Lake Como is a lake of closing dates. Villa Melzi shuts on 2 November, Villa Carlotta drops to weekends, Isola Comacina closes in October, and the ferries switch to a winter timetable the same week. So the usual list of things to do in Lake Como only works if you know which month you're coming in.
This guide to what to do in Lake Como is built to fix that.
We grouped 24 Lake Como picks by shore, so you can plan a day without crossing the water six times. Every entry says what it costs, whether you need to book and when it's open or shut.
It's based on operator, venue and tourism-board pages we checked in October 2026, plus the questions first-time visitors ask Google most. For the bigger picture (which town to base yourself in, trains, budget), start with our Lake Como travel guide.
Updated October 2026 with current ticket prices, opening seasons and the winter ferry timetable.
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Short on Time? Our Top Things to Do in Lake Como
If you only have a day or two, these are the bets we'd make.
- Best garden: Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo, with a ticket you can book ahead (rated 4.6 from 974 reviews on GetYourGuide when we checked).
- Best boat day: this villas photo tour with prosecco from Como, rated 4.7 from 2,199 reviews.
- Best day trip from Milan: the Lake Como, Bellagio and Varenna day trip with a boat ride, rated 4.8 from 493 reviews.
- Best free walk: the Greenway del Lago, a signed 10.5-kilometer path on the western shore.
- Best base for these picks: Hotel Du Lac in Bellagio, rated 9.5 on Booking.com.
Things to Do in Como Town
Como is Lake Como's biggest town and the easiest to reach, with trains from Milan in about 40 minutes.
It's also the place to start if your plans keep getting rained on, because it has the museums.
1. Step Inside Como Cathedral
The Duomo of Como is the one great church on Lake Como, and it's worth ten minutes even if you're only passing through.
Walking in to pray is possible on weekdays from 7:30 to 19:00. The paid tourist visit covers the sacristies, the transept and the balconies, with its own hours (generally weekdays from 10:30 and shorter on weekends), and the cathedral closes entirely on some days, such as 1 and 2 November and 8 December.
Check the visiting page for ticket prices before you go, because the cathedral only publishes them as images. Photos are allowed except during services.
Tip: Piazza Duomo is a good meeting point, and the Broletto Infopoint on Via Pretorio, beside the cathedral, sells tickets.
2. Ride the Funicular up to Brunate
The funicular from Como's lakefront to Brunate takes about seven minutes and costs €3.60 one way or €7.20 return on the tariff sheet we found (valid from July 2025). At the top, the view runs down both arms of Lake Como.
A walk along the ridge makes a half-day out of it, though the view alone is worth the ride.
Important: the funicular is closed from Monday 9 to Friday 27 November 2026 for planned works.
3. Stroll Villa Olmo's Park
Villa Olmo is a neoclassical villa on the lakefront west of the center, at Via Simone Cantoni 1, and its park is free and open daily. It's the easiest green space in Como for a picnic or a walk along the water, and a lido-style bathing area sits nearby. The villa itself hosts exhibitions, so opening hours depend on what's on. Check before you plan around the interior.
4. Spend a Rainy Hour at the Silk Museum
Como made its name on silk, and the Museo della Seta at Via Castelnuovo 9 explains how. It's a small, practical museum, and a good wet-weather plan. Entry is €10, or €7 for over-65s and €5 for under-18s and students. Hours are inconsistent across sources, so check the museum's own booking page before you go.
Things to Do on the Western Shore
The western shore from Lenno to Menaggio holds Lake Como's grandest villas and its best walk.
A ferry stop is never far away.
5. Book Villa del Balbianello
This is the Lake Como villa on the point, with terraced gardens that appear in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. It's run by FAI (Italy's national trust), booking is mandatory, and the park alone costs €15 while villa and park together cost €25, with the interiors visited on a 50-minute guided tour.
You reach it by taxi boat from Lido di Lenno or on a 25-minute uphill walk from Lenno. In November it opens daily from 10:00 to 17:00. From December it opens on selected days only, and it returns to daily opening on 14 March. Our Villa del Balbianello guide has the full story.
6. Walk Villa Carlotta's Gardens
Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo has the biggest and best botanical gardens on Lake Como, plus a museum of sculpture and paintings.
