Lake Como Day Trip from Milan, Italy
Are you wondering how to take a Lake Como day trip from Milan, Italy?
Lake Como is one of the most iconic destinations in Italy. Located north of Milan, this alpine lake is famous for its stunning scenery, charming towns, and luxurious waterfront villas. It’s long been considered a glamorous vacation destination, but if you’re short on time, you can visit in just one day from Milan.
You can easily get to Lake Como from Milan by train, or book a tour to explore more of the lake.
While I highly recommend staying at Lake Como for at least a couple of nights if you can, I know that not everyone has the time for that. Luckily, you can have a great day trip to Lake Como and see a lot!
Below I’ll discuss how to get to Lake Como, including on your own or with a tour, and tips for how to spend a day there, including the best towns to visit and things to do on your Lake Como day trip.
Let’s get into it!
Getting to Lake Como
The easiest way to get to Lake Como on your own is by public transportation. Yes, you can rent a car and drive yourself, but I don’t recommend it. The roads around Lake Como are narrow and winding, and it can be difficult to find parking. It’s simpler (and usually less expensive) to take the train instead.
From Milan, there are two towns on Lake Como that are easily accessible by train.
The first is Como. It’s the largest town on the lake — really more of a big city! It has a charming waterfront area, but it’s not the most picturesque place to visit in Lake Como. The lake is shaped like an upside-down Y, and Como is located at the end of one of the fingers. It’s 40 minutes from Milan by train.
However, I’d actually recommend taking the train to the town of Varenna instead. This smaller town is very charming and located just over an hour from Milan by direct train. It’s located at the center of the upside-down Y shape of the lake, making it a more convenient place to start your day trip.
You can then take the ferry and the bus once you’re at the lake in order to get around. For train tickets, you’ll want to book them online in advance, but it’s not necessary for ferry or bus tickets.
Best Tours to Lake Como
Don’t want to deal with the logistics of transportation to and around Lake Como on your own? Another option for taking a day trip to Lake Como from Milan is booking an organized tour. These tours include round-trip transportation from Milan, as well as guide to help you discover the highlights of Lake Como.
This is a good option if you’re more interested in convenience and don’t want to deal with the hassle of planning a day trip yourself. Here are my top picks for the best tours to Lake Como from Milan:
Option 1: Lake Como Day Trip from Milan
This highly-rated full-day tour from Milan takes you by coach bus to Como, where you have 1.5 hours of free time. You’ll then make a short stop at Villa Olmo, a beautiful and picturesque lakefront villa.
Next, you’ll take a scenic boat cruise around the lake, before disembarking in the town of Bellagio. There, you’ll have two hours to explore before returning back to Milan at the end of the day.
Option 2: Small Group Guided Train Tour
Another option is this small group guided train tour from Milan. This is a good choice if you’re looking for a more intimate experience with a small group and a guide. You’ll begin taking the train from Milan to Como, where you’ll have a guided tour. Then you’ll board a boat for a guided cruise on the lake.
You’ll stop for lunch in Bellagio and have a guided tour there, along with free time for sightseeing. Finally, you’ll take the ferry over to Varenna and have some free time there before going back to Milan. The tour includes all train and ferry tickets, as well as a guide who will accompany you the whole day.
Option 3: Lake Como and Lugano Day Trip
If you want to visit two countries in one day, this full-day trip to Lake Como and Lugano, Switzerland is a great choice. You’ll depart Milan by coach bus and arrive in Como with over an hour of free time. Then you’ll take a boat cruise around the lake and have two hours of free time in the town of Bellagio.
You’ll then board the bus again and head further north to Lugano, an Italian-speaking Swiss city on the shores of Lake Lugano. You’ll have an hour here before returning back to Milan in the evening.
Things to Do in Lake Como
Prefer to visit Lake Como on your own by train? Read on for my perfect one-day itinerary!
Start your morning by arriving in Varenna by train from Milan. I recommend booking the earliest morning train you can to make the most out of your day in Lake Como (they start running at 6 AM!)
After grabbing a quick breakfast in Varenna, hop on the ferry over to Bellagio. This picturesque little town is just 15 minutes from Varenna by boat. After strolling around Bellagio, hop on the ferry again and this time head across the lake to Menaggio, another beautiful town that’s another 15 minutes away by boat.
Have a quick wander in Menaggio, then take the C10 bus 15 minutes to Lenno. From this town, you can visit the famous Villa del Balbionello, one of the prettiest villas on the lake (and a Star Wars filming location!) In order to visit the villa and gardens, you have to book your ticket online in advance.
Finally, take the C10 bus all the way down to Como at the bottom of the lake. The total journey time is almost an hour. From here, you can have dinner by the waterfront and then take the train back to Milan.
For a shorter, more relaxed day, you could skip Menaggio, Lenno, Villa del Balbionello, and Como. Instead, you could arrive in Bellagio and take a 1.5-hour boat tour around the lake. You could then head back to Varenna by ferry, spend a leisurely evening there, and take the train back to Milan from there.
How to Take a Day Trip to Lake Como
This guide showed you how to take a Lake Como day trip from Milan, Italy.
Although Lake Como is a great destination to spend several days in, you can get a taste of it on a day trip. With just one day, you can easily explore several towns, get out on the water, and visit a villa.
Whether you choose to visit Lake Como on your own by taking the train and using the buses and ferries to get around, or book a guided group tour instead, you’re guaranteed to have a great time.
Enjoy your trip to Lake Como!
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