Are you planning to spend one day in Lake Como and wondering how to make the most of it?
On my very first trip to Italy, I couldn’t resist taking a day trip to Lake Como from Milan and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I made. Northern Italy has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country, and Lake Como is right at the top of that list.
In this guide, I’ll show you exactly what to do in Lake Como for a day, from visiting charming Varenna or Bellagio to exploring stunning viewpoints and enjoying peaceful ferry rides.
You’ll also find tips on how to get there, the best time to visit, and everything you need to plan the perfect one day itinerary in Lake Como.
What is the best time of the year to visit Lake Como
One of the features that makes Lake Como so beautiful is its villas and its green, flowering gardens.
Therefore, spring/summer is the perfect time to travel to Lake Como as the flowers will have already bloomed, and the gardens will be greener.
However, Lake Como is increasingly a very popular place, so the summer months (June to September) are the most crowded.
If you visit during these months, be aware that you will find huge crowds, especially in the most well-known villages, such as Varenna and Bellagio.
So, to try to avoid the crowds and higher prices, I suggest visiting Lake Como between April and May, or alternatively in October. In these months, the weather won’t be that hot and you will find milder temperatures.
How many days do you need to visit Lake Como?
Lake Como is one of the largest lakes in Italy, measuring 146 km². Moreover, visiting Lake Como doesn’t mean visiting only one place. There are countless villages along the shores of the lake that one can visit.
So, to get to know Lake Como more in-depth, 3 to 4 days would be an ideal duration.
However, many people take the opportunity to visit Lake Como in one day. One day in Lake Como still allows us to get to know a bit of this amazing place. And we easily understand why Lake Como is an increasingly popular place for tourists 😍.
So if you only have one day available to visit Lake Como, I suggest you do it anyway, because the landscapes will always make that day worth it!
In fact, this blog post was written thinking about those who have only one day to visit Lake Como. With only 1 day in Lake Como, I suggest focusing the itinerary on the main villages: Varenna, Bellagio and Como.
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How to get to Lake Como?
Most travellers start their journey from Milan, so figuring out how to get from Milan to Lake Como is the first step.
Milan is served by 3 airports (Malpensa, Linate and Bergamo). You can fly directly to Milan and then travel from Milan to Lake Como.
The other option is flying into Lugano in Switzerland. However, Lugano has only one airport, with few flights.
From Milan, there are two ways of visiting Lake Como.
One option is to join an organized day trip to Lake Como and Bellagio. This is ideal if you’re seeing Lake Como in just one day, as it includes round-trip transportation, a professional guide, and stops in some of the area’s highlights. This way, you’ll save time on logistics and enjoy the journey stress-free.
There are several other tour options as well, with some even including a stop in Lugano, just across the border in Switzerland.
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However, it is also possible to visit Lake Como in one day independently. This itinerary only assumes that you’ll visit Bellagio, Varenna and Como, so I will only present those options.
💡 EXTRA TIP: In my opinion, what makes the most sense to plan this one-day trip to Lake Como is to depart by train from Milan towards Varenna. Then travel to Bellagio on a fast ferry. From Bellagio, it is possible to take a ferry to Como, from where I suggest returning by train to Milan. For example, the first train leaves Milan for Varenna at 6.20 am and the last one leaves Como for Milan at 10.10 pm. It will be a busy day, but it will be worth it.
» How to get from Milan to Varenna?
If you are at Milano Centrale train station, there is a direct Trenitalia train to Varenna Esino station. The journey takes about 1 hour and the ticket price starts at 7,1€. You can buy the tickets in advance on this site.
Although it is possible to reach the various villages of Lake Como by car, I do not suggest doing so due to the difficulty with parking and traffic, especially during high season.
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Places like the Dolomites, Lake Garda, Verona, or smaller towns around Lombardy are often much easier to explore at your own pace. I usually compare prices on DiscoverCars, as it makes it easy to compare different rental companies in one place.
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» How to get from Milan to Como?
From Milano Centrale station, it is possible to take a train to Como San Giovanni station. The journey takes only 40 minutes and tickets start at 5€. You can check the timetable and buy tickets directly here.
