Lake Como: A Practical Guide to Doing It Well
Lake Como rewards those who arrive with fewer plans and more days. Here is how we approach it.
Lake Como is one of the most naturally beautiful places in Europe. It is also one of those destinations that, depending on how you approach it, can feel either disappointing or extraordinary. The difference is almost entirely in the pace.
How long to stay.
Most first-time visitors give Como two nights en route to somewhere else. We usually suggest four to five as a minimum, and ideally a week if you are renting a villa. Two nights allows you to see the lake. Four nights allows you to feel it.
What to base yourself in.
The towns of Bellagio, Tremezzo and Varenna are our preferred bases for a longer stay — quieter and more local than Como town, which is primarily a transport hub.
Getting around.
The ferries are the right way to travel the lake. They are slow, frequent and part of the experience.
June and September.
July and August on the lake are beautiful but crowded. September is our preferred month for a villa rental — the light is exceptional, the lake is warm enough to swim, and the tourists begin to thin.
The