to one hour to travel from Como to Bellagio and/or Varenna. The slow boat takes up to two to three hours to travel from Como to Bellagio and/or Varenna. Click here for the official Lake Como ferry website and for updated prices.

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