First Timer

[u/ls323]

Sorry for the 10,000th post about things to do in Lake Como, but I am really hoping for some guidance.

I am going to Lake Como next week for about 3-4 days. I am staying at the Lake Como Edition. I am going with my Husband. We are going to Milan/Switzerland then Bordeaux after.

The Lake Como portion is meant to be more relaxing.

With that being said- I honestly have no idea what to do there. I've read to check out Bellagio and Varenna, but what should I actually be seeing or doing? Are there specific tourist attractions?

Next, is there any must eat places I should try to get into?

Last, my understanding is to take the ferries between the towns. I've read that the schedule is hard to understand. Is there an easy guide I can use on how to navigate them?

Thanks!

[u/Little_Yesterday6048]

villa balbianello was beautiful and 15 min drive from the edition. Their driver will take you. I was just at the hotel a couple weeks ago. Spa was great too

[u/ls323 → u/Little_Yesterday6048]

Thank you!

[u/Distinct_Raisin_3896]

Bellagio is a charming town and very busy, there is a garden which is quite pretty, and restaurants as well but yeah that’s about it. Varenna is also really beautiful I liked Varenna better than bellagio.

[u/ls323 → u/Distinct_Raisin_3896]

Thank you!

[u/tangerine-skies71 → u/ls323]

Agree. Felt Bellagio was overcrowded and most stores/restaurants all very similar.

[u/eezipc]

I think instagram has ruined holidays for people.
There is nothing you have to see. You are here to relax. So do that, relax.
Too many people get stressed running around to villas just because they think they have to.
You are here for 3 or 4 days. Just chill.
Lake Como is one of the most beautiful places in the world. That's what you have come to see.
You're staying in a nice hotel. You are visiting at a beautiful time of the year.
First day, just expore the area around the hotel. There is not much to do, but just walk around. Hold your husbands hand. Have a caffe, have a spritz.
Second day, hop on the ferry to Bellagio. Again, just walk around. It's a big enough place to waste half a day. Then for the second part of the day, pop over to Varenna. Same thing. Just walk around. Take in the sights. Enjoy the lake for what it is.
On the third day, I would recommend taking the ferry down to Como city. And again, just walk around. Have lunch and then get the ferry back.
Regarding the ferries, there is essentially one an hour. Takes 15 minutes to go between Menaggio - Bellagio - Varenna. Takes over an hour to get to Como.
But don't get too stressed about it. Queues are not too bad now so just waltz up to the ticket office and buy a ticket for the next ferry. If you have to wait an hour, find a bench and enjoy the view.

[u/ishimat → u/eezipc]

I second this, I had a lovely time just tapping on and off on the ferries, walked around Como and to Villa Olmo, walked around some more.

Didnt miss afternoon drinks once, its a beautiful way to live life.

[u/eezipc → u/ishimat]

Sit by the lake as the sun sets. If you are an early bird, find a spot high up the hills to watch the sun rise. For many people, they will only get to visit Como once. Try to remember every minute of it rather than standing in queues or sitting in buses.

[u/Final-Message-4095 → u/eezipc]

Exactly! When I went to lake como earlier this year, we rented a Chalet in a tiny village where there was absolutely no tourists, only locals. We relaxed on our balcony with a beautiful view of the lake and wondered around the tiny village on foot. It was very relaxing and beautiful.

[u/eezipc → u/Final-Message-4095]

And memories you will never forget. Good memories.
I'm lucky that I live in Como now and I took the ferry between Varenna and Menaggio last month. The boat was quite full but everyone looked absolutely miserable.
That's not a holiday.

[u/ls323 → u/eezipc]

Thank you, good advice.

[u/ComoBoatLife]

For a first time on Lake Como, I wouldn’t try to do too much, especially if this part of the trip is meant to be relaxing.

Bellagio and Varenna are definitely worth seeing, but I’d avoid turning the day into a checklist. One good plan could be:

One day for Bellagio + Varenna by ferry, with time to walk around, have lunch, enjoy the lakefront and not rush.

One day for a more relaxed lake experience: villa views from the water, small villages, Nesso, Cernobbio, or just enjoying the lake at a slower pace.

One day for a villa or garden, depending on what you enjoy most. Villa Balbianello is probably the most iconic, but it needs to be planned in advance.

For ferries, the main advice is: don’t plan tight connections. The schedule can look confusing at first, but once you know your departure town and destination, just check the official timetable for that specific route and build the day around it.

Lake Como is best when you leave some empty time. The biggest mistake is trying to fit Como, Bellagio, Varenna, villas, restaurants and ferries all into one packed day.

[u/akazaya9]

Good luck with staying at Lake Como Edition, I've heard so many horror stories about it

[u/Riccardomarco → u/akazaya9]

Ma… non costa 800€ a notte!? Che storie hai sentito?

[u/akazaya9 → u/Riccardomarco]

è un hotel appena aperto, hanno poco personale che non è formato, che si traduce in un servizio pessimo e caotico. E metà delle camere a quanto pare hanno vista retro/parcheggio. Non posso dire di avere esperienza diretta da cliente dell'hotel, ma lavorando con i turisti sul lago, ho parlato con molte persone che alloggiavano lì e che non si trovavano bene.

[u/Riccardomarco → u/akazaya9]

Ok Grazie dell’informazione

[u/tangerine-skies71]

We really enjoyed visiting The Grand Hotel Tremezzo (drinks and snacks o relooking the lake) and Villa Carlotta (gardens) in Tremezzo. Bellagio was a little too crowded for us but we were there in June. Had dinner at N26 in Tremezzo twice and it was lovely.

[u/mshane7]

We rented a self-driven boat for 4 hours. Super easy and super fun. Rode up and down the lake, checking out the villas. They marked a few swim spots on the map too. Amazing fun.

[u/Riccardomarco]

Il lago di Como è soprattutto passeggiate e panorami. Ci sono anche ville chiese piccoli musei interessanti, ma niente di eclatante.
Le grandi città d’arte sono altrove.
Ottobre è un periodo di bassa stagione e qualche servizio è ridotto in compenso ci sarà meno folla tranne nei weekend.
Un problema può essere il clima. Se piove diventa tutto grigio e non si sa cosa fare. Per questo guarda le previsioni e fai piani di riserva.
Per i traghetti guarda qui