Top 12 Best Things To Do in Lake Como

Table of Contents

0.1 Relax on the Beach
0.2 Tour the Villa Carlotta
0.3 The Famous Villa del Balbianello
0.4 Rent a Boat
0.5 Explore the Melzi Gardens
0.6 Visit the Villa Monastero
0.7 Climb to Vezio Castle
0.8 The Villa Serbelloni
0.9 Go for a Hike
0.10 Comacina Island
0.11 Ride the Como-Brunate Cable Car
0.12 James Bond's Villa Gaeta

1 Conclusion
2 Pin it for Later

Last updated on November 28th, 2022

Lake Como is a tranquil glacier lake located just 45 minutes from Milano, Italy. One of my favorite places to visit, Lake Como is the perfect location for a relaxing getaway.

Most people escape to Como for some sun, relaxation, and delicious local cuisine. However, if you are looking to do a little more during your stay, I’ve put together a list of some of the top things to do in Lake Como.

Relax on the Beach

There are a lot of beaches scattered along the water. I’ve listed some of the more popular beaches around. Something to consider when booking your stay in Lake Como is to find hotels on the water. Many hotels have their own private beaches for guests to enjoy.

Lido di Varenna is Varenna’s main beach. It is a beautiful sandy beach that offers sun chairs and beach equipment. They also have a place for you to dock your boat. If you get hungry, there is a restaurant and bar available as well.

Lido di Bellagio is the main beach in Bellagio, located near the Villa Melzi gardens. The beach club offers sunbeds, umbrellas, a restaurant, and a cocktail bar. This particular beach can get very crowded, but it is one of the few sandy beaches on the water. Access to the beach is free, but you have to purchase some equipment for a small fee. At night it turns into a beach club and frequently hosts special events. Lido di Bellagio’s website.

Giovanni Beach is a free beach located near the San Giovanni neighborhood in Bellagio. Like most beaches in Como, it is a pebble beach. Giovanni Beach is a quieter beach and great for people who want to relax in a more natural setting. During the summer, the beach has a bar set up with drinks, food, and ice cream.

Lido di Lenno is another popular beach in Tramezzo. It has some great amenities such as gazebos and chairs to rent. Lido di Lenno also has a full-service restaurant offering some delicious Italian food and refreshing drinks. The beach is beautifully lit up at night and turns into a beach club after dark.

Tour the Villa Carlotta

This famous villa sits on over 14 acres of gardens full of the most beautiful species of plants. Built in the late 1700s, the house passed to Giovanni Battista Sommariva who was a passionate art collector.

For the next several centuries, the house passed from owner to owner, each adding their own personal touches to the property. It is now a museum that showcases some exquisite paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and furnishings.

If you visit Villa Carlotta, make sure to buy tickets for both the museum and the gardens! Carlotta’s official website.

The Famous Villa del Balbianello

Balbianello is my favorite attraction in Lake Como. Not only is it very famous, but is itself absolutely beautiful. Villa del Balbianello sits on the tip of Lavedo, easily accessed from the town of Tremezzo.

One of the most famous villas on the lake, it has been the setting for several movies such as Casino Royale and Star Wars.

Walk outside to the terrace and gardens and enjoy the panoramic view of the lake. Make sure to have a camera with you!

Read more about how to visit Villa del Balbianello.

Rent a Boat

My favorite part of my visit to Lake Como was spending the day cruising around the water and enjoying the beautiful weather and views. I highly recommend you schedule a few hours in your day and take out a boat.

Varenna Boat Rentals – This is the company we used for our boat rental. They were very friendly and helpful, and had a large variety of boats to choose from. The smallest boat seats up to 6 people and starts at 70€ an hour. The more hours you purchase, the cheaper the hourly rate is.

Bellagio Rent a Boat – This is another popular boat rental company. Boat rentals start at 75€ an hour and go up to 300€ for six hours.

Explore the Melzi Gardens

Originally built as a summer villa for the vice president of the Italian Republic, Francesco Melzi d’Eril, it is still used as a private residence today.

The villa itself is not open to the public, but visitors can enjoy the beautiful botanical gardens.

The gardens have a collection of exotic and rare plants, beautiful sculptures, and is full of hidden places to explore.

Visit the Villa Monastero

Monastero is known for its botanical gardens that extend between Varenna and Fiumelatte. The gardens offer marvelous views of the lake and unique botanical plants.

At this time, it is home to over 1,0000 species of plants for visitors to enjoy. You can also tour the house, which is now a tiny museum.

Monastero also is used as a conference center and can be rented out for special events such as workshops and weddings. Villa Monastero’s official website.

Climb to Vezio Castle

Vezio Castle is a thousand year old castle overlooking Varenna. The castle was once used as a military outpost situated high on a bluff overlooking the water.

Open to visitors now, enjoy a tour of the gardens, dungeons, and join a falconry demonstration. If you do visit, make sure to climb the tower for spectacular views of the lake. Vezio Castle official website.

The Villa Serbelloni

The gardens belong to the Villa Serbelloni. They sit high above the village of Bellagio with over 11 miles of walking paths.

The villa itself was built in the 15th century and has hosted famous visitors such as Queen Victoria, Emperor Maximillian, and Leonardo da Vinci. T

he property was given to the Rockefeller foundation in 1959. If you would like to get tickets to access the garden, visit Villa Serbelloni’s website.

Go for a Hike

Lake Como is surrounded by a lush green mountain landscape. If you are looking to explore the outskirts of the towns, I highly recommend exploring one of the many hiking trails.

There are many different types of trails around the area. You will find paths, known as the “Greenway”, throughout the towns that offer a leisurely stroll near the water.

For a more adventurous journey try some of these trails, which will take you up through the mountains.

Comacina Island

The only island in Como, it is on the north end of the lake near the village of Lenno. It has a famous history dating back to the Roman period. The Isola Comacina was used as the religious center of Como.

It is home to several churches, including the well-known Basilica of St. Euphemius. The island is now an archaeological site and museum. For information on visiting Comacina Island, visit their website.

Ride the Como-Brunate Cable Car

Take this cable-car up the mountains of Lake Como for a beautiful view of the water. The entrance of the Como-Brunate cable car is near the village of Brunate.

The trip to the top is very quick. From the top, many people like to hike the 30 minute trail to the San Maurizio lighthouse. Check out their website for more information.

James Bond's Villa Gaeta

Best known as a filming location for the James Bond movie, Casino Royale, Villa Gaeta is a pretty villa located near Menaggio.

You cannot tour the actual house but can see if from the water. The home is also available to rent during your stay in Como.

Conclusion

Enjoyed this post? Here are some other posts on Italy!

Lake Como

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Tuscany

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