Lake Como Itinerary: How to Spend 2 Days in Lake Como

Lake Como is my favourite part of Italy. There’s just something about the fresh air, big lake with the surrounding mountains, beautiful little colourful towns and gorgeous villas. Which is why I personally think it’s such a bad idea to visit Lake Como as a day trip from Milan. I highly recommend you to spend at least a couple of days to really soak up the vibes. In this Lake Como itinerary blog post I will share with you how to spend 2 days in Lake Como like I did.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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How to Get to Lake Como

The best and easiest way to get to Lake Como is to fly to Milan. There are 3 airports; Milan Malpensa which is an international airport, Milan Linate for domestic and short-haul flights and Milan Bergamo which mainly serves low-budget flights.

If you’re flying from Europe, you can easily fly to all 3 airports. If you’re flying from overseas, then you will land at Milan Malpensa. The best and easiest airport to get from to Lake Como is Milan Malpensa, regardless of which means of transportation you’re using.

✅ Check the flight prices here.

Let’s quickly review all 3 airports and how to get to Lake Como.

Getting to Lake Como from Milan Malpensa Airport

Firstly, I would highly recommend you to rent a car because it’s the best and easiest way of exploring Lake Como on your own. You just pick up your car at the airport and within 1-2 hours (depending on the traffic) you’re in any Lake Como town.

If renting a car is not an option for you, then the easiest way is to take the Malpensa Express (departing from both terminals) to Milan and get off at Saronno (after about a 20 minute ride). At Saronno train station, take the train to Como Lago. If you’re going to Bellagio, then take the bus C30 or the ferry once you arrive in Como.

If you’re going to Varenna, you need to go to Milan Central Station and take the direct train to Varenna.

You can also get to Lake Como with Flixbus.

✅ Check Omio for the best public transportation prices and options.

Getting to Lake Como from Milan Linate Airport

Again, the best is to rent a car and drive to Lake Como. It will take you about 1.5-2 hours depending on the traffic.

If not renting, then take a train to Milan Central Station and from there to Como.
If you’re going to Bellagio, you can also take a train from Milan Central Station to Lecco and then the D10 bus or the ferry (only in the summer). Or you can go to Como and take the C30 bus or the ferry to Bellagio that runs all year.

If you’re going to Varenna, then there’s a direct train from Milan Central Station.

From these 3 main towns (Como, Varenna, Bellagio) you can easily take buses or ferries to other towns like Tremezzo, Lenno, Menaggio and others.

✅ Check Omio for the best public transportation prices and options.

Getting to Lake Como from Milan Bergamo Airport

Milan Bergamo is actually in another town – Bergamo. With that, it’s the furthest away from Lake Como and the most complicated one if not renting a car. We flew to Bergamo because the flights were the cheapest (thx Ryanair!), but we knew we would rent a car, so for us it didn’t matter. If you’re flying to Bergamo, I would strongly suggest doing the same and rent a car.

If you’re not renting, then the best is to either go to Varenna or Bellagio. If you need to go to Como, just take a ferry or bus from Bellagio and/or Varenna. There are no direct trains or other routes to Como like from the first 2 airports.

If you’re going to Bellagio, take the bus to Bergamo train station to Lecco and then a D10 bus or ferry to Bellagio.

If you’re going to Varenna, take the bus to Bergamo train station to Lecco and then a train from Lecco to Varenna.

From Bellagio and Varenna you can easily take buses or ferries to other towns like Como, Tremezzo, Lenno, Menaggio and others.

✅ Check Omio for the best public transportation prices and options.

How to Get around Lake Como

It’s no surprise that the best way for getting around Lake Como is by car. We found the roads pretty enjoyable and easy to drive. We didn’t struggle with finding a parking space and often we found the free ones or with a low pricing. You can also leave your car in one town and then take ferries to another if you know you’d be back to where you left it. That’s how we did it on our first day. We drove to Bellagio, explored it, took the ferry to Varenna and left the car in Bellagio. Once we explored Varenna, we got back on the ferry to Bellagio and took our car. Easy.

If you’re not renting, you can take local ferries and buses to move around Lake Como.

Or, you can join a guided tour and explore Lake Como with a guide who will organise everything for you. Additionally, one of the best ways for exploring Lake Como is on a boat tour.

