Lake Guide

If you are going to make a trip of it, we’ve included a few of our favourite places on the lake below.

Getting around

Ferries are the easiest way to visit the towns and villages on the lake and there are frequent services during the summer. It’s therefore best to choose one town as your base to explore from there.

The most popular and well-serviced towns are Menaggio, Bellagio and Varenna. These towns are all accessible between one and other by ferry in under an hour, whereas travel from Como town to these areas can take over two hours.

Ferry information can be found here

Ferry Tickets

Please note that summer (particularly August) can be busy on the lake, so tickets for the limited fast hydrofoil service will sell out. Booking ferry tickets in advance is therefore recommended.

Tickets for the regular service can be purchased online in advance, however tickets for the fast service can only be purchased in person at the ferry dock. Buying tickets as early in the day as possible for later (including return) services is therefore highly recommended, particularly for longer journeys to ensure you can maximise your time exploring the lake!

Other tips

Menaggio is a good base to visit the rest of the lake. It’s busy in the daytime, but quieter in the evening compared to Varenna and Bellagio. Accommodation is also more affordable there compared to Bellagio, for example.

Varenna (on the east side of the lake) is easily accessible by car, and there is a multi-storey car park at the entrance to the town. On the west side of the lake however, the roads begin to narrow as soon as you travel north of Laglio.

In terms of restaurants, we’d recommend you book popular places in advance where you can.

Other than that, you’re in Italy and you can’t go too wrong with pasta, wine & gelato!