Visiting Lake Como for the First Time: Travel Guide + Planning Tips

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Traveling to Lake Como for the first time and not sure where to start? This guide covers everything you need to plan your trip — including how to get to Lake Como, how many days you need, when to visit, where to stay, and how to get around.

Planning a trip to Lake Como can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s your first visit. Based on our own trips to the area, we’ve put together practical tips to help you plan your time, get around easily, avoid common mistakes, and make the most of your visit.

How much time do you need in Lake Como? When should you go? Where should you stay and how do you get around? And how do you see the highlights without spending half your time waiting for ferries?

Below you’ll find our best experience-based tips for visiting Lake Como for the first time.

READ ALSO: Best Places to Visit & Things to Do in Lake Como

These are our top travel tips for visiting Lake Como:

1. Decide how long you’ll stay

Lake Como is one of the largest lakes in Italy. Shaped like an upside-down letter “Y”, Lake Como has a 100-mile (160 km) long shoreline that is lined with countless charming towns and picturesque villages.

So visiting Como Lake is not as straightforward as you may think. It’s not a place where you just drive to one town, do a boat trip, and can see everything in a few hours. In fact, you could spend weeks traveling around Lake Como and still not see ‘everything’.

So before anything else, decide how long you’ll stay at Lake Como. Once you know that, it will be much easier to plan the rest of the trip – starting with getting there, getting around, the best area(s) to stay, places to see, things to do, etc.

But don’t worry – Lake Como is worth it even if you only have a day or two. And you can see many amazing places in a short time – IF you know what to expect and plan well.

Good to know:

• If you have just 1 day for Lake Como and want to see some of the most popular places, do yourself a favor and take an organized tour. Otherwise, you’ll lose too much time traveling between places and won’t be able to do as much.

• We recommend planning at least 2-3 days for your first visit to Lake Como. This will give you enough time to see some of the ‘musts’ in a more relaxing way. However, if you want to see all the top places, you should really plan at least 4-5 days or it will be very rushed.

• If you are traveling in the warm season and like hiking and biking, or want to get a bit off the beaten path and visit some less popular towns and villages, you can easily spend a week or even two in the area.

2. Make a plan and don’t try to see everything

Lake Como has a lot to offer, but if your time is limited, don’t try to pack it all in a day or two. There’s no way to see everything in just a few days anyway and you’ll be spending more time waiting for ferries and riding them than sightseeing…

I’d recommend focussing on just 1-3 places in a day and exploring a bit deeper. Take your time to actually visit the place, have a drink or a meal at a local restaurant, explore the villas and the gardens, take a private boat trip on the lake, and try to get just a bit off the main tourist streets. Remember that often, less is more.

Ideally, you make somewhat of a plan so that you don’t miss any of the musts (such as Como, Bellagio, Varenna, or the most beautiful villas on Lake Como). But try to also leave some free time for unexpected discoveries and to just relax and absorb the atmosphere.

TIP: If you want to pack more in a single day, you should really consider an organized tour. For example, most Lake Como day tours from Milan visit the towns of Como, Bellagio, and Varenna. But they use a bus and private boats for the travel between these towns (= no wait time or delays). If you try to see these three places in a day on your own, you’d have to rush through and have much less time to explore them.

3. Reserve as much as possible in advance

This is really becoming the new reality of traveling to popular destinations – you have to reserve as much as possible in advance. Luckily, it’s not yet the case for everything at Lake Como, but it sure helps to do some research before you go.

For example, if you want to visit Villa del Balbianello inside, you really have to book tickets in advance on their website. The visits are guided and the number of people they can take in a day is quite limited. When we traveled to Lake Como in August, the tours of the villa interior were sold out a few weeks in advance.

Most people simply visit the gardens of Villa del Balbianello. Also here, we highly recommend pre-booking your tickets, but you should still be able to get in without an advance reservation. Just keep in mind that the queue at the entrance can get very long, so booking skip-the-line tickets in advance can save you a lot of time.

Villa Carlotta can be visited without reservation, but the queues at the ticket desk can get really long. If you book in advance, you can just walk in via a separate entrance.

PRO TIP: If you plan on visiting several of the nicest Lake Como villas in one day, check out this ferry + villa tickets combo. It includes Villa Monastero, Villa Carlotta, and the gardens of Villa Melzi, plus a 1-day ferry ticket.