Where to Stay in Lake Como

The best towns to stay in Lake Como are Bellagio and Varenna, but hotels do get booked up quickly! We wanted to stay in one of these 2 towns, but because we planned our trip almost at last minute, anything decent and within our budget at the time was booked! So, if you want to specifically stay in these 2 places, then book your stay ahead.

Fortunately because of the fact we rented a car, we could easily stay wherever we wanted to and not depend on the public transportation system. Therefore, we booked a really nice apartment with beautiful Lake Como views from the terrace. Honestly, this is a must when you’re in Lake Como, to book a place with the view.

📖 Check my Top 12 Hotels in Lake Como with Beautiful Lake Como View for more.

When to Visit Lake Como

The best time to visit Lake Como is in the shoulder season; April to June and September to October. The weather is nice, sunny and the prices are lower, especially for hotels than in the peak summer season.

Of course, if you’d love to actually swim in the lake, then the summer months are the best. Just remember that the lake water won’t be as hot as the Mediterranean sea, but you can still expect more than 20 C (68 F) degrees.

The worst time to visit Lake Como is in the winter months, not so much for the cold, but mainly because most of the villas are closed for visit (including the famous Villa del Balbianello) and a lot of hotels don’t operate at all in the winter months. Also, if you’re depending on public transport, then even some ferry lines don’t run at all or they are not as frequent.

We visited Lake Como at the end of May and it was perfect. The weather was very pleasant, it was sunny daily and there weren’t that many crowds yet.

📖 Visiting Lake Como in summer? Check my Europe Summer Outfits Ideas: What to Wear in Mediterranean blog post.

How Many Days in Lake Como is Ideal

As I said at the beginning, it is such a shame to visit Lake Como as a day trip from Milan! I know we are often tied with the lack of time, but I would rather leave Lake Como for some other time than just do a quick day visit.

Having said that, to properly experience Lake Como you need at least 2 full days, but 3-4 days would be ideal, especially if you want to spend some time relaxing in the lake waters.

Day 1: Bellagio & Varenna

On your first day of this Lake Como itinerary you will explore the most popular towns: Bellagio and Varenna. These are truly the most beautiful places in Lake Como. Most people prefer Bellagio over Varenna, though for me Varenna has more charm. Nevertheless, the differences are minor and both towns are a must visit when in Lake Como.

Serbelloni Street

Start your day in Bellagio, and what a better place than at Serbelloni Street. This is the heartbeat of Bellagio and the ultimate Instagram place.

Serbelloni Street is bustling with cafes, restaurants, gelaterias and wine shops. We took a 6 am flight to be in Lake Como as early as possible to make the most of our bank holiday weekend. By the time we were in Bellagio, it was already time for lunch.

📖 Read my 9 Best Photo Spots in Lake Como: Instagrammable Places blog post.

Gelateria del Borgo

This place deserves a heading of its own. It’s the best gelateria not only in Bellagio, but in Lake Como. It’s close to Serbelloni Street and impossible to miss because there’s always a queue in front of it!

Villa Melzi d’Eril

Villa Melzi d’Eril in Bellagio is one of the best villas to visit in Lake Como. It was built as the summer residence of Francesco Melzi d’Eril, vice president of the Italian Republic founded by Napoleon in the early 1800s.

Villa Melzi is open from the end of March to the end of October and on every day. The opening times are from 10 am to 7 pm (last admission at 6:30 pm!).

✅ As for the tickets, if you want to visit Villa Monastero, Villa Melzi and Villa Carlotta, then consider getting a combo ticket that covers the entrance to all these 3 villas + ferry rides. You might want to adjust the itinerary slightly if you’re going with this option. You can also buy the tickets on the spot.

You can only visit the gardens because the villa is still privately owned. Rest assured, even the gardens are well worth your time.

📖 Read my 5 Best Villas to Visit in Lake Como: Most Beautiful Spots blog post.

Ferry to Varenna

Even if you’re renting a car, you’d need to take a ferry from Bellagio to Varenna. If you’re going back to Bellagio, then leave your car there. If not, then you can also take the car on board, you just pay an additional ticket for it.

The ferry ride is sweet and short, so soak up the views and breathe the fresh lake air.

Walk of Lovers

As you’re walking from the ferry port towards the centre of Varenna, you’d pass by the Walk of Lovers. It is a short pedestrian path over the lake waters with beautiful and romantic views, hence the name.