A ticket costs €17.50 for adults (€15 for over-65s, €12 for ages 19 to 25 and €7 for ages 6 to 18). Until 8 November 2026 it's open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, with the last ticket at 17:00. After that it opens on selected weekends until 8 December, 10:00 to 16:00, and on other days you can visit by reservation only.
You can book a Villa Carlotta museum and garden ticket ahead of time, which beats guessing at the gate. Spring reopening dates aren't published yet, so check villacarlotta.it.
7. Hike the Greenway del Lago
The Greenway del Lago di Como is a signed walking path of about 10.5 kilometers, with an easy 3.5 hours of walking, running from Colonno to Griante (Cadenabbia). It links the villages of Sala Comacina, Ossuccio, Lenno, Mezzegra and Tremezzo, so you can walk a stage, then hop on a lake boat or the C110 bus to get back.
It's the best free thing to do on Lake Como's western shore.
The ancient stone paths and views over the water are a long way from the crowds in Bellagio.
8. Take a Boat to Isola Comacina
The island's only real inhabitants these days are archaeologists and day-trippers. It has the ruins of the Basilica of Sant'Eufemia and its crypt, San Giovanni church, a medieval tower house and the artists' houses designed by Pietro Lingeri. A ticket is required, and you pay at the Antiquarium in Ossuccio or at a card-only machine on the island.
The island is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, from May to the end of October. One warning: the restaurant, bar and toilets are closed indefinitely, so don't plan lunch there. Boats run by Navigazione Laghi or by private taxi boat.
9. Spend an Afternoon in Menaggio
Menaggio is a proper working town with a lakefront promenade, a lido (beach, pool and restaurant, listed by the Lombardy tourism board), and the shortest crossing to Varenna on Lake Como.
It's a calmer base than Bellagio. Come for lunch and a swim, not for a sight.
10. Ride the Cable Car from Argegno to Pigra
A cabin leaves Argegno every 15 minutes, daily from 9:00 to 17:00 (timetable valid from 9 June 2026), and climbs to the village of Pigra in a few minutes. Up top you get a high, quiet view of the lake and a start for mountain walks. Fares weren't confirmed for 2026, so check ATM's timetable page before you go.
Things to Do in Bellagio
Bellagio sits at the tip of the promontory where the two southern arms meet, and it's the most visited village on Lake Como. Our Bellagio travel guide covers it in depth.
11. Get Lost in Bellagio's Stepped Lanes
Skip the waterfront queue for ice cream and climb the stepped lanes behind the harbor instead. The Salita Serbelloni and its neighbors are lined with silk shops and small cafés, and they empty out fast once you're a block from the lake. It's free, it takes an hour, and it's the best way to see Bellagio without the selfie sticks.
12. Tour the Villa Serbelloni Gardens
You can't wander these gardens on your own. Villa Serbelloni is visited on a guided tour only, about two hours, at 11:00 and 15:30 every day except Monday, from a meeting point at the Promobellagio office in the medieval tower on Piazza della Chiesa. Adults pay roughly €10, and the season runs to early November. Check bellagiolakecomo.com before you plan around it, since we found these details only on a regional tourism page.
13. Walk the Villa Melzi Gardens
Villa Melzi's lakeside gardens are an easy ten-minute walk from the center of Bellagio. They're open from 10:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30) and cost €10, with no reservation. They close on 2 November 2026 and reopen at the end of March 2027, so this is a spring-to-autumn pick.
Things to Do on the Eastern Shore
Varenna is on the train line from Milan, which is why so many first-timers end up here. The eastern shore also has Lake Como's best hikes and its most dramatic gorge.
14. Take the Lovers' Walk in Varenna
The Passeggiata degli Innamorati is a short lakeside promenade, partly on a wooden walkway over the water, and the standard photo spot in Varenna. Do it at the end of the day, when the light is softer and the tour groups have left. Our Varenna travel guide has more on the village.
15. See Villa Monastero's Lakeside Garden
Villa Monastero, at Viale Giovanni Polvani 4, stretches along the water for about a kilometer. The 2026 prices are €13 for the garden alone or €15 for the garden and museum together. In October it's open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, though the museum is closed on Tuesdays. From November it opens from 10:00 to 17:00 and closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and a Christmas-lights surcharge applies from 7 November to 6 January.
16. Climb to Castello di Vezio
The castle above Varenna is a short, steep climb with one of the best views of the lake. It's open daily from 1 March to 1 December, and from December to March only on weekends and holidays, weather permitting. Ticket prices vary between sources, so check the castle's own site. The falconry show here has been suspended since 2022, so don't plan around it.