Alternatively, you can also choose to travel by bus. For example, Flixbus has trips between Milan (Lampugnano station) to Como and the journey takes between 50 minutes to 1 hour. However, the train option turns out to be preferable as you are not dependent on traffic and they have more available timetables.
» How to get from Milan to Bellagio?
There are no direct connections between Milan and Bellagio as far as public transport is concerned. Therefore, the simplest way to get to Bellagio is to travel from Milan to Como or Varenna (as explained above) and from there take a bus or ferry.
In the part of this article on “how we get around Lake Como”, you can find more information about it.
How to get around Lake Como?
The best way to get between the various villages is by ferry. Apart from being the fastest solution many times, the trip itself is special because of the beautiful scenery.
Trips usually take between 15-20 minutes and the ferries are quite frequent, especially during high season. You can check the timetable for your trip. However, please be aware that in the summer, the ferries are very busy and you may have to wait to get on the ferry.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: An individual ticket for a single journey starts at 2.5€. You can check the most up-to-date prices.
» How to get from Varenna to Bellagio?
Travelling from Varenna to Bellagio is very simple. You just have to use the fast ferry I mentioned above. The trip costs 4,6€.
💡 EXTRA TIP: There is also a ‘free circulation’ version on Lake Como, which allows an unlimited number of trips between the various stops on Lake Como. You can check the pricing for this option here (‘free circulation’ option).
» How to travel from Bellagio to Como?
To travel from Bellagio to Como, there are a few options. There is a slower boat (batallo) or a faster boat (hydrofoil). While the former takes about 2 hours to make the trip, the latter takes only 45 minutes.
I recommend the 2-hour option, as it allows you to take a break from this long day around Lake Como while enjoying the sights along the way. Available timetables can also be found on this site, and you should look for the Colico-Como trip under ‘Timetables and Lines’. The trip costs 12.6€.
💡 EXTRA TIP: It is also possible to travel by bus between the various villages (for example, between Bellagio and Como), but frankly, the boat option is much more pleasant.
One day in Lake Como – First stop: Varenna
You can take the opportunity to start visiting Varenna through its very picturesque historic centre. Some of the most emblematic places in the historic centre include the romantic Passeggiata degli Innamorati, San Giorgio Church or even Riva Grande.
One of the ex-libris of these small villages on the shores of Lake Como is their fantastic and luxurious villas. The villas are characterized by being luxurious houses with gardens worthy of a movie!
And so, when you visit Varenna, there are two that you might be interested in visiting: Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: Villa Cipressi is currently a hotel, but it is possible to visit its botanical garden (10€). Villa Monastero can also be visited, both the botanical garden and the Museum House. Prices vary depending on what you want to visit. You can find out more about Villa Monastero’s opening hours and prices.
But one of the biggest surprises (which is actually less touristy than the rest of the visitable spots in Varenna) is Castello di Vezzio (castle). If you are looking for indescribable views over Varenna and Lake Como, then this is the place you won’t want to miss!
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The Castle can only be visited from March to November (other months open on weekends if there is good weather) and opening hours vary depending on the time of year. The entrance fee to the castle is 7€. More information.
Apart from the simply incredible views, the castle is a bit unusual. Every year, there are several volunteers who offer to be covered in plaster in order to make a sculpture that is exposed during the following year throughout the castle.
💡 EXTRA TIP: If you are doing a one-day visit to Lake Como, then I suggest you choose to visit only the Castle or one of the villas. In my case, for example, I chose to visit only the Castle.
One day in Lake Como – Second stop: Bellagio
If Varenna was lovely, then I don’t know what to say about Bellagio. The historic centre of Bellagio looks like a painting, with so many colourful houses and landscapes that leave anyone awestruck.
By the way, my first suggestion is to loose yourself exploring the streets of Bellagio. I especially recommend this street – Via Guiseppe Garibaldi, one of the most famous in Bellagio.
Other recommendations to visit in Bellagio include the incredible views of Lake Como at Punta Spartivento. But also a visit to the small fishing village of Pescallo or the Basilica of San Giacomo.
The gardens of Villa Melzi are another of Bellagio’s attractions. The villa itself is not visitable, but its gardens are.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The Villa Melzi gardens can only be visited from the end of March to the end of October and are open from 10 am to 7 pm. The entrance fee is 10€. For the latest information, please click here.