Villa Monastero

After Villa del Balbianello, Villa Monastero was my 2nd favourite and the one not to be missed! It was initially the site of the ancient Cistercian women’s monastery that was built at the end of the 12th century. Due to decline the monastery was bought by the Mornico family in 1569. They rebuilt it and turned it into a villa, which was owned by them for more than 3 centuries.

In 1862 the house was sold to the engineer Pietro Genazzini of Bellagio, but he was forced to sell it in 1869 due to financial issues. The new buyer was Carolina Maumari. Over the course of centuries the villa was passed from one owner to the other until 1939 when the De Marchi family, who owned it at the time, donated it to the public.

Villa Monastero therefore became a public property and a museum opened to the public (I’m personally so happy for this decision).

Villa Monastero is open daily from the beginning of April to the end of October (the museum will be closed every Monday in April, May, and September).

The opening times in the peak season are 9:30 am – 8 pm and 10 am – 5 pm in the low season (the last admission is 45 minutes before the closing time!)

✅ It is better to buy tickets in advance, but not necessary as with Villa del Balbianello. If you want to visit Villa Monastero, Villa Melzi and Villa Carlotta, then consider getting a combo ticket that covers the entrance to all these 3 villas + ferry rides. You can also buy the tickets on the spot separately.

Villa Cipressi

The main difference between Villa Cipressi from all the other villas is that Villa Cipressi is actually a luxury hotel today. That means that you can book a stay there and enjoy everything it has to offer.

✅ CHECK THE PRICES HERE

The villa was built between 1400 and 1800. Over the centuries, it passed through several wealthy families, including the Serponti, Andreossi and Isimbardi families, each of whom added to its charm.

In the early 20th century, the property passed into the hands of Sir Astley and Sir Salton, until it came to the publisher Accame, the last owner before its acquisition in 1980.

Villa Cipressi also hosts weddings and other events too. And on the day we were visiting, there was a wedding happening, which meant that we could only visit the gardens partially. And with no surprise, the most beautiful and popular garden area was privatised for the wedding. And I came for that particular part of the gardens because I do suck for instagrammable places (there, I said it lol).

But, what also annoyed me is that they charged us the full price for the gardens even though we could only walk around half of it.

With that, if you’re planning on visiting, the best is to buy the tickets at the entrance, but before you do, ask them if you’d have the access to the full gardens or if some event is happening.

Villa Cipressi is open daily, but the times vary throughout the year. The safest bet is to visit between 11 am and 4 pm.

Chiesa di San Giorgio

This is a beautiful little 14th century church on the main square of Varenna. You can visit it for free.

Get Lost in the Streets of Varenna

I loved Varenna the most. It’s such a cute, colourful and romantic place. It didn’t feel crowded like Bellagio at all.

So, just wander around and get lost in its streets.

For dinner I recommend Albergo del Sole Ristorante Pizzeria.
Bar Il Molo is the most popular place, but we skipped it last time. It’s a perfect place to have a glass of Aperol Spritz.

Day 2: Lenno, Tremezzo & Menaggio

On your second and last day in Lake Como, you will explore Lenno, Tremezzo and Menaggio.

Villa del Balbianello

Start your day with visiting the most beautiful and famous villa of Lake Como.

Villa del Balbianello is located in Lenno and was built at the end of the 18th century by Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini on the site of an old Franciscan Monastery. In the 19th century, after Cardinal’s death, Villa del Balbianello was inherited by his grandson Count Luigi Porro Lambertenghi.

Later, the villa was purchased by Marquis Giuseppe Arconati Visconti, who made some improvements to its gardens and the loggia. Unfortunately as the family declined, the villa was neglected.

In 1919, Villa del Balbianello was purchased by Butler Ames, an American soldier and businessman. He restored it and returned its original glory and beauty. In 1974 Ames’s heirs gave the villa to the famous entrepreneur and explorer Guido Monzino. He decorated the villa with artefacts and souvenirs he got from his travels and expeditions. Monzino died and donated Villa del Balbianello to FAI (Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano).

Today Villa del Balbianello is also used as a wedding venue and a filming location. The two very famous movies were filmed in Villa del Balbianello. You can spot Villa del Balbianello in some scenes from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones by George Lucas and Casino Royale, James Bond with Daniel Craig. 🤩 I don’t know about you, but I love visiting filming locations.