17. Walk a Stage of the Sentiero del Viandante
The Sentiero del Viandante is a long-distance path of about 75 kilometers in seven stages along the eastern shore, on mixed paths, mule tracks and some asphalt, with moderate gradients according to the Touring Club Italiano. You don't need to do it all. Pick the stretch from Varenna and take the train back.
18. Peer into the Orrido di Bellano
The Orrido is a gorge carved by a waterfall, with a walkway bolted into the rock. It costs €8 (€5 with a train or lake-ferry ticket). Since 25 October it's open from 10:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and 9:00 to 17:00 on weekends. There are stairs and narrow passages, so no pushchairs. Bellano is on the Lecco–Sondrio rail line and on the ferry network.
Things to Do on the Water
Every town here is better from the lake. Our Lake Como ferry guide has the routes, and best time to visit Lake Como covers the seasons.
19. Hop Between Villages on the Public Ferry
This is the cheapest boat tour on Lake Como.
A central-lake crossing costs about €5.50 (the foot-passenger fare on the car ferry is €5.50 on the official tariff), and day passes exist, though sources disagree on the price, around €17.50 by one recent guide.
The winter timetable runs from 2 November 2026 to 14 March 2027. Services run into the evening on the central crossings, with last boats leaving roughly between 19:00 and 22:00 depending on the route, so check your direction before booking dinner across the water. Staff advise arriving about 20 minutes early.
20. Join a Villa Boat Tour
A guided boat ride shows you the Lake Como villas you can't walk into. This villas photo tour with prosecco leaves from Como and has 4.7 stars from 2,199 reviews on GetYourGuide, while a private boat tour with a captain runs 2 to 4 hours and holds up to seven guests. Both are optional. For a cheaper version, take the public ferry. See our Lake Como boat tours guide for more.
21. Swim at a Lido
You can swim in Lake Como, but only at designated spots. The Lombardy tourism board lists lidos at Menaggio, Moltrasio, Bellagio, Lenno, Cadenabbia and Bellano. Entry prices vary by lido and season, and the water stays cool even in summer. Pick a lido rather than a random pier, and check the signs for a swimming ban near boat landings.
Things to Eat and Do Beyond the Sights
22. Eat Missoltini and Perch Like a Local
Missoltini are sun-dried lake fish, grilled and served with polenta, and they're Lake Como's signature dish, according to the Lombardy tourism board.
Perch fillets, pan-fried and served with risotto, are the easier introduction. Don't expect either on every menu. Ask for the day's lake fish.
23. Take a Lake Como Cooking Class
If you'd rather make dinner than order it, this Lake Como ravioli cooking class with wine in Como takes two hours and has 4.8 stars from 65 reviews on GetYourGuide.
24. Do the Milan Day Trip
Only have one day? This Lake Como, Bellagio and Varenna day trip with a boat ride leaves from Milan and has 4.8 stars from 493 reviews. To go solo instead, our Milan to Lake Como guide covers the trains, and day trips from Milan compares it with Bergamo and Verona.
What's Open on Lake Como in Winter?
Between November and March, Lake Como has fewer options and shorter days. This table shows what we found open or closed on 28 October 2026.
| Place | Winter status |
|---|---|
| Villa Melzi gardens | Closed 2 November 2026 to end of March 2027 |
| Villa Serbelloni gardens | Guided tours end around 3 November |
| Villa Carlotta | Daily to 8 November, selected weekends to 8 December, otherwise by reservation |
| Villa del Balbianello | Daily in November, selected days in December and January, daily from 14 March |
| Villa Monastero | Open Wednesday to Monday from November, Christmas-lights surcharge from 7 November |
| Isola Comacina | Closed from the end of October until May |
| Castello di Vezio | Weekends and holidays only, December to March |
| Orrido di Bellano | Open, shorter hours (10:00 to 17:00 on weekdays) |
| Como–Brunate funicular | Closed 9 to 27 November 2026 for works |
How Many Days in Lake Como Do You Need?
Two to three full days in Lake Como is right for a first visit.
That covers Bellagio, Varenna and one villa on the western shore without rushing. One day works as a day trip from Milan if you pick two villages, and four or five days lets you add Como town, a hike and a lido afternoon. Our Lake Como travel guide turns this list into a three-day plan.
