r/LakeComo

I just purchased a ticket for Garden Entry at 12PM.

1. Do I have to arrive right at 12PM?
2. How long can I stay inside the garden once I arrive? Is there a max amount of time? Should I purchase another ticket for 1PM so I can stay longer?

First time - understand that it’s summer and kids are out of school - also understand it’s a popular lake town, but my god what’s with all the teenagers? Feels like they are 50% of the population here right now. Is it always like this in the summer?

Hi everyone,
I’m planning a one-day trip to Lake Como in first week of July with my family (5 people) and wanted some advice.
Our plan is:
Milan → Varenna by train
Varenna → Bellagio by ferry
Visit a few villas and scenic spots around the lake (such as Villa del Balbianello and other famous villas)

I’ve noticed a lot of Instagram influencers taking photos on those classic wooden Lake Como boats with the Italian flag. We don’t necessarily want to use one as our main transportation since we’ll mostly be taking the public ferries, but we’d love to rent one for about an hour to take photos, see some villas from the water, and enjoy the experience.

A few questions:
Do these wooden boats need to be booked in advance, especially in July?
Can they be rented for only 1 hour?
What are the typical prices in 2026 for a family of 5?
Which town is best to rent one from: Varenna, Bellagio, or somewhere else?
Can we not pre-book and just get one on the spot when we arrive, or is that too risky in peak season?
Are there any budget-friendly options that still give the classic Instagram/Lake Como wooden boat experience?
Any tips would be appreciated. Thank you!

Hi,

I'm going to Menaggio soon and am planning on travelling there from Milano Centrale train station > Como S.Giovanni train station > Menaggio and am planning on using the bus c110 to get from Como S.Giovanni to Menaggio.

I've had a look at the summer timetable here, https://www.asfautolinee.it/wp-content/uploads/pdf/estivo_provvisorio/C110_Orario_in_vigore_dal_09_06_2026.pdf and just wanted to make sure I was reading it correctly.

It looks like there is a bus leaving S.Giovanni at 14:04, 14:24 and 14:28 and then not another one until 15:24. Is that right? It seems strange that there are two buses within 4 minutes and then you need to wait 56 minutes for the next one.

https://preview.redd.it/0ue4ntpllf5h1.png?width=1908&format=png&auto=webp&s=f8be0c4f30b50b1857c182b47cb1dac605d3ffd9

Also, is it better to go
Milano Centrale train station > Como S.Giovanni train station > Menaggio (bus c110)
or
Milano Centrale train station > Varenna train station > Menaggio (by ferry)

Thanks for any help.

Will be staying in Como for 4 nights from July 5th to July 9th. Looking for a recommendation to hire a classic wooden boat w/captain for 4-5 hours on one of the days to take us around lake. There are two of us so a small boat should work well. Any recommendations ?

Also, will need a taxi/private driver for 2-3 pre-scheduled pick-ups/drop offs while we are there. Any recommendations ?

Is it possible to take a ferry boat to-from Villa del Balbianello ?

Also, is it possible to take a boat from Como to dinner at Il Sereno Al Lago (we already have this RSVP) and then take a taxi back to Como in the late evening ?

Any hiking recommendations ?

Love the Reddit community so any recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you !!

Hi all,

I’m coming Italy (Milan) around 19 June and planning to be in Lake Como on the 20th June with my husband.

I really want some professional pictures taking whilst we are here but obviously don’t want to pay a bomb as it isn’t proposal pics or anything like that. I just really want some memories of coming to such a beautiful place with my better half 🩷

Are there any photographers who are usually around lake como when you’re there on the day, or are there any local photographers on this sub maybe who can send me any links to their portfolio etc!

Appreciate any help 💕

We'll be in the lake Como area this July. Any recommendations for affordable restaurants in Varenna, Bellagio, and Como? Much appreciated!

We are possibly looking to stay at Como and take the available transportation to the villas. Is it a bad idea considering that this time of the year can be very busy?

Has anyone ever been turned away from viewing the gardens only in August? I know it’s a busy time but I’ve only read about people having to wait in long lines to purchase tickets in person. Does this mean that if it’s sold out online, we can still get tickets in person? I wonder if they ever sell out of garden only tickets in person.

