2 Days in Lake Como – Europe’s Rich and Famous Playground

When exploring Northern Italy, the major cultural centers of Venice and Milan are some of the places that immediately come to mind. However, Northern Italy has so much more to offer. Lake Como should come to mind as this lake is the summer and vacation retreat for the well-to-do in Europe. After the isolated and rugged terrain of the Dolomites and the urban environment of Milan, the relative luxury of Lake Como will come as a nice surprise. The following is part four of a four-part Northern Italy Itinerary. This covers 2 days at Lake Como, Europe’s rich and famous playground.

Post Contents

Day 8 – Lake Como

Train to Lake Como

The majority of Lake Como is not easily accessible by rail or other rapid public transportation. One of the exceptions is the smaller town of Varenna on the eastern side of the lake. Because of the easy access, Varenna provides a great place to base your Lake Como experiences. Despite access to public transportation, Varenna still has a small-town feel. Plus, it is located conveniently at the center of Lake Como. Varenna is also near the towns of Bellagio and Menaggio, two other very popular towns on the lake. All of these towns are connected by regular ferry service.

Trains heading for Varenna depart from Milan’s Centrale Railway Station. This rail station is not located in the city center (which is probably where most will stay when following this itinerary). However, Milan has a great metro network that connects to the rail station. Using the metro or a taxi/Uber will be necessary to get to the train in the morning.

Castello di Vezio

After dropping off your bags at your hotel or accommodations, the first place to visit is the Castello di Vezio in Varenna. These castle ruins are what remains of a castle that commanded the shores of Lake Como. The castle was built in the late 11th – early 12th century. While the castle is in ruins, they are fairly well-preserved and include walls, towers, battlements, stairs, and numerous other artifacts.

The most prominent part of the castle visit, and a reason to come here first, is the view from the castle. Since the castle is set high on a hill overlooking Varenna, it has great views of Lake Como. This can give you an overview of the lake and an understanding of the lay of the land for the next couple of days. A quick word of warning is that the short hike up to the castle can be challenging due to the quick upward change in the elevation.

Finally, there is a café on site that can be appropriate for lunch. As with the castle, the views from most tables are great (although it’s not totally unobstructed as it can be blocked by some of the trees). The café serves primarily sandwiches, salads, cheese plates, and small entrées. It also has a full bar for those interested in a glass of wine, beer, or a cocktail. Finally, as an added perk, the entrance to the castle is included for those purchasing lunch at this café. This deal can make the lunch quite economical if you were planning to visit the castle anyway.

Villa Monastero

Villa Monastero started as an ancient Cistercian women’s monastery built in the 12th century. The work to convert the monastery to a residence began in the 17th century. With the conversion, the now villa started to attract the rich and famous from Milan. The villa changed hands a few times (including being taken by the Italian state in 1928 to settle a war debt). The final owners were the De Marchi family who donated the villa as a public property in 1939.

Today, the house currently serves as a conference center, museum, and gardens. The villa has fourteen furnished rooms that are open to the public. The vast majority of the finishes are original to the last renovation of the house between 1897 and 1909. Perhaps even more famous than the villa are the gardens surrounding it. The gardens are approximately 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) in length and fronting Lake Como. Because of the steep banks in the area, the gardens are built on terraces. The gardens are also well known for many exotic tree species. The non-native species include several from Africa and the Americas such as agave, palms, yuccas, and citrus fruit trees. In total, there are over 900 species of cultivated plants in the Botanical Garden. Finally, the garden includes many architectural and sculptural elements that accentuate the natural beauty.

Piazza San Giorgio

While Varenna is fairly small, the town center and many of the older buildings are centered around Piazza San Giorgio. To get a good feel for Varenna, take some time exploring this area. In addition to the main street’s cafés, restaurants, and shops, Chiesa di San Giorgio is the most famous attraction. This 14th-century church is famous for its frescoes, paintings, and statues. Due to its age, there are some particularly unusual frescoes in the church that wouldn’t be shown in a modern church. One such fresco is a hellscape depicting Satan and the Antichrist. The altarpiece originates from 1533. It is an elaborate depiction of the baptism of Jesus with scenes of the Madonna with Child and two angels on either side.