Also your accommodation is one of the things you better book well in advance. Staying at Lake Como is not cheap and the earlier you book, the more choices you have, and thus better prices. For example, when we checked the rates at our hotel a week before our trip, we saw that it was about 30% more expensive than what we paid when we booked it a few months upfront.

And if you want to dine at a specific restaurant, you better call them in advance too. For most places, you’ll be able to reserve a table just a few hours in advance. But if it’s a very popular restaurant and you are visiting on a weekend, you may want to call them a few days upfront. And if you didn’t reserve – go early. Italians eat late (around 8 pm or even later), so if you come earlier, you have more chance to find a table. Just be sure to check when the restaurant opens – some only open at 7.30 pm.

Oh, and if you want to take a private boat cruise on the lake, it’s also best to book in advance. You can find some of the best options here. When comparing tours, don’t forget to check their duration and in which town they start!

4. Stay in a central location

If you are visiting Lake Como for a few days and are looking for the best ‘base’ for exploring the area, we recommend staying around the middle of the lake. Bellagio is right in the center of it all, but also Varenna, Menaggio, Griante, Cadenabbia, Tremezzo, and Lenno all are very well located for sightseeing.

Of course, the southern end of the lake (Como, Cernobbio, Lecco…) is worth considering too. But it all comes down to how much time you have and what you want to see and do.

For the first trip and if looking for just one place to stay in order to visit all the top places, I’d stay in the middle.

This is the area where you will find some of the most charming towns and villas of Lake Como. It also has very good boat connections. The ferry journey between all the main places on the eastern and western shores of the lake will take just 10-30 minutes (vs. 1.5-2 hrs from Lecco or Como towns).

Where to stay

Bellagio is the most popular town on Lake Como — and for good reason. It’s centrally located, beautiful, and extremely convenient for getting around the lake. That said, it’s also one of the busiest places to stay and accommodation here is often among the most expensive. If you decide to stay in Bellagio, Hotel Du Lac is a great choice thanks to its central location by the ferry harbor and lake-view rooms.

Varenna is another excellent and very popular base for a first visit. It has a direct train connection to Milan and frequent ferries to Bellagio, Menaggio, and other towns. Just keep in mind that Varenna is also very busy during the day with tour groups. If you stay overnight, however, you’ll enjoy a much quieter atmosphere once the day visitors leave. Hotel Olivedo is a very convenient option right by the ferry and train station.

TIP: If you want to avoid the biggest crowds of day-trippers, stay on the western side of the lake between Menaggio and Lenno. You can still easily visit all the main towns from here, but this side tends to be quieter overall. From places like Tremezzo or Cadenabbia, it’s usually easier to board ferries without long waits. That said, this area works best if you’re staying at least a few nights; for a short one- or two-night visit, the more central ferry hubs are often more practical.

Our experience: We’ve been to Lake Como several times and stayed in three different areas during those trips (Como, Cernobbio, and Cadenabbia). While each worked well for that specific visit, we found the central part of the lake the most convenient for sightseeing. On that trip, we stayed at the historic Grand Hotel Cadenabbia, which is currently closed. If you are looking for something similar in this area, the nearby Grand Hotel Tremezzo is a great alternative, especially if you want a classic lakefront stay with excellent facilities.

For a more detailed comparison of the best towns to stay around Lake Como, see our full guide below. For practical ferry tips, scroll further down.

LEARN MORE: Where to Stay at Lake Como

5. Book a hotel with a view and a pool

One of the biggest perks of staying at Lake Como is waking up to views of the lake and mountains. When choosing accommodation, try to find a hotel with a lake view if your budget allows.

That said, you don’t absolutely need a lake-view room (you’ll likely spend little time in it anyway). It’s often just as nice to enjoy the scenery at breakfast or from a hotel bar or restaurant in the evening.

When we stayed at Grand Hotel Cadenabbia (currently closed), we chose garden-view rooms after reading that the lake-view rooms could be noisy (lakeside often also means street side, depending on the location). Still, we had beautiful views every morning from the restaurant and later in the day from the rooftop terrace.

Another feature worth considering is a pool. If you visit Lake Como in summer, you’ll appreciate having somewhere to cool off during the hottest hours. There are a few public beaches around the lake, but not many; one of the nicest is the beach in San Giovanni near Bellagio.

