Lake Como is a stunning lake surrounded by green hills, picture-perfect villages, and elegant lakeside villas. Loved by movie stars – such as George Clooney – and an enchanter of writers and musicians, from Mary Shelley to Giuseppe Verdi, Lake Como offers the ultimate Italian luxury.
A trip around Lake Como, Italy is what you need if you love visiting sumptuous buildings of the past, admiring breathtaking landscapes, trying water sports, and enjoying delicious food and wine.
Where is Lake Como
Lake Como is a pre-alpine lake in the Lombardy region in northern Italy. Located between the Po Valley and the Alps, Lake Como is the deepest lake in Italy, and the third largest Italian lake, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. Lake Como is divided between the provinces of Como and Lecco. Lake Como is located 50 km north of Milan with its characteristic inverted Y shape.
Best time to visit Lake Como
Depending on what you are looking for on your vacation, Lake Como can be one of the best places to visit in Italy all year round.
Generally speaking, the best time to visit Lake Como is from April to October, when the climate is less rigid and the atmosphere is sparkling and colorful. The territory is characterized by a subcontinental climate, with cold winters and muggy summers. The humidity is particularly high throughout the whole year.
The absolute best month to visit Lake Como is June. During this summer month, the weather is just perfect, with a high of about 20°C-25°C (68°F-77°F) during the day and less humidity than in other months. The sunshine of June awakens the blooming flowers of the stunning lakeside villas and makes the lake’s water shine.
In June, you can experience the liveliness and beauty of the lake without the crowds of July and August. Plus, in the summer period, the municipality organizes many events to jazz up the days and nights in Lake Como.
Another great month to visit Lake Como is October, when the temperatures begin to fall and autumn creeps in. The mild but clear weather of October offers the perfect conditions for sightseeing the magnificent landscapes of Lake Como. The average temperature in Lake Como in October is 13°C (55,4°F) during the day, which is warmer than many other parts of Europe (and Italy) at this time of year.
Top things to do in Lake Como Italy
In addition to its beautiful setting, Lake Como offers a whole host of activities for visitors, from visiting ancient churches to taking a boat ride on the lake to exploring the stunning lakeside villas.
Visit Como Cathedral

The Duomo di Como is one of the most impressive buildings in the city. The cathedral is particularly renowned for its beautiful architecture and is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Constructed in the fourteenth century, the Duomo features a Gothic design, and its front façade features ornate stone works, including stone statues and small decorative towers. The interior of the Como Cathedral is lavishly decorated. Stunning is the central dome covered with gold artwork.
Take a boat ride on Lake Como

One of the best ways to explore Lake Como and admire its beautiful landscape is by taking a boat ride on the lake. You can take one-way boat rides from Como to visit some other lakeside towns, such as Cernobbio and Bellagio. Alternatively, you can take a scenic boat ride that travels on the lake to enjoy the view of the different landmarks of the area. One thing is undeniable: it will be a memorable experience!
Visit Villa Del Balbianello in Como

Lake Como is famous for its luxurious villas. One of the most stunning ones is Villa Balbianello, in the municipality of Como. From the beautiful and elegant gardens of the villa, you can admire the western shore of Lake Como, Italy.
The villa’s upper floor has been transformed into a museum devoted to the memory of its former owner, Guido Monzini, leader of the first Italian expedition to Mount Everest.
Take the Funicular up to Brunate

A trip to Lake Como Italy is not complete without a trip from Como to Brunate through the funicular. With the fantastic funicular train, you will scale the mountain and stop at Brunate, enjoying a breathtaking view of Lake Como from above.
Once in Brunate, you can stop for a bite in one of the many restaurants that offer stunning views and amazing local food.
Walk The Sentiero Del Viandante

The Sentiero del Viandante is an ancient Roman road stretching along Lake Como’s eastern side. Today is a popular hiking trail from which you can admire incredible lake views. The Sentiero del Vandiante runs along a pristine natural landscape full of chestnut woods and olive groves.
The best moment of the day to walk the Sentiero del Viandante is towards the end of the day when the vivid colors of the sunset illuminate the lake and the nearby hills.
Going Wine Tasting In Lake Como, Italy