Hi, I am visiting Lake Como in late September and am trying to get a gauge on how often the ferries will run. I'm specifically looking for a Sunday between Tremezzo and San Giovanni. The ferry schedule for that far out has not been posted on the Navigazione Laghi website yet so I was wondering if anybody remembers from previous years. Thanks!

I only have 1 full day in Lake Como on Aug 14th. I was going to do Varenna and Bellagio, but seeing photos and vids of Orrido Di Nesso and it looks beautiful as well.

Is there enough to do there to justify visiting when I only have one day on the lake? Is it easy to get to?

Hello, I will be staying in Bellano in about 2 weeks and will have a full day to travel around Lake Como. I'm having trouble figuring out what the best ferry route would be to visit all of the central towns like Bellagio, Lenno, Menaggio, and Varenna. I want to get one of the free circulation tickets but they seem pretty difficult to find. Any advice on what route I should take and where I can buy those tickets?

For those of you familiar with Lake Como, which of the many funiculars do you recommend? Is there one that is a must do for the sights? I’m planning on taking day trips all along the lake but o ly have time for a few.

Hi, wanted to get some feedback on our plans:

Tuesday:

arrive by train from Milan, arrive 3:30pm. walk to AirBNB near Taxi Boat Dock to drop bags

Villa Capressi, then Villa Monastero

walk around town and have dinner

Wednesday:

cooking class 10:30a-1:30p

2:30p - 3:30p 1hr private boat tour, drop off in Bellagio

Villa Melzi, shopping, walk around town

7pm dinner in Bellagio

8:30pm ferry back to Varenna

Thursday:

Castello di Vizio

lunch in Varenna

train to Orrido de Bellano

dinner in Varenna or Bellano

Friday:

breakfast/walk around town

lunch

1:30pm train leaving

Questions:

On Tuesday around 4:30pm will there be a long line to get into Villa Capressi/Monastero?

Will there be a line/problem getting back on a ferry from Bellagio to Varenna around 8:30pm?

Should we plan for dinner in Bellano or Varenna on Thursday?

What should we do on the last morning before lunch?

My family and I are planning a trip to Italy in August, and we’re considering either the Amalfi Coast or Lake Como.

However, I’ve been seeing a lot of videos online showing huge crowds during summer, especially in August.
For those who’ve been recently, is it really that overcrowded, or is it still manageable and enjoyable?

Would you recommend either place, or are there other areas in Italy that might be a better experience in August?
Would really appreciate hearing about your experiences and any advice :)

We're looking to travel to Como in August 2026 and will land at BGY airport late afternoon.

Preferably we'd like to go straight to any town near the lake that night to avoid travelling there in the morning.

Is there any easy way to get to literally any town on the lake (train or bus) that doesn't involve having to travel to Milan and back out again?

Also are there still closures on the rail network that were there in 2025?

Thanks!

I am torn on where to stay. I would like to be near the train so I can do day trips to Milan and other areas. I know both areas are well connected by train. I have more hotel options in Como but it’s also far away from the middle of the lake, which is where I’d like to be for the lake views. I am staying 3 nights already in Bellagio. Should I keep my existing hotel in Como or switch to a B&B in Varenna? Any recommended places to stay in Varenna? I’d like to keep it around 300 Euros/night.

I planned a daily trip to Lake Como and my train to Varenna got cancelled. And all trains of Trainord are being cancelled too. Any other alternatives for transportation? I need to be there today since I booked no refund museum tickets.

Hello

I'm visiting Lake Como in July and have heard there are changes to purchasing an open day pass (which I believe are now called'free circulation' pass) i.e. it can only be bought in person.

Hoping I can get some clarity:

1. How much is a free circulation pass for an adult?
2. Where can I purchase these?
3. Based on my plan to visit Varenna, Bellagio andd Villa Baalbianello, would you recommend paying as I go, or purchasing the free circulation pass?

I've searched the websites below but I can't seem to find any information on the pass I need (aside from 'Circular' tickets, which I believe are different to what I need as thesse are different routes).

Any tips/advice would be much appreciated!