📖 Read my Villa del Balbianello & Star Wars: Visiting Filming Location blog post.

💡Firstly, and most importantly, if you plan on visiting Villa del Balbianello, you have to buy your tickets well in advance!

Basically, if you want to see the interior of the villa + the gardens, you need to get your tickets at least one month in advance.

If you’d like to explore the gardens only, then you need to get the tickets at least 2 weeks in advance.

Once they’re sold out, there’s no chance for you to see the villa at all on your own, which is why it’s super important to plan ahead. I have personally made that mistake and was unable to see the interior, but luckily I could at least explore the gardens (I did buy mine about 2 weeks ahead of my visit FYI).

The only other way for visiting Villa del Balbianello if the entry tickets are sold out is to join a guided tour.

Villa del Balbianello is NOT open all year round and NOT on every day. It is open to visitors from mid-March to the end of November from 10 am to 6 pm (last entrance is at 5 pm!).

Also, it is NOT open on Mondays and Wednesdays.

📖 Read my How to Get to Villa del Balbianello – Exclusive Guide blog post that covers in depth guide on how to visit Villa del Balbianello from major Lake Como towns. It is not as easy as it seems, but I’ve got you covered with this guide!

Villa Carlotta

Villa Carlotta was built in the late 17th century by the wealthy banker Giorgio Clerici as a summer residence.
In 1801, it was purchased by Giovanni Battista Sommariva, a politician and art collector. He transformed the villa into a cultural gem by adding a rich collection of sculptures and artworks, including masterpieces by Canova and Thorvaldsen.

In 1843, Sommariva’s heirs sold the villa to Princess Marianne of Prussia, who gifted the residence to her daughter Charlotte.

Villa Carlotta’s history took an interesting turn during and after World War I. Unlike other properties owned by foreign nationals in Italy, the villa was not confiscated by the Italian state when Italy entered the war in 1915. Instead, it was placed under the management of an administrator, with the Swiss Consulate overseeing the interests of its owners during the war.

Things changed in 1921 when the financial administrator of Como Province declared the villa as property of the Italian state, citing its national significance. Plans were made to auction it in 1922, but thankfully this never happened. Local supporters, led by Senator Giuseppe Bianchini and the Rotary Club of Milan, fought to protect the villa. Their efforts resulted in the establishment of the Ente Villa Carlotta, a charitable foundation created by royal decree in 1927, which still manages the villa today.

Villa Carlotta is open from mid-March to the end of October and on every day. The opening times are from 10 am to 7 pm (last admission at 6 pm!). The ticket for Villa Carlotta includes both the gardens and the interior with the art collection.

✅ As for the tickets, if you want to visit Villa Monastero, Villa Melzi and Villa Carlotta, then consider getting a combo ticket that covers the entrance to all these 3 villas + ferry rides. You can also buy the tickets on the spot separately.

Grand Hotel Tremezzo

A short minute walk from Villa Carlotta is Grand Hotel Tremezzo, one of the best hotels with the lake view, and overall the best luxury hotels in Lake Como.

✅ CHECK THE PRICES HERE

Even if you can’t stay there, you can still visit for drinks and enjoy the outdoor bar by the lake. We had just had our lunch at La Locanda Tremezzo (which I recommend) where we also had an Aperol Spritz, so we were full and skipped the drinks at Grand Hotel Tremezzo, but we did check out the grounds. It’s on my bucket list to stay there some day because it is absolutely gorgeous!

The Best of Menaggio

Afterwards we drove to Menaggio where we had cappuccino and tiramisu (calories in Italy don’t count, right!?). We had ours at Hotel Du Lac at Piazza Garibaldi, which is another hotel with great views, but on the affordable side.

We walked around Menaggio a bit and then took the ferry to Bellagio where we bought wine at the wine shop and had pizza at Ristoro Forma & Gusto.

We actually went back to Bellagio to visit Villa Melzi because we didn’t have time the previous day. So, you can easily do it too if you’d like.

Is Lake Como Worth Visiting

I think it’s very easy to spot my love for Lake Como. This little heaven in Northern Italy is such a romantic and beautiful destination. It’s a perfect combination of sightseeing, relaxing and enjoying the views and fresh air.

It’s no surprise that many movies have been filmed there and that people choose it as a location for their wedding. So, yes, Lake Como is very much worth visiting.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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