Getting Around Lake Como
Plan Lake Como around the ferries, not a car.
The central-lake boats link Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Tremezzo in minutes, and buses run along both shores. By train, Varenna-Esino is the station for the eastern shore, and you can check times on Omio's Milan to Varenna page. Como's historic center is a restricted-traffic zone, so leave the car at the hotel if you rent. Read our driving in Italy guide before you do.
Landing late at a Milan airport? A pre-booked Welcome Pickups transfer saves a long evening of changes. The Milan airport guide compares the three airports.
Best Time to Visit Lake Como
If you're pricing up Lake Como holidays, May, June and September are the best months, because villas, gardens and ferries are all running and the crowds are thinner than in July and August.
Winter is quiet but half the list above is shut, so see the table. Our best time to visit Lake Como guide goes month by month.
Where to Stay on Lake Como
Stay central on a first Lake Como trip so the villas, boats and trains are all close.
- Bellagio: Hotel Du Lac, on Piazza Mazzini, rated 9.5 on Booking.com when we checked.
- Varenna: Albergo Milano, on Via XX Settembre, rated 8.9, in the village with the direct Milan train.
- Como: Albergo Firenze, on Piazza Volta, rated 8.5, for a budget stay.
- Tremezzo: Grand Hotel Tremezzo, on Via Statale, rated 9.4, for a splurge.
Our where to stay in Lake Como guide compares the towns, and the best hotels in Lake Como list covers every budget. Planning a wedding or honeymoon? See Italy honeymoon ideas and our Lake Como wedding guide.
Plan Your Lake Como Trip: Booking Checklist
- Hotel: pick the shore first, then book (see above).
- Villa tickets: book Villa del Balbianello directly with FAI, and add Villa Carlotta in advance.
- Trains: check Milan to Varenna or Como on Omio, and read trains in Italy.
- Boats and tours: pick a villa boat tour or the Milan day trip.
- Airport transfer: train or a pre-booked driver such as Welcome Pickups.
- eSIM: Yesim sells Italy data plans you can install before you fly. Our Italy eSIM guide compares options.
- Travel insurance: Visitors Coverage compares policies for US travelers.
Comparing lakes? Read Lake Como vs Lake Garda and our Italian lakes guide, or fit the lake into a northern Italy itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Lake Como?
Two to three full days is enough for a first visit. That covers Bellagio, Varenna and one villa on the western shore without rushing. One day works as a trip from Milan if you pick two villages, while four or five days lets you add Como town, a hike and a lido afternoon.
Is Lake Como worth visiting?
Yes, if you like scenery, villa gardens and boat rides more than nightlife. The lake is pretty in every season, but many villas and gardens close from November, so May, June and September are the best months, when everything is running and the crowds are thinner than in July and August.
Is Bellagio or Como better?
Bellagio is prettier and better for a short, scenic stay, while Como is bigger and easier to reach, with trains from Milan in about 40 minutes. Choose Bellagio for stepped lanes, gardens and boat links. Choose Como for museums, a rainy-day plan and a simple arrival from Milan.
Can you swim in Lake Como?
Yes, but only at designated spots. The Lombardy tourism board lists lidos at Menaggio, Moltrasio, Bellagio, Lenno, Cadenabbia and Bellano. The water stays cool even in summer. Use a lido rather than a random pier, and watch for signs banning swimming near boat landings.
Is Lake Como expensive?
It depends how you spend it, but the sights themselves are fairly modest. Villa del Balbianello's park costs €15, Villa Carlotta €17.50, Villa Melzi €10 and the Orrido di Bellano €8, while a central ferry crossing is about €5.50. The Greenway del Lago and Villa Olmo's park are free.
Can you visit Lake Como without a car?
Yes, and it's usually easier. Trains from Milan reach Como in about 40 minutes and Varenna on the eastern shore, ferries link Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Tremezzo, and buses run along both shores. Como's historic center is a restricted-traffic zone, so a car is more hassle than help for most visitors.
What is there to do at Lake Como in winter or rain?
Como town is the rainy-day base, with the Silk Museum and the cathedral. In winter the Orrido di Bellano stays open with shorter hours and Villa del Balbianello opens on selected days, but Villa Melzi closes from 2 November and Isola Comacina until May. Check each venue's calendar first.
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