By saralisa

Lake Como has got to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. A distant dream that came true. I wish I could go back to the time where I first caught the glimpse of the exquisite lake glittering underneath the warm but gentle sunlight, and the mountainous backdrop that stretched majestically alongside the lake.

How to get there

If you are from Milan, you could easily take the 40-minute train from Milano Centrale to Como S Giovanni station. Depending on which town you are staying, you will have to either hop onto the ferry or take a bus to your accommodation from the station.

You could rent a car but driving and parking in small Italian towns are just pure nightmare.

As for me, after our delightful sojourn in Dolomites, we had driven to Linate airport to drop off our rental car and hired a private driver from the airport all the way to our hotel in Bellagio. If you wish for a hassle-free holiday like I do, daytrip is the best option to consider for your transfers. I have hired them every time I am in Europe and they have yet to disappoint.

How to get around

One of the easiest and most popular options is via ferry. You could take a ferry from one town to another. However, it is important to know that during peak season, the line could stretch for miles and if you do not plan ahead, you might have trouble securing a seat for the ferry/bus and you might miss it too.

You could purchase the ferry tickets online https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/ if you are traveling during peak seasons. We had gone during September, and although there was a bit of line, we had opted to just purchase our tickets when we were there.

Where to stay

It is best to stay in a central location. Bellagio is the heart of it all. With that said, it is a town thronged with tourists, therefore, the priciest compared to its neighbouring towns. If you do not fancy staying in a crowded place but wish to explore regardless, you could consider staying in other idyllic towns dotting the lake coast but equally picturesque like: Varenna, Menaggio, Griante, Tremezzo, Cadenabbia, and Leno. With the ferry, they are relatively convenient.

Although you could stay in Como town itself, it will be time consuming to visit the other towns. Ferry journey could take about an hour or so. If you do not have much time in Lake Como, I would definitely do not recommend it.

Things to do

• Visit Bellagio. It is famous for a reason. It is utterly picturesque and easy to get around because it is quite tiny. You could easily spend hours people watching from one of the quaint little cafes, or just sitting at one of the benches along the promenade and just relish the view. It does get really crowded after 9 am.
• Go town hopping. Each town has plentiful to offer.

• Visit a Historic Villa. It is almost impossible to visit them all if you are traveling only for a couple of nights. Lake Como has plentiful of lavish villas, once home to wealthy and royal Europeans. Their architecture is just beyond stunning with the view to die for. Here are some of the most popular villas to visit in Lake Como :  

1. Villa del Balbianello – the famous villa appeared in Starwars. It is located in Lenno.
2. Villa Belgi (Bellagio)
3. Vila Monastero (Varenna)
4. Villa Carlotta (Tremezzina)
5. Villa Cipressi (Varenna)
6. Villa Olmo

• Take a boat tour. You could take a boat cruise on Lake como to enjoy its views from the water  on a 2-3 hour boat tour.

• Gelato gelato gelato!