Also in the area is the Varenna Como Lake Beach. For those familiar with large Caribbean beaches, this won’t impress. However, it is interesting to see what a Lake Como beach looks like. It is also next door to the Villa Cipressi which has magnificent gardens. You should be able to get a little view of the tiered gardens from the edge of the beach.

Varenna Lover’s Promenade

The Varenna Lover’s Promenade is the colloquial name for the picturesque waterfront walkway in Varenna. This walkway is more commonly labeled as Largo Enzo Venini on maps (including Google Maps). This pedestrian pathway received the name “Lover’s Promenade” based on this small walkway being built over the lake’s edge. In addition, the path winds by many beautiful villas with their landscaping flowing over onto the walkway. Several willow trees also grow in close proximity to the walkway and create a charming environment. Very often movies build up romantic and picturesque scenes to look like this, but there isn’t any Hollywood magic here as this is a real-life location.

The walk begins on the south side of the main Varenna harbor and ferry terminal. The walk is only about 0.3 miles (500 meters) long so it doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to walk it. However, visitors should stop along the way to enjoy the lakefront and scenery. I am sure many pictures will also be taken along the walk given the beautiful environment. Finally, many restaurants, cafés, and shops are located where the walk meets the shoreline at various points. Take some time to explore these waterfront areas. Getting gelato for the walk is a local favorite.

Explore Menaggio

Menaggio is another small village located on the opposite side of the lake from Varenna. The best way to experience these small communities is by wandering the streets. In this way, you will find some great sights and gain an appreciation for the atmosphere and beauty of the communities. While some of the highlights will be mentioned below, take this as a general suggestion of activities. Don’t be scared to deviate from the list below.

Menaggio Promenade

One of Menaggio’s most famous sights is its lakeside promenade. Where the Varenna lakeside promenade (Lover’s Promenade) was quaint and movie-magical, Menaggio’s promenade is much larger, more ornate, and more established. While I wouldn’t put either above the other, they give two different aesthetics.

Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi

About a 7-minute walk along the lakeside promenade, visitors will come to Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi. This pedestrian plaza hosts nice shops and cafés for those wanting to explore the area. The plaza isn’t very large compared to those found in big European cities; however, the small size is part of the charm. The plaza looks directly out onto the lake so this makes a great opportunity for a coffee or ice cream break to take in the view. Also located on the Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi and Via Caldi is Chiesa di Santa Marta (Church of Santa Marta). This church is located in the center of the street/plaza.

Menaggio Old Town

The final suggestion is Menaggio’s old town neighborhood. This older area is further up in the hills and retains a more medieval look. This looks somewhat out of place with the lake and its current luxury. The old walls of Menaggio stood where Via Catellino da Castello now runs. The journey up the hill is all on small single-lane cobblestone or river stone roads. This is a totally different world from the lake-front villages so spend some time being transported back to the ancient origins of this village. The only thing to keep in mind is that the ferry service gets less frequent in the evening. Make sure you know when the ferry returns to Varenna to ensure you are on it before the end of the night.

Day 9 – Lake Como

Bellagio Town Center

Bellagio is one of the larger towns sitting at the mid-point of Lake Como. Lake Como forms an inverted Y when looked at from above. Bellagio has the prime location situated at the tip of the landmass separating the two branches of the Y. Because of this location, Bellagio has really great views of all three branches of the lake. As with all of the lakeside communities, Bellagio is famous for its brightly colored and varied houses. The numerous large villas also called Bellagio homes. The vast majority of these villas line the shoreline of the town.

The first place to start when exploring Bellagio is its town center. Many of the streets through Bellagio are small and don’t accommodate cars. This makes a great place to wander among the shops, restaurants, and cafés. You can happen upon so many surprising locations when you just wander. Bellagio is at the foot of some hills that rise out of the lake to split Lake Como into two branches. Because of this, several of the streets are stairs or built onto inclines. Wear comfortable shoes for this walk as there are a lot of ups and downs involved in exploring the town center.