Italy is a heaven for wine lovers, and Lake Como is no exception. Going to a local winery or bar to sip some local wine is a great activity all year round. What’s better than spending a rainy day or taking a break from the summer heat than tasting a rich glass of Italian wine? And the wonderful landscape of Lake Como is the perfect scenario for having a sip!
Eat At One Of Lake Como’s Restaurants

Lake Como is worldwide famous for its elegant villas and amazing lake views. A must-do activity while visiting Lake Como is to dine in a lakeside restaurant tasting local products. In particular, the area’s cuisine centers around lake seafood, which has a peculiar taste. If you want to try it out, visit Ittiturismo da Abate. The menu is exclusively based on freshly caught lake fish.
For a first-class experience, consider visiting Agriturismo Sorsasso, a family-run restaurant where every dish is sourced from its adjoining farm or the nearby area. The Agriturismo Sorsasso also has a vineyard. Rustic, homemade flavors, amazing local wine, and an incredible view make this restaurant a top choice in Lake Como, Italy.
Rest In Villa Carlotta’s Botanical Garden

Como is well known for its glamorous lakeside mansions. Villa Carlotta in the town of Tremezzo is particularly stunning. This mansion is the perfect marriage of architecture and nature and is famous for its botanical garden.
The gardens are full of rare and exotic trees and flowers, and it also houses a fantastic museum with an impressive art collection. When visiting Villa Carlotta in Lake Como, chilling out in the botanical gardens is a must!
Try Your Hand At Water Sports

If you are looking for some adventurous activity during your stay in Lake Como, Italy, you should try water sports! Sailing, water skiing, windsurfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, kite-surfing -there are plenty of choices!
There are activities suitable for all activity levels. But if you want something more relaxing, just enjoy a sailing tour of Lake Como.
Canyoning at Lenno
The varied landscape of Lake Como is perfect for trying your hand at extreme sports. One fantastic outdoor activity to try is canyoning. This sport involves abseiling, jumping, and sliding through canyons.
Canyoning is a great way to experience Lake Como from a new perspective! Some truly stunning settings are the canyons at Lenno Val Perlana.
Attend The Sagra Di San Giovanni
If you are visiting Lake Como towards the end of June, don’t miss one of the area’s biggest festivals, the Sagra di San Giovanni. Dedicated to St John the Baptist, this celebration sees the city of Como come alive with music, dancing, and a firework show to close the night.
Lake Como illuminated by the glittering lights of the fireworks is an incredible spectacle to experience during your holiday!
Places to visit along Lake Como
Como
Como is the city that gives its name to the lake. Located on the Italian-Swiss border, the city of Como overlooks the southwest end of Lace Como. Green ridge hills surround the city, and it is full of charm and history.
Como’s centro storico (historic center), is full of cafés, restaurants, and shops. The main square where you can enjoy a day of shopping or a sip of coffee is Piazza San Fedele, with its delightful little streets. Piazza San Fedele was originally a wheat market and hosts the beautiful Basilica of San Fedele.
A must-visit in Como is the Duomo of Como, considered one of the most beautiful monuments in northern Italy. Como’s cathedral is characterized by styles ranging from Romanesque to Gothic.
Como lake-front area is stunning: Villa Olmo and Volta Museum are two must-sees if you are in Como. Villa Como is a neoclassical building and is today a prestigious location for conferences, events, and art exhibitions. The Volta Museum is an incredible temple-like museum dedicated to Alessandro Volta, the Italian inventor of the first electric generator ever made.
Lecco

Lecco gives its name to the eastern branch of Lake Como. This area inspired Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni to write his most famous novel, I Promessi Sposi. Unmissable is a visit to Villa Manzoni, the writer’s parental residence and today the place of the Manzoni Museum.
Another must-see is the Church of Saints Vitale and Valeria, considered to be the parish of Don Abbondio.
Very curious is also the alleged house of Lucia Mondella, the protagonist of Manzoni’s novel. Lucia’s house is thought to be located in Via Caldone at number 19, while in Via Resegone. In this same street, you can see the hill of Palazzotto di Don Rodrigo from the courtyard of an old restaurant. If you are fond of literature, visiting Lecco is a must!
Lecco is a wonderful town in Lake Como, full of history and culture. Among its beautiful monuments is the Basilica of San Nicolò, whose bell tower is the city’s symbol and is called “The Pencil”.
Tremezzo

