Lake Como is one of the most prominent Italian lakes which has gained more popularity off late because of George Clooney who owns a villa there. Ok girls...move over...don’t start drooling over George Clooney now, because there is more to Lake Como than Clooney and you’ll know why he loves going there often.
This Y shaped lake is beautiful, serene and did you know it is the deepest lake in Italy! Many charming villages are located on the shores of this humongous lake. Situated amidst the pre-alps, this lake with its stunning scenery and postcard beauty is a must visit and definitely an affordable family vacation.
Popular Villages on Lake como: Como, Bellagio, Menaggio, Varenna, Tremezzo, Lecco.
Como is the nearest village to travel from Milan.
Bellagio is situated in the centre of the lake, busier and more expensive than other villages.
Menaggio is more affordable and lot of hotels and restaurant line the lakeside.
Varenna is comparatively silent, and has beautiful views of colourful houses.
Tremezza has many villas of which Villa Carlotta is most popular which is now a museum to visit.
How to get there?
Nearest airport is Milan malpensa airport and from the airport it is around 50 km drive.
There are also trains running from Milan to Como. Como has 3 train stations, so book accordingly (Como San Giovanni, Como Nord Lago and Como Nord Borghi)
Accomodation
Hotels in Como are quite expensive as such but there are more economical options in Menaggio and Varenna (personal favourite). If you have a large pocket you could book a hotel in Bellagio with exorbitant prices. On the other hand, if you prefer a calm and affordable room away from the hustle bustle and are willing to climb the stairs uphill then Varenna is a good choice. Bella como is a company which helps in renting out apartments which is a more prudent option for longer stays.
Travelling within Lake Como
If you want travel swiftly then there are ferries operating between these villages. You can take your cars too in car ferries. You can buy day passes with which you can travel any number of times on these ferries for one whole day. There are also buses that operate across the different villages. Please check the timing of the buses very carefully. They are pretty tricky to understand if you don’t follow Italian. Taxis are affordable during offseason.
Sightseeing
In Varenna, there is this funny, friendly guy Luca who operates Taxi boat varenna (link). He takes you on a group tour to few of the villas of the rich and famous including the Star wars/Casino Royale villa and Richard branson villa (George Clooney’s villa not included in this :( ) (price 30 euros per person in offseason) Although you can’t enter most of the villas as they are private properties, there are a few villas (Villa Monastero on Varenna) which charged us 5 euros for entry where you can enter and enjoy the stretch of lakeside gardens (reminds so much of game of thrones).
Food
There are infinite restaurants on the lakeside of all villages. So ranging from Pizzas, pastas, raviolis to Italian desserts you can find them all in ranges and not to forget the gelatos.
Travelling with toddlers
Lake Como may not be easy to travel with kids since there are a lot of stairs and exploring the villages with strollers might be little difficult. So be prepared to take them around in a baby carriers or do your research about where you want to stay and what kinda activities you want do and check if the area is child-friendly.
Our Suggestions:
Travel by car to Como. Parking spots are tricky to find in many places. So once we reached our hotel, we started using bus to reach the lake side. Once on the lake side, we used buses and ferries to visit other villages. Nice long walks are also possible if the weather is nice.
Stay in a silent village or book a small Villa (http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/, www.booking.com)
Don't be in a hurry to see the different villages. Each village has a charm of its own and different views from the lake itself.
Do the tour from Varenna. There are also tours from other villages some of which include entry to Villas.
Finally, Lake Como is a place to relax and enjoy rather than making any itineraries to visit this place; because once you go there, you are serenaded by its magic you don’t want to stick to schedules.
Happy sightseeing!!
Happy sightseeing!!
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