Our hotel had a great pool, and the lakeside pools at the nearby luxury Grand Hotel Tremezzo and The Lake Como EDITION also look fantastic. Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio has beautiful outdoor and indoor pools plus direct lake access with a designated swimming area. There are many other hotels with pools around Lake Como, but in summer, we found that choosing one makes a big difference — especially for relaxing during the hottest part of the day.

6. Get ferry tickets online or at queiter times

Visiting Lake Como will usually involve at least a few ferry journeys. You’ll need a ticket for those ferries, which you can get at any harbor or online.

While it won’t be a big issue in the quieter months, the ferry ticket offices during the day in the peak season are swamped with people. This is especially the case in places like Bellagio or Varenna, but also Como town. So if you don’t want to waste lots of precious time queuing, try to get your ferry tickets in advance.

If you have the patience to try to navigate the official website of Navigazione Laghi, you can book your ferry tickets and day passes online in advance. This is the website where you can get ferry tickets for Lake Como, but also Lake Garda, and Lake Maggiore.

Alternatively, in the morning, get the tickets for all the journeys you are planning to do that day. Or consider a day ticket if you think you’ll want to visit multiple towns in a day. You can also pass the ticket office the evening before (not too late or it will be closed) and see if you can already get your tickets for the next day(s).

TIP: Depending on your plans, the earlier-mentioned ferry + villa tickets combo can be an easy option allowing you to prebook everything at once.

7. Get to the ferry harbor early

You’ll find the Lake Como ferry schedule in every harbor around the lake. Generally, the boats are quite punctual, so if you are staying in a quieter town, you can just arrive at the harbor a few minutes before the scheduled time.

However, in the most popular towns and at peak times, the harbor often looks like a beehive. There are often at least a few boats arriving/departing at about the same time, and sometimes things can get a bit chaotic.

So save yourself the stress and get to the harbor at least 10-15 minutes before the scheduled departure time so that you can try to figure out where exactly to be. And if you want to be sure to have a place to sit on the ferry, you may want to arrive even earlier so that you can get on the boat sooner.

Our experience: We took multiple ferries on Lake Como. In the lower season, it wasn’t busy and you could rely on the schedule. Also in the summer, departing from smaller harbors was never an issue. But the harbors in Bellagio and Varenna were crazy busy. In addition, many passenger boats arrived (and thus departed) too late. Some ferries weren’t indicated on the schedule (apparently they sometimes add an extra boat if it gets too busy), adding to the confusion and people trying to get on the wrong boat without realizing where it was going…

If things get crazy, try to stay calm, and don’t be afraid to ask the staff where the ferry is going if you aren’t sure. You don’t want to end up on the other side of the lake if all you need is a 10-minute ferry ride from Varenna to Bellagio or so.

8. Don’t count on the ferry schedule 100%

While most ferries on Lake Como run quite punctually, we have experienced quite a few delays during our visit too. Especially on the small passenger ferry which stops in Varenna and Bellagio. One time the ferry was so late and had additional delays waiting to dock in Bellagio that we arrived back at our hotel an hour later than expected.

Car ferries have a separate dock, so they are usually nicely on time. Whereas passenger ferries have to share the same dock and that’s where things go wrong in the busiest towns during peak times. And if you already have a 10-minute delay on a specific line in the morning, it usually gets worse and worse by the end of the day.

So when planning your sightseeing time at Lake Como, be sure to leave some room for delays, sometimes even up to 30-45 minutes. You can’t rely on the ferry 100% and that’s also what makes it a bit more difficult to visit multiple places in a day in the peak season.

If you just go to one or two towns, it’s normally not a big deal. But if you are visiting Lake Como for just a day and are on a tight schedule (or even have to get back somewhere before a certain time), keep in mind that ferries can have serious delays. This brings us to the next point…

9. Visit the most popular towns in the late afternoon

If you are visiting Lake Como in summer, expect heavy crowds almost everywhere. One of the best ways to avoid them in the most popular towns is to arrive very early (before 10 am) or visit later in the afternoon (after 3–4 pm). The downside of going early is that day-trippers start arriving soon after. Late afternoons are usually much quieter, and it only improves as more people leave.

When we first visited Lake Como, we started our days like everyone else — after a relaxed breakfast. Big mistake. It was crowded everywhere.

We quickly realized that most places get much quieter in the afternoon. By evening, most day-trippers are gone, and you can actually enjoy the towns without constantly squeezing through crowds.