Lake Como Kayaking Tour

Up to this point, the majority of the sightseeing of the lake has been from the shore looking out onto the lake. A kayaking tour will change this viewpoint. Not only will you have another opportunity to see the lake and the surrounding villages, but you will also be able to get out and be active on the lake. While you can rent kayaks, rowboats, and stand-up paddleboards from a variety of places, a tour gives you another element. You are able to learn about what you are seeing and get a curated route around the lake.

The kayak tour provides individual kayaks, maps of the lake, dry bags for valuables, and a bottle of water. While the cost is a little high for these tours, they are limited to 6 – 8 people. Therefore, they are semi-private, and you get a lot of personal interaction with the guide. The tours include a departure from the Pescallo beach and see Villa Serbelloni, Villa Marescalchi, the Grand Hotel Villa Sebelloni, Punta Spativento, and the Bellagio water link from this tour.

Pescallo Fishing Village

While you have seen Pescallo from the water, take some time to explore the village on land. Pescallo is a small fishing village on the opposite side of the point from Bellagio. Pescallo’s harbor is calm and not filled with much more than fishing boats. The town is pretty quiet without a lot to do, but that is part of the charm. Like Bellagio, the village is filled with small staired pathways between the colorful buildings. There are only a couple of restaurants and hotels in Pescallo. These are great places to stop and get a drink or bite to eat while enjoying the quiet lake views. For example. La Pergola Hotel and Restaurant is situated right on the water with an outdoor covered restaurant.

As a word of warning, the walk to Pescallo is short but it covers a large change in elevation. There are steep steps and u neven walkways along the way to this fishing village. As the town is built on a hill, there is almost no way to avoid this terrain if you want to see the fishing village. However, this is part of what keeps the other tourists away. As a result, this will be a more secluded space.

Villa del Balbianello

Villa del Balbianello is one of the most famous villas on Lake Como. The site originated with a Franciscan monastery in the 13th century. While the majority of the original structures are gone, the two towers on the villa property are the remnants of the church’s belltowers. The site was purchased in 1785 to build the current villa. It was envisioned as a retreat for the arts. Cardinal Durini was a patron of the arts and dedicated the estate to their cultivation, particularly the literary arts. The villa has changed hands many times including ownership by an American businessman. Its last owner, Guido Monzino, transformed the villa into the estate it is today. The art collections, the maps, the furniture, and the perfectly manicured gardens were all cultivated under Guido.

The villa is a popular location for filming and weddings. It has been featured in such movies as A Month by the Lake, Casino Royale, His Demise, and Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. While the vast majority of people come to see the gardens, the inside of the villa is equally stunning. The only way to see the inside is via a tour reservation. Make sure you get this ahead of time as there are limited spots.

Return to Varenna

The return to Varenna is a nice ferry ride. Lenno is the furthest stop of the Mid-Lake Ferry Shuttle route. Varenna, on the other hand, is one of the first 3 stops. This means that the return route will take a few minutes. However, look over the views of the evening lake from the ferry. This is the last night in Lake Como so soak in the beautiful environment as much as possible.

A word of warning, be cautious of the ferry schedules. Those departing late in the afternoon should be aware of the last ferry times. If you miss the last ferry, it will be very difficult to get back to your hotel.

Day 10 – Return Home

Return to Airport

Unfortunately, the time at Lake Como and in Northern Italy has come to an end. Visitors will need the morning to pack up, get to the Varenna Esino train station, and travel by train to Malpensa Airport just outside of Milan. The times for departing flights are obviously variable based on where you are going. It will be an early morning if you have a flight around 10:00 AM. Alternately, you may be able to have a more leisurely departure if you have a flight later in the day.

Travel by train from Varenna Esino station in Varenna to the Milano Centrale terminal in Milan. From here, you will need to transfer trains going to Malpensa Airport.

2 Days in Lake Como – Europe’s Rich and Famous Playground