Lake Como in the Fall | Best Things to Do & Towns to Visit
Lake Como is one of the most popular destinations to visit in Italy. It’s known for the ornate villas, luxury shops, and celebrity vacation homes. We visited right at the end of October and thought it was a great time to go. It was way less crowded than if we had gone in the summer (which is the busy season) and the weather was still great! When we were researching Lake Como we found it hard to find what we needed, so hopefully our guide is more helpful to you!
What is lake como?
Lake Como is a massive lake in the northern region of Italy. But when people talk about visiting Lake Como, they don’t just mean they are going to the lake itself. There are about 30 towns that surround the lake (some more popular than others) and most people are referring to visiting the towns and villages by the lake.
Where to Stay in Lake Como
Menaggio
There are many towns to choose from when deciding where to stay in Lake Como. We stayed in the town of Menaggio and loved it. Menaggio is on the western shore of Lake Como and had a bunch of cute shops, restaurants, and a gorgeous view of the lake. It’s also easy to get to other towns via ferry or driving from Menaggio. We stayed at a villa in Menaggio with a bunch of friends, but there are other accommodations there and in the surronding towns as well. We recommend staying at a VRBO so you can have the whole place to yourself!
Find Other Lake Como accommodationS on Expedia here!
How to Get Around Lake Como
There are a few ways to get around Lake Como and the surrounding towns. One way is to rent a car. We were going from Milan to Lake Como so our friends rented a car from Milan Centrale and drove us to Menaggio. Having a car gives you the freedom to explore Lake Como and the towns on your own. If you prefer to do things at your own pace, we recommend renting a car. Just know the the roads in Lake Como are very narrow so having a smaller car is ideal.
The other option is to take the ferry. There are many different ferry routes and they go across the lake to the other towns. One of the reasons why we liked staying in Menaggio is because the ferry is right in the center of town! The ferry is €2-4 depending on where you go. Once you get to whatever town you want to explore, each town is walkable so a car is not necessary.
Best Things to do in Lake Como
Villa del Balbianello
Villa del Balbianello
Explore the towns of Menaggio, Bellagio, Como, Varenna, Lecco, & Tremezzo - Each town has something different to offer. Como is the largest and most popular town to visit and Bellagio is also a popular day trip!
Take a boat tour around Lake Como - This is a must do! We took a private boat tour around the lake and the views were absolutely magical. You can book your one hour private boat tour through Expedia here!
Visit Villa del Balbianello in Tremezzo (famous from the Star Wars movies!) - Villa del Balbianello is one of the most popular villas in all of Lake Como. It was used in the Star Wars films, but also the James Bond series & many others! They were actually filming a movie while we were visiting! Tickets to visit the villa cost €11 to visit the garden only, and €22 to enter the whole villa. The famous Star Wars scenes are in the gardens so we only went there (and it was cheaper)!
Visit Villa Carlotta - this was something we ran out of time to do but it looked beautiful! It’s another gorgeous villa in Tremezzo famous for it’s gardens.
Book other Lake Como tours & activities on Expedia here!
Where to Eat & Drink in Lake Como
Caffe Centrale - Menaggio
Ristorante Pizzeria Lugano - Menaggio (amazing arrabiata pasta!)
Dai Viga Pasta Fresca - Bellagio
La Vita e Bella Ristorante - Como
If you want to see more of what we did in Lake Como make sure you watch our Lake Como YouTube video below!
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