This is easiest if you have a few days at Lake Como. If so, adjust your schedule and visit the towns in the afternoon rather than in the morning. Ferries run quite late in summer, and if you stay in the central part of the lake (as we recommend), it’s easy to explore several towns this way.

In many places, a few hours is enough anyway. Just keep an eye on attraction opening times so you don’t miss anything by arriving too late.

READ ALSO: Most Beautiful Towns & Villages on Lake Como

10. Travel in the shoulder season

One of the most beautiful destinations in Italy, Lake Como is extremely popular. Plus, the main tourist season is relatively short, roughly from March through October, with peak crowds in summer (June–September).

If your main focus is sightseeing and you don’t plan to swim, try to visit in spring or fall. It will still be busy, but nowhere near as crowded as July and August when European school holidays are in full swing.

The best months for sightseeing are mid-April through May and mid-September through mid-October. At that time, everything is open, the weather is mild, and the crowds are more manageable.

TIP: Some of top sights around the lake are historic Lake Como villas with beautiful gardens. One of the nicest times to visit is when everything is green and in bloom. Rhododendrons and azaleas usually peak around the second half of April (depending on the weather).

That said, summer is also a great time to visit Lake Como. You can fully enjoy the lake, outdoor dining, and boat trips, but you’ll need to plan ahead and be prepared for crowds — especially at ferry harbors in the most popular towns.

Good to know: While Lake Como is beautiful year-round, winter is a very different experience. It can be quite cold, many businesses close between November and February, ferries run less frequently, and some attractions shut for the season.

We’ve visited Lake Como in different seasons, including late October and late November. Both fall trips were enjoyable but felt very different from the warmer months. If you prefer fewer crowds and a quieter, more local feel, the off-season can be a good choice, but check opening times for ferries, villas, and restaurants before you go.

11. Get a bit off the beaten path

Lake Como is busy in the high season. But this is the case at all the bucket-list destinations, isn’t it? The good news is that most people just visit a few of the most popular places and never take the time to wander further.

So if you have the time (even if just a few hours), try to explore the area a bit deeper and get off the beaten path. Often, you don’t even have to walk far. A few examples:

• While Varenna town center is very busy, its castle Castello di Vezio sees just a fraction of the visitors. Granted, it’s located high on the hill and you will need to make an effort to walk to it. But it only takes 20-25 minutes and you’ll be rewarded with fantastic views of the lake, the town, and its surroundings. Plus, the castle itself is really cool too – especially if you are visiting Lake Como with kids.

• The main area close to Bellagio harbor is crowded during the day. The same for the most famous street with the best view in town – Salita Serbelloni. But if you take any of the narrow alleys parallel to this street, the crowds disappear. Not many people even seem to walk to Punta Spartivento, the viewpoint at the very end of the peninsula. And if you take the little tourist train and hop off in Pescallo or San Giovanni, you’ll find a totally different atmosphere than in Bellagio itself.

• In Lenno (where the famous Villa del Balbianello is located), be sure to also check out the town itself. There’s a beautiful church right in the center – Chiesa Santo Stefano – with an impressive underground crypt. While the villa and the gardens were very busy when we visited, there was nobody in the church…

These are just a few examples at the most popular towns on Lake Como. If you visit smaller towns and turn just a bit off the main streets, you will be able to enjoy a more authentic side of Lake Como without the crowds. Plus, there are countless hiking opportunities and on most trails, you’ll hardly meet any people at all.

12. Wear comfortable shoes

If you are planning to do any sightseeing in Lake Como beyond just hopping off the ferry and checking out the main streets in every town, be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Because no matter where you go, you’ll be walking a lot. Often, a lot more than you anticipate.

As already mentioned, many villas around Como Lake have beautiful gardens. Sometimes, you’ll have to negotiate a few steeper trails or gravel paths. Also in towns, there are cobbled streets and often many stairs too…

Sneakers or light walking shoes are ideal. In summer, for most places, sandals with a good sole and comfortable fit will be fine too, but ideally, you avoid flat-bottomed leather sandals or flip-flops. If you are planning to go hiking, you’ll definitely need good hiking shoes or – depending on the season – even hiking boots.

Take my word for it, you’ll enjoy your visit to Lake Como so much more if you are wearing comfortable shoes!

13. Don’t visit by car

For all clarity – you can travel to Lake Como by car (we did a few times). But once you get there, park it and don’t touch it for the rest of the stay.