Tremezzo is a stunning town on the western banks of Lake Como, Italy. Its name means “middle ground”, and it is due to its location, exactly halfway between the Swiss pass of the canton of Graubünden and the Po Valley.
Tremezzo is also known as “the village of the gardens”, for the wonderful gardens of its villas. In Tremezzo, you will find one of the most famous villas on Lake Como, Villa Carlotta, a neoclassical villa with a vast terraced garden with colorful flowers, hundreds of other plants from every corner of the world, and a fine art collection, which gathers valuable masterpieces by Antonio Canova, Francesco Hayez, and Bertel Thorvaldsen.
Another wonderful mansion in Tremezzina is Villa Balbianello, famous for its picturesque structure and incredible gardens. Villa Balbaniello has been the setting for several movies, including Casino Royale and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
The town of Tremezzo is a paradise for trekking lovers, thanks to its position surrounded by nature. The Greenway del Lago is a pleasant 10 km walk that runs along several lake towns – among which Tremezzo – and lets you discover Lake Como through its villas and gardens, Roman findings, and churches.
Isola Comacina

Isola Comacina is a piece of land surrounded by Lake Como. It is located in the municipality of Tremezzo and can only be reached by boat.
Isola Comacina is particularly famous for the remains of the Chiesa di Sant’Eufemia, dating back to the eleventh century. This church is considered one of the most representative monuments of Comasco Romanesque.
Bellagio

Bellagio is located halfway between the two southernmost branches of Lake Como, Italy. Bellagio rises on the tip of the promontory that divides the lake into the two branches of Como and Lecco. It is considered the pearl of Lake Como for its beautiful villas overlooking the lake’s waters.
Bellagio centro storico is a maze of streets that unfold among colorful houses, picturesque alleys, staircases, and ancient churches. In Piazza della Chiesa you can admire the Basilica of San Giacomo, a Romanesque church built in the eleventh century.
But Bellagio is worldwide famous for the villas that overlook Lake Como with their perfect-tailored gardens. Villa Serbelloni and Villa Melzi are the two most iconic mansions in Bellagio. Villa Serbelloni was built in the fifteenth century and is today a luxury hotel. You can freely visit this lakeside villa and its 50 acres of park and garden even though you are not a hotel guest. Villa Menzi’s construction was commissioned by Francesco Melzi d’Eril, duke of Lodi, in the nineteenth century. Villa Menzi’s gardens were designed by Luigi Canonica and Luigi Villoresi, home to many exotic trees and flowers.
Menaggio

Menaggio is on the western shore of Lake Como, Italy. This picturesque town is loved by tourists all over the world for its elegant lake promenade and its proximity to very popular towns such as Bellagio and Tremezzo.
Menaggio’s old town is characterized by narrow alleys, steep stairs, and medieval stone buildings. The upper part of the town still retains a medieval look and is characterized by narrow alleys, steep stairs, and stone buildings. Don’t miss a walk through the so-called Bridge of Caravaggio, where you will find a chapel dedicated to the painting of the Madonna by Caravaggio.
Menaggio is famous for its sumptuous lakeside promenade, enriched by flowerbeds, palm trees, and gorgeous villas. A must is a visit to Villa Mylius Vigoni, surrounded by an English garden. Villa Mylius Vigoni was built in the first half of the nineteenth century and currently houses the German-Italian Center for European Excellence.
Menaggio is ideal for lovers of walking as well. In the town starts the ancient Strada Regina that will lead you to La Crocetta, a panoramic point from which you can enjoy an enchanting view of Lake Como.
Cernobbio

