Located in Lombardy, Lake Como is the third largest lake in Italy after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. It is a lake surrounded by fantastic locations, where you can spend pleasant holidays. The most important city of the lake is Como, which gives its name to the lake, with its valuable monuments, the charming old town and the suggestive views. Boats and hydrofoils are also an excellent opportunity to admire the city and fully enjoy the beauty of the landscape.
Lake Como is an ideal destination for a romantic weekend, for a holiday with family or friends but also for all lovers of water sports and trekking, thanks to the numerous scenic trails that cross the mountains around it.
To reach the city of Como, the closest airport is Milan Malpensa. From Malpensa airport it is possible to take the Malpensa Express train to Saronno and then take a train from Saronno to Como Nord Lago. The journey time is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.
There are several ways to reach Lake Como from Milan. The car is the most comfortable way. For the city of Como or Bellagio, follow the A9 motorway from Milan to Como (one hour, 52 km) and take the Como Centro exit.
If you don’t want to drive, you can take the train. To arrive by train from Milan to Lake Como, you have to leave from Cadorna station. The journey to Como Nord Lago station takes one hour. Tickets can be purchased online on the Trenitalia website.
The best way to get around the lake is with the scheduled boats or with one of the many taxi boat services that you will find in all towns. The public boat service is very convenient and allows you to move quickly from one side of the lake to the other one. You can buy tickets for single routes or there are day tickets, cheaper, which allow you to get on and off all boats for a whole day (with the exception of the hydrofoil only).
There are also car ferries with which you can quickly cross the lake among Bellagio, Menaggio, Cadenabbia and Varenna.
Como City
Como is the main city to visit. The Como Cathedral is considered one of the most beautiful monuments in northern Italy; a building begun in 1396 and completed in 1740 with the elevation of the dome by the architect Filippo Juvara. The imposing facade is rich in sculptural decorations.
The Gothic-style interior is divided into three naves and preserves numerous works of considerable importance. Among these: canvases by Bernardino Luini and Gaudenzio Ferrari, Renaissance tapestries, the sixteenth-century altarpiece of Sant’Abbondio, protector of the city and the baptismal temple from 1590.
Built at the end of the 11th century the basilica of Sant’Abbondio is a magnificent example of Lombard Romanesque architecture. Built by Benedictine monks, the church underwent considerable alterations starting from the 16th century which altered its original appearance, fortunately recovered thanks to the restoration carried out in the 19th century.
The interior with five naves houses in the apse the splendid cycle of frescoes from the 1300s that tell the story of Christ in twenty scenes.
Broletto
Another important monument to visit is the Broletto, the ancient town hall built in 1215 next to the Cathedral. Over time, the building where citizens’ assemblies were held and where justice was administered, has undergone many changes and alterations.
Restored several times, it was only restored to its original form in 1972. Currently, the Palazzo del Broletto, owned by the municipality, is home to art exhibitions and congresses.
The Volta Temple is a building in the shape of a neoclassical temple erected on the lakeside to celebrate the figure and work of the great Como physicist Alessandro Volta. The museum was erected on the occasion of the first centenary of the death of the inventor of the battery (1927) to house the scientific instruments that belonged to him.
The interior is spread over two floors. The central room on the ground floor displays the apparatus, machines and devices used by the illustrious scientist for experiments in physics and electrology, and for the study of gases and their properties. The loggia on the first floor exhibits relics, letters, publications, portraits of the scientist, politician and professor Alessandro Volta.
Inaugurated in 1894, the Como – Brunate funicular connects the lake and the mountains, and offers a beautiful view of Como and its lake from above. The route is 1084 meters long and overcomes a difference in height of about 500 meters, allowing you to reach the small town of Brunate in just under 7 minutes.
A pleasant holiday resort, Brunate is also called the “balcony” of the Alps for its enchanting panoramic points of Como, the lake and the Alps. The funicular is one of Como’s most famous attractions.
Cernobbio
Leaving Como you arrive in Cernobbio, an elegant tourist resort. The heart of the town is Piazza Risorgimento which directly overlooks the lake. In addition to the enchanting views, Cernobbio is known for the presence of many beautiful villas.
The imposing Villa Erba, built in 1898, is an extensive complex surrounded by a large park. The villa is now an important congress center which hosts events. The most precious monument of Cernobbio, however, is the sixteenth-century Villa d’Este, transformed in 1873 into a luxurious hotel and a beautiful Italian garden overlooking the lake. Walking along the lake you can still admire, Villa Bernasconi in liberty style, Villa Pizzo and the eighteenth-century Villa Fontanelle immersed in a splendid park.
Laglio
After Cernobbio, we meet Laglio. This tiny town visited only by the most curious tourists, lived in splendid anonymity until George Clooney decided to buy the historic Villa Oleandra, using it as a residence for his holidays in Italy. In addition to the pleasant walk along the lakefront, in the hamlet of Torriggia there is the so-called Buco dell’Orso, a karst cave with three underground lakes.
Bellagio
Bellagio is a tourist resort known for its enchanting location and the characteristic historic center. The so-called “pearl of Lake Como” rises on the tip of the promontory that divides the lake into the two branches of Como and Lecco, in a suggestive landscape context. Colored houses, picturesque alleys, characteristic stairways, ancient churches make the old town a place of great charm.
Comacina Island
Comacina Island is the only island on Lake Como, a place of great charm where history, nature and art and archeology are intertwined in this small, almost uninhabited piece of land. A luxuriant nature and a pleasant landscape frame the remains of its important past.
It houses, among other things, three houses for artists built between the years 1936-40 in the Rationalist style intended to host internationally renowned artists in search of inspiration for short periods.
For trekking lovers there is the Greenway of Lake Como, a 10 km walk that touches seven towns on the western side of the lake: Colonno, Sala Comacina, Ossuccio, Lenno, Mezzegra, Tremezzo and Griante. It is an easy trek that passes inside the towns and next to some of the most beautiful villas.
The route is well indicated and is a nice way to spend a day on the lake surrounded by nature enjoying wonderful views.
Lenno is located in what is called the “Gulf of Venus“, delimited by the Promontory of Laveno. It is a small town with a beautiful lakeside promenade, but the main attraction of Lenno is the amazing Villa del Balbianello which is located at the end of the promontory.
Tremezzo
In Tremezzo so many villas have sprung up since the 17th century that made this town one of the most interesting Baroque towns in Italy. In Tremezzo there is Villa Carlotta to see, today a museum that houses masterpieces by Canova, Hayez and Thorvaldsen, surrounded by a wonderful botanical garden; Villa Sola Cabiati, overlooking the lake, hosts events and weddings; the Teresio Olivelli Civic Park of Villa Meier; Villa Amila, built in 1931 in a rationalist style; the Parish Church of San Lorenzo.
Varenna
Last but not least, Varenna is a small town on the eastern shore of Lake Como that is very romantic and suggestive. If you arrive in Varenna by boat, to reach the center of the town from the pier you will have to walk along the Lovers’ walk, a walkway with a red metal structure that is covered with flowers in spring.
The historic center is a maze of alleys and stairways from which you can catch a glimpse of panoramic views of the lake and where you will find small shops and restaurants. In Varenna, the Church of San Giorgio and the Church of San Giovanni Battista are worth a visit.