Things to Do in Lake Como, Italy
On our recent trip to Northern Italy, one of the things I most wanted to do was visit one of the lakes. I visited Lago Maggiore (lake Maggiore) when I was 10 and wanted to visit again as an adult, so we headed to the much more famous Lake Como. Our visit of 3 days was just right and we really loved our time there, so here is our list of things to do in Lake Como.
Things to Do in Lake Como
Lake Como, not just the city of Como on the southern tip of the long, skinny lake, has things to do all around it, but the city of Como is certainly the biggest and the easiest to get to.
We took the train to Como after arriving at Milan’s Malpensa airport. It’s 1-1.5 hours on the train with one switch. The city of Como has some lovely things to do, but taking a ferry trip to one of the other towns on the lake is almost an absolute must!
It’s important to know that you can walk just about anywhere in Como, so arrive by bus or train and you’ll be set! There are also taxis and a local bus system if you need when traveling with your luggage.
Things to do in Lake Como
Visit the Basilica
The Basilica di San Fedele is the big cathedral in the city. It’s free to visit, though they accept donations and I always like to give a little something. There’s a long history of a religious building on the site with the current basilica likely built in 1120 – with various addition through the early 19th century.
The basilica is right on a square with a few restaurants and right in the middle of town. Visit during the day and then stop by again at night to see it all lit up. It’s gorgeous!
Wander the Alleys
I know this seems a little basic, but one of my favorite things about travel in Italy is wandering all the alleys. In Como, there are plenty of alleys with big brand stores but then other with lots of local shops (big enough for just a few people) and restaurants. Every alley has its own treasures to share. I find wandering alleys is a great way to support local, smaller shops (one of my go to eco travel tips)!
Spritz like a Local
When in Rome. Or Italy in general. and definitely when in Como….find a restaurant (or a few) to have a spritz. There are plenty of spots to look out onto the lake or on a great plaza. Just do it! 😉
Take the Funicular up the Hill
Sadly, the funicular was closed for off season repairs during our visit, but I wish we could’ve taken the funicular up the hill to get a wonderful view of the city and the southern side of the lake. The funicular and ticket office are on the east side of town – not far from the lake.
Take the Ferry to Bellagio
I love all the things to do in Lake Como, but there is a gorgeous lake with tons of places to visit around the lake nearby. We had SUCH fabulous day trip taking the ferry to Bellagio, but we were disappointed with the amount of information online about the ferries and the destinations, so here is everything we learned (the successes and the failures – looking at you, slow AF 3-hour ferry ride home).
Some things to know. You cannot buy ferry tickets ahead of time, so you have to get in that line on the waterfront. It was recommended we were there an hour ahead of time and that is a great call. More time isn’t terrible.
If you’re traveling with others, I’d recommend one person standing in line while others go grab coffees and morsels.
Another very important thing. There is an Express Ferry to Bellagio and there is a standard ferry. The Express ferry we took leaves Como at 8:40am (get their current schedules here)and it is absolutely worth it. It’s a 40 minute ride and lovely. You’ll arrive at Bellagio just as it’s starting to open up, so I’d recommend using the restroom on the boat.
You’ll buy any other ferry tickets, including your return ticket, once you arrive in Bellagio (or your final destination). There are a number of express ferries back until about 6pm, so just pick one to come back on.
SIDENOTE: We took a ferry over to Varenna and quickly regretted it. Super cute but not much room to do anything and it was so jam-packed, we ended up just boarding the next ferry. And here’s where we learned about the regular ferry service. The ferry basically stops at every hamlet (hamlet-lette?) along the water. It took three SLOW hours to get home. The only saving grace is there is a bar with some drinks and snacks. But I would love to never do that again.
In Bellagio, you’ll be met with a beautiful little hill town. There is a church at the top of the hill you can stop in. There are also botanical gardens you can tour at the top of the hill and along the lake. The Parco di Villa Serbelloni is at the top of the hill, along the Piazza della Chiesa. Garden tours are at 11 and 330. I think they were 1.5-2 hours. We didn’t do this one, but it would would’ve been fun.
We visited the I Giardini di Villa Melzi, which is along the lake. It was €10 to enter and you can wander the grounds yourself. Turn right from the Ferry building for that one. This garden is flat, but it’s a bit of a walk from the ferry and where the food and shopping are located.
Wandering up and down the allies of Bellagio is so fun. There are loads of restaurants, shops, and views to take in. We ended up having cappuccinos at Bar Vecchio Borgo on Via Garibaldi (top of the hill). They have a full menu otherwise for lunch. It’s also across from the ‘famous’ Gelateria del Borgo!
We had lunch at Trattoria San Giacomo, on the next “street” down. The food is delicious (possibly the best tagliatelle al bolognese I had on the trip). They don’t take reservations and it’s a bit of a destination. If you’re fine sitting inside (we were), then it’ll be much easier. Their website says open 12-230 for lunch and 7-930 for dinner, so just plan accordingly.
Restaurants on Lake Como, Italy
There were a few DELECTABLE restaurants in Lake Como that I have to share. The hours above (12-230 and 7-930) are not uncommon around Italy. Most local places don’t open for dinner before 7 or 730. Our little guy is 5 and we just changed our schedules accordingly – just a fair warning for those of us used to eating earlier.
Also, make reservations. It may or may not be necessary but it never hurts. We had luck getting reservations day or and the day before, but it wasn’t a super touristy season (all over Northern Italy).
Piazza Roma
The ravioli above were from Piazza Roma. It’s a delicious and fun place that’s famous for its tiramisu. And let us tell you, that its a valid claim. The custard in the tiramisu was perfection and the soaked ladyfingers were subtle and just oh, so perfect.
We enjoyed a few pasta and meat dishes besides wine, dessert, and limoncello!!
Figli dei fiori
A bit of a walk from the downtown area on Lake Como, the restaurant Figli dei Fiori is absolutely worth the trek. It’s part of a garden store. It’d decorated like a greenhouse with menus tucked into old gardening books and the food is delicious. The pasta above was actually my son’s and it might possibly be the best dish any of us had on our entire trip (and we had some great food).
Gelateria Rossetti
There are a few gelato places to try on Lake Como, including Gelateria Rossetti (tucked away in the old town of alleys) and Gelateria Lariana (along the waterfront).
My go to flavors? Straciatella (chocolate chip) and pistachio. Every. Time!
Crianza
If you’re looking for an elegant dinner, try Crianza. We snuck in for a quick dinner after our long ferry trip home. Their “slightly spicy mussels” weren’t spicy at all and were wildly delicious!!
