Day Trips from Lake Como: Milan, Lugano & the Best of the Lombard Lakes

Lake Como is long (45km from north to south) and the ferry network provides the most enjoyable way to move between its villages. For day trips beyond the lake itself, Milan is the obvious draw — less than 50 minutes from Como by train. Switzerland begins 5km north of Como and the crossing is simple.

Bellagio (central lake, approximately 1 hour by ferry from Como)

The most famous village on the lake — and for good reason. Bellagio sits at the exact point where the lake divides into its two southern arms, with water visible in three directions and the Alps rising on all sides. The steep cobbled streets, colourful villas, and flower-lined waterfront promenade are genuinely as beautiful as the photographs suggest.

The Villa Melzi gardens (on the waterfront south of the ferry dock — entry approximately €8 as of 2026) have a formal Italian garden with a neoclassical villa, a Japanese rock garden, and lakeside pathways. The Villa Serbelloni gardens (entry approximately €9, guided tour only, April–October) crown the high promontory — the views from the top across all three arms of the lake are exceptional.

Bellagio is crowded from June through August — the morning ferry from Como arrives around 10am; be on it or earlier. Accommodation and restaurants are significantly more expensive than elsewhere on the lake.

Getting there: Ferry from Como (Lungo Lario Trento dock) to Bellagio — approximately 1 hour by regular ferry, approximately 45 minutes by hydrofoil. Regular ferry approximately €10 each way as of 2026; hydrofoil approximately €15.

Varenna (northeast shore, approximately 30 minutes by ferry from Bellagio)

The most atmospheric village on the lake — smaller than Bellagio, less crowded, and with a particular quality of light in the afternoon when the sun comes off the mountains behind and hits the lakefront directly. The Passeggiata degli Innamorati (Lovers’ Walk) is a lakeside path cut into the rock below the village, with water on both sides and views of Bellagio across the lake.

The Villa Monastero (Via IV Novembre — entry approximately €6 as of 2026) has a botanic garden running along the waterfront for several hundred metres, with ancient cypresses and camellias. The Villa Cipressi garden is immediately adjacent (combined ticket approximately €8).

Getting there: Ferry from Bellagio to Varenna — approximately 30 minutes, approximately €5–6 as of 2026. From Como directly: ferry approximately 1.5–2 hours, hydrofoil approximately 45 minutes.

Milan (approximately 50 km southwest, approximately 45 minutes by train from Como)

Italy’s business and fashion capital makes for a seamless day trip. From Como San Giovanni station, Trenord trains to Milano Centrale run every 30 minutes (approximately 45 minutes, approximately €5 as of 2026).

Top priorities: The Last Supper (Leonardo da Vinci, 1495–1498, in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie — entry approximately €15, must book weeks in advance at vivaticket.com). For guided tours of Lake Como covering Bellagio, Varenna, and the private villa gardens, there are options for all group sizes; the Duomo (entry to the cathedral is free, rooftop terraces approximately €12 by stairs or €16 by lift as of 2026 — the views over the Lombard Plain are extraordinary); the Pinacoteca di Brera (Via Brera 28 — entry approximately €15, outstanding Renaissance collection including Mantegna’s Dead Christ and Raphael’s Betrothal of the Virgin); the Castello Sforzesco (free to enter the courts, museums inside approximately €5).

Lugano, Switzerland (approximately 45 minutes by train from Como)

A Swiss city with an Italian soul — the Ticino canton is majority Italian-speaking. Lugano sits on its own lake surrounded by three mountains: Monte San Salvatore and Monte Brè are both accessible by funicular.

The old town of Lugano (free to explore) has Via Nassa for high-end shopping, the Piazza della Riforma with its café-lined square, and the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo with a Renaissance facade. The LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura (Piazza Bernardino Luini 6 — entry approximately CHF 15 as of 2026) is a high-quality contemporary art museum.

Getting there: Train from Como San Giovanni to Lugano — approximately 45 minutes, approximately €10–12 as of 2026 (you pay in CHF for any leg in Switzerland). Passport required at the border.

Bergamo (approximately 55 km east, approximately 1 hour by train)

The upper walled city (Città Alta) of Bergamo — accessible by funicular from the lower city — is one of the finest Venetian-era fortified towns in northern Italy. The Piazza Vecchia is framed by the Palazzo della Ragione (12th century), the Civic Tower (Torre del Campanone, climbable — approximately €3), and the Renaissance library. The adjacent Cappella Colleoni (free) has the most ornate Renaissance facade in Lombardy.

From Lake Como, take the regional train from Lecco (south arm of the lake) to Bergamo — approximately 50 minutes, approximately €4 as of 2026. Or from Como San Giovanni to Bergamo via Milan — approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.

Practical notes

• The Navigazione Lago di Como (navigazionelaghi.it) runs all lake ferries; the Biglietto Giornaliero day pass is the most flexible option
• Ferries are significantly reduced from November to March — plan the lake itinerary seasonally
• Last Supper tickets in Milan must be booked weeks ahead; don’t plan this as a last-minute addition
• Lugano: Swiss francs (CHF) are required for purchases in Switzerland; card payments are accepted almost everywhere but note the currency difference
• Parking in Como is limited and expensive; arriving by train from further afield is recommended
• Prices listed are approximate as of 2026

For accommodation when basing yourself on the lake: where to stay on Lake Como covers all price ranges and towns, from budget guesthouses in Menaggio to the grand villa hotels. Arriving via Bergamo is worth considering — the airport is closer than Milan Malpensa and the upper city (Città Alta) makes a worthwhile stop before the lake.