🇮🇹 Lake Como
Where mountains meet the water, beautiful villages cling to the shoreline, and every journey can feel like part of the adventure.
Lake Como is one of Italy’s most spectacular destinations, combining dramatic Alpine scenery with elegant lakeside towns, historic villas, beautiful gardens and a relaxed Italian atmosphere.
And despite its glamorous reputation, Lake Como is surprisingly easy to reach.
✈️ Easy access via Milan
For UK travellers, Milan makes an excellent gateway to Lake Como. Fly into Milan Malpensa, Linate or Bergamo, then continue by train or road towards the lake.
Como itself is particularly easy to reach by train, making it possible to combine a Lake Como stay with time in Milan — or even visit the lake as part of a wider northern Italy adventure.
Once you’re there, the lake’s ferry network makes exploring different towns wonderfully easy. You can spend a morning wandering through one lakeside village, enjoy lunch somewhere completely different, and finish the day watching the sun disappear behind the mountains.
🛥️ More than one place to stay
One of the things I discovered during my own Lake Como trip is just how different the towns around the lake can feel.
Como has the atmosphere of a lively Italian town and excellent transport connections.
Nesso offers a much quieter, more traditional lakeside experience.
Tremezzio puts you amongst beautiful villas, gardens and spectacular lake views.
And Colico, at the northern end of the lake, has a different character again, with mountains, open scenery and excellent rail connections.
So choosing where to stay is an important part of planning a Lake Como holiday.
🚤 My journey around the lake
I travelled by ferry from Como all the way up to Colico, stopping and staying in different places along the way, including Nesso and Tremezzio.
It was a fantastic way to travel because the journey itself became part of the experience. Rather than simply travelling to the next destination, I was travelling across the lake with those incredible views all around me.
You can use the ferry network to:
- 🛥️ Explore several towns in one day
- 🏡 Visit lakeside villages without hiring a car
- 🌿 Stop at beautiful gardens and historic villas
- 🍝 Combine sightseeing with lunch or an aperitivo in another town
- 📸 Enjoy some of the best views of the lake from the water
🐸My tip: Travel light!
If you’re planning to move between different towns like I did, don’t pack as though you’re checking into one hotel and staying there for a week! 😂
You’ll be getting on and off boats with your luggage, navigating piers, steps and moving between accommodation.
A rucksack, smaller suitcase or good-sized travel bag makes the whole experience much easier.
And that’s one of the things I really liked about travelling this way — Lake Como becomes the journey, not just the destination. 🇮🇹💙
🐸 My Lake Como experience
I travelled around the lake, staying in different locations rather than simply basing myself in one town. It gave me the chance to experience how different each part of Lake Como can be — and I’ve mapped out my journey below.
🌿 Lake Como is perfect for…
🏛️ Culture & history — historic villas, churches and beautiful gardens
🛥️ Exploring — travel between lakeside towns by ferry
🍝 Food & Italian life — cafés, restaurants and lakeside dining
🥾 Outdoors & adventure — mountain scenery, walking and cycling
❤️ Romantic escapes — beautiful scenery and atmospheric villages
🚆 Twin-centre trips — easily combined with Milan and other northern Italian destinations
Lake Como isn’t just somewhere to visit — it’s somewhere to explore. 🇮🇹🐸