Cernobbio is located on Lake Como western shore and houses some of the most famous Lake Como villas, the stunning Villa d’Este and Villa Erba.
Villa Erba is a true masterpiece of nineteenth-century architecture, with incredible frescos and majestic dancing halls that inspired Italian director and screenwriter Luchino Visconti to shoot “Il Gattopardo” (“The Leopard”). Villa d’Este is a lake-front villa that has always been a resort for politicians, intellectuals, and ecclesiastics. Today this Renaissance villa is a five-star hotel with princely furnishings and a beautiful Italian garden overlooking the lake.
The lake promenade of Cernobbio is affectionately called Riva di Cernobbio and hosts many bars, restaurants, as well as events, and concerts during summer.
From Cernobbio starts one of the most popular hiking trails in Italy, the Via dei Monti Lariani, which extends for over 100 km and ends in Sorico, a town in the province of Como.
Brunate

Known as “The balcony on the Alps”, from Brunate you can enjoy a spectacular view of the entire western Alps, the Po Valley, and the Apennines. Brunate’s stunning Art Nouveau villas and lakeside promenade can be reached by the funicular of Como, a real attraction initially designed for the rich Milanese bourgeoisie. The funicular is at a high of almost 800 meters and will allow you to have a breathtaking view of Lake Como, Italy.
Brunate is characteristic of its small churches and the alleys of the old town, enriched by stone portals and gorgeous courtyards.
Laglio

The town of Laglio extends on the western shore of Lake Como and is located on the route of the ancient Roman road Via Regina that connected Como to Chiavenna. Laglio has only 905 inhabitants, and here Hollywood actor George Clooney has his lakeside villa.
The town is perfect for taking long walks on the lakeside promenade admiring the surrounding hills cultivated with vineyards and olive groves. In addition, the area of Mount Torriggia is ideal for birdwatchers: here, you can see migratory waves of flocks heading towards Switzerland and Northern Europe.
Varenna

Varenna is a picturesque village on the eastern shore of Lake Como, Italy. Varenna is an essential stop for anyone wishing to visit one of Lake Como’s most typical and quiet towns. In the past, Varenna was a small fishing village, but with the domination of the Visconti and Sforza families, it soon became one of the richest villages in Lombardy, with a rich artistic heritage.
A must-visit is the Chiesa di San Giorgio, located in the homonymous central square. The church was built in the fourteenth century mixing the Romanesque and Gothic styles.
From Piazza San Giorgio you can reach Varenna’s lakefront, called Riva Grande, walking along the so-called Passeggiata degli innamorati (Walk of lovers). In Riva Grande you will find several cafes, restaurants, local artisan shops, and ice cream parlors.
As a typical town in Lake Como, Varenna has stunning villas you can admire. Villa Monastero, once an old monastery, and Villa Cipressi, are two of them.
Varenna also houses the amazing Castello di Vezio, an ancient medieval fortress overlooking the town. You can reach the castle by following the path along the Esino River.
Inside the Castello di Vezio you can see the permanent exhibition dedicated to the Lariosaurus (an extinct sea reptile from the Middle Triassic period). Around the Lariosaurus is a local legend similar to the one of the Loch Ness monster.
Places nearby Lake Como, Italy Worth Visiting
Explore the little villages in the Italian Alps

Just a short drive from Lake Como, you will find some of the most beautiful villages in the Italian Alps. While the area around Lake Como is well-known for its stunning natural landscape, the tiny villages of the Italian Alps offer a different kind of charm. The winding and narrow streets, and the typical traditional buildings, create a fairy-tale-like experience.
Hike through the Val Sanagra

If you are looking for a momentary escape from the busy Lake Como, consider visiting Val Sanagra, also known as La Valle Incantata (“The Enchanted Valley”). The Val Sanagra Natural Park is a hidden gem in the Lombardy region, making it the perfect area for a hike. The valley gets its name from the fairy-tale-like setting, thanks to its lush forest, towering mountains, and crystal-clear lakes.
Take a train to Milan

Milan, Lombardy’s capital city and one of the most renowned places in Italy, is only a short train ride away from Lake Como. Once in Milan, visit the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the Duomo di Milano (Milan’s Cathedral), the Teatro alla Scala, and the Quadrilatero della Moda, the famous neighborhood dedicated to high-end shopping.
Make sure not to leave Milan before having a classic aperitivo, the Italians’ way to have a happy hour!
Featured Image Credit: Gaspar Janos