And, if you have time and the weather is nice, why not take a dip in Lake Como? You can do it at the Lido di Bellagio beach.
💡 EXTRA TIP: Since this itinerary assumes visiting Varenna, Bellagio and Como in one day, I suggest not visiting the Villa Melzi gardens and/or the Lido di Bellagio.
One day in Lake Como – Third stop: Como
I suggest, then, finishing this 1-day trip to Lake Como with a stop in the town the lake is named after – Como. Como is a larger town, a bit different from Bellagio and Varenna.
I suggest you start your visit in Piazza Duomo, where the imposing Cathedral of Como and the Broletto – the old Town Hall – are located.
Other famous squares in Como are Piazza San Fedele (where you will find the Basilica of San Fedele), Piazza Volta and Piazza Mazzini.
Nearby, you can also pass by Piazza Cavour or Piazza Vitoria, where you will find the Porta Torre – the old entrance to the city.
💡 EXTRA TIP: Also in Como, you can visit some villas (e.g. Villa Olmo). However, given the short time of this visit, I suggest you skip this villa. Nevertheless, if you are keen to visit a villa on Lake Como, Villa Olmo might be a good option as the entrance is free.
And to finish, I suggest a ride up the Brunate funicular for some more spectacular views. Brunate is a town with privileged views over Como, as it is located over 700 metres high.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The funicular costs 3.6€ one way (7.2€ for a return trip). More information about this service can be found here.
Final thoughts on visiting Lake Como
A day trip to Lake Como from Milan is one of the easiest and most rewarding escapes you can make while in Northern Italy. With just one day in Lake Como, you can stroll through colorful villages, take in the incredible lake views, and even hop on a ferry or two.
Have you been to Lake Como before, or is it still on your travel wish list?
If you’re planning to see more of Northern Italy beyond Lake Como, I’ve created plenty of detailed guides to help you map out the perfect trip. Check out these itineraries for more inspiration:
- 2 Days in Venice Itinerary – from gondola rides to hidden canals
- 1 Day in Padova Itinerary – uncover this underrated gem near Venice
- 4 Days in the Dolomites – a road trip through breathtaking mountain scenery
- 2 Days in Milan Itinerary – fashion, architecture, and the city’s best spots
- 1 Day in Verona Itinerary – a romantic escape full of history and charm
- 2 Days in Bologna – the foodie capital you can’t skip
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Hi Marianna! I read your day trip to Lake Como and i plan to follow your suggestion for the day trip. However can you please advise me on how many hours should i spend on each town so that i can book my ferries. I plan to arrive from milan to varenna morning at about 830 am . Also this trip of mine will be in mid october. I look forward to your reply.
Thank you and cheers,felicia
Hi Felicia,
Thanks for your comment! I visited Lago di Como in late September and this is how I divided my trip: I arrived in Varenna very early (I don’t recall at which time I got there but I think it was also around 8 am). Then, I spent the morning there and took the short ferry ride to Bellagio, where I had lunch. I had lunch at a restaurant, and that took about one hour. I think I was in Bellagio for like 1h30 to 2h and then took the 2 hours ferry to Como, where I just saw a few things until it got dark (this is the place I’ve visited less). Finally, I had a quick dinner in Como and then headed back to Milan. The beauty of Varenna and Bellagio is strolling around the old town so you shouldn’t need a rigid itinerary to see those 2 places. Just enjoy them!
Hope my reply helps! And, if you’d like, let me know how it goes 🙂
Happy travels,
Mariana
Hi there we are having one day at Lake Como in June 2024. We arrive by Train from Milan to Como. We hope to go to Varenna, Bellagio and also visit Villa de Balbianello (I have read that you can get a boat shuttle from Lenno) will this be possible in one day? Any advice.
Hi Kym,
Lake Como is stunning 🙂 I am sure you’ll love it!
I did Varenna, Bellagio and some things in Como in a (long) day trip from Milan. I didn’t visit Villa de Balbianello myself, but I went to Varenna’s castle which also takes a bit of your time, so I think it’s doable. Visiting Lake Como as a day trip from Milan is a good way to get a first impression of the lake. However, if you want a more chill day, I’d recommend staying one night at the lake, for example.
Happy travels,
Mariana