Como, Bellagio or Varenna: where to stay

One day from Milan shows you Lake Como. A night or two on the lake lets you see it in the early morning and evening light, after the day-trippers leave. The question is where to base yourself, and the answer depends on how you travel.

The four options

Como or Bellagio?

Stay in Como if you rely on trains, want restaurants open all evening and all year, or are also visiting Lugano and Milan. Stay in Bellagio if the point of the trip is the lake itself: it sits at the center of the ferry network, and its evenings are beautiful and calm once the day boats leave. The trade-off is that every journey starts with a ferry and prices are higher. Varenna gives you mid-lake scenery with a railway station, which is why many travelers end up there.

How many days do you need?

Two days is the sweet spot for a first visit: one for the mid-lake triangle of Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio with a villa garden, one for Como town, the Brunate funicular and a boat tour. Three days adds a slow day at a lido or a walk on the Greenway del Lago di Como. One day from Milan works if you choose one area; see the one-day itinerary.

Milan or Lake Como?

If your trip is mainly Milan, stay in the city and do the lake as a day trip; the guided day trips leave from Milano Centrale. If you have three nights or more and the lake is the draw, split them. Is the lake expensive? Hotels in Bellagio and on the villa shores are among Italy’s priciest in summer, but Como town and Varenna have mid-range options, and the trains and ferries are cheap.