5 Things to Know Before You Visit Lake Como

By Stephanie Lichay, FORA-Certified Travel Advisor

Lake Como is one of those places that looks unreal in photos and somehow looks even better in person — but it’s also a place where a few small decisions make or break the trip. I’ve sent enough clients there (and spent enough of my own time wandering the lake shore) to know exactly where people get it wrong. Here are five things I tell everyone before they go.

Pick your town before you pick your hotel. Bellagio gets all the attention, and it’s beautiful, but it’s also the most crowded and the most expensive. Varenna is quieter and arguably more charming, with easier ferry access. Menaggio is a great base if you want a more local, less polished feel. Decide on the vibe you want first — the hotel search gets a lot easier after that.

The ferries are part of the experience, not just transportation. Skip the car if you can. The public ferries connect all the main towns, they’re scenic in their own right, and parking on the lake is genuinely a headache. If you want to feel fancy about it, a private boat day is worth doing at least once.

Book restaurants ahead in high season. June through September, the good spots fill up fast, especially anywhere with a lake view. If there’s a restaurant you’ve seen on Instagram, assume everyone else has too.

Shoulder season is the move if you can swing it. Late April through early June, and September into early October, give you warm weather, thinner crowds, and better rates — without losing much of what makes the lake special in summer.

Bring layers, even in summer. Evenings by the water cool off more than people expect, and a lot of the best dinner spots are outdoors or open-air.

These are the basics — the things that keep a trip from feeling like guesswork. If you want the full picture (specific hotel picks, restaurant recommendations, a boat-day itinerary, and the planning details I don’t put in a blog post), I put it all together in my Lake Como Travel Guide. Want help planning your trip? Send me a travel inquiry, and I’ll recommend the right level of support.

Want to book tours, boat rentals, or skip-the-line tickets while you’re there? I recommend GetYourGuide for vetted local experiences.

Disclosure: the GetYourGuide link above is an affiliate link. If you book through it, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.