The traffic is usually not too bad, although many roads are very narrow and there are people, bikes, and scooters everywhere. If you aren’t used to this, it can be a very stressful experience. And if you turn off the main road and get into some very local areas, you can get quite stuck in a narrow street with not much space to turn (back)… We saw a German driver wrecking an entire side of his car by trying to take a turn into a narrow street in Lenno.

In addition, parking can get really problematic around Lake Como in the peak season. If you think it will be faster to just drive to a nearby village by car, reconsider. Often, you’ll spend more time looking for parking than getting there.

Plus even if you find a spot, often, there are time restrictions as to how long you can leave your car there. And in most places, you also have to pay for parking.

We saw LOTS of cars with parking tickets during our stay at Lake Como. Usually, because the cars stood somewhere longer than allowed.

There is a big public parking garage in Varenna, but it’s usually full in the morning already. So if your plan is to drive to Varenna and visit Lake Como for a day by car, try to get there really early. Once it’s full, you won’t even be allowed to wait for a spot to open up. Since the cars waiting to get into this parking block the entire street, the police just send everyone away. And there aren’t many alternatives.

TIP: I guess it goes without saying, but if you are driving to Lake Como by car, be sure that your hotel/accommodation has parking. This is truly a must and you can’t just count on being able to find a spot (and leave your car there for as long as you want).

14. Pack a reusable water bottle and sun protection

There’s one packing essential that you absolutely need when traveling in Italy and that’s a reusable water bottle. There are free drinking fountains everywhere so you can easily fill them up several times during the day.

Also in Lake Como, we saw many drinking fountains. In the summer, it’s a real lifesaver. You’ll also be able to buy some bottled drinking water, but it’s very expensive. In that case, hold on to that bottle and refill it later.

Another thing that you need if visiting Lake Como in summer is a good sun hat and sunscreen. And if you didn’t pack a hat, you’ll find plenty of sun hats for sale everywhere.

15. Take some cash

While Italy has come a long way in accepting card payments, there are still some places that only take cash. We encountered this on quite a few occasions at Lake Como.

Luckily, most restaurants, shops, and main tourist attractions take credit cards.

So if you need euros, it will likely be for smaller payments. But it sure helps to have some cash, also for tips at the restaurants.

16. Research where and when to eat

There are so many restaurants in the Lake Como area that you will never have to worry about getting hungry. And the good news is that even the restaurants in the most popular areas usually serve really good traditional Italian food.

However, just as anywhere in the world, it’s also possible to have a less good meal in Lake Como. So do a bit of research before you sit down. Often, just a quick look at the reviews on Google Maps will already give you a good idea of what to expect.

As a general rule, try to avoid restaurants with food pictures on the menu. Usually, restaurants right next to the busy harbors of the main towns of Lake Como will not offer the best local experience either. But if you walk just a few blocks further or turn into a quieter side alley, you can find some local gems.

Also in the Lake Como area, there are huge differences in prices that you pay, depending on the restaurant. So check this in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises. Depending on where you eat, you can have a perfectly good pasta dish for 10 euros or for 20…

One more thing to remember is that most restaurants in Italy are only open for lunch and dinner (+- noon to 3 pm and 7 to 10 pm). So if you try to find a place to eat at 3-5 pm, good luck! And, as already said, it pays to reserve a restaurant for dinner in advance, especially if traveling in Lake Como in summer.

So, this is our first-timer’s guide to visiting Lake Como, with practical tips to help you plan your trip and know what to expect. We hope it helps you make the most of your time at Lake Como, no matter how long you stay.

Have a great trip!

For more ideas and travel tips for Lake Como and Milan, see these guides:

• Best Things to Do in Lake Como
• Best Things to Do in Bellagio
• Most Beautiful Villas to See in Lake Como
• Best Things to Do in Varenna
• Best Things to Do in Como City
• Best Things to Do in Milan
• Milan 1-day Itinerary

Planning a trip around Northern Italy? You may also like:

• Best Places to See in Lake Garda
• Lake Garda Itinerary
• Best Places to See in the Italian Dolomites
• Dolomites Travel Guides
• Best Things to Do in Verona
• Best Things to Do in Bologna
• Best Things to Do in Florence
• Cinque Terre in 1 Day
• Trentino with Kids (off the beaten path, activity-filled trip)
• For many more destinations across the country, see our Italy Travel Guide.

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