Lake Como Travel Guide: Villas, Alpine Views & the Italian Lakes

Lake Como is the most dramatic of the Italian lakes — a narrow, Y-shaped glacier lake surrounded by Alps that rise sharply from the waterline. The combination of mountain scenery, ornate 18th and 19th-century villas with formal gardens, small stone villages on the lake’s edge, and the mild microclimate that allows Mediterranean vegetation at altitude makes it one of Italy’s most spectacular landscapes.

Key towns

Como — The city at the southern tip of the western arm. A pleasant historic centre with a Gothic cathedral and the funicular to Brunate for views. Primarily useful as the arrival point for trains from Milan.

Bellagio — On the promontory where the two arms of the lake meet. The most photographed town on the lake, with stepped lanes, villas, and gardens. Accessible only by ferry from Como or Varenna. In summer, genuinely crowded.

Varenna — On the eastern shore, accessible by train from Milan (change at Lecco). Quieter than Bellagio, with the Villa Monastero gardens and the best views of the Bellagio promontory. Our preferred base.

Lenno — Small village on the western shore, nearest to the Villa del Balbianello.

The villas

Villa del Balbianello (Lenno) — The lake’s most photographed villa — a 17th-century building on a promontory with elaborate terraced gardens. Used as a filming location for Casino Royale and Star Wars: Episode II. Open April–October; accessible by boat taxi or a signed footpath from Lenno.

Villa Carlotta (Tremezzo) — Botanical gardens with rhododendrons, azaleas, and Italian topiary. Best in April–May when the flowering peaks.

Getting around

The ferry network (gestione laghi) connects all major towns. A day pass allows unlimited travel. The slow ferries are cheaper and more pleasant than the hydrofoils. Car roads on both shores are narrow and extremely congested in summer — ferry and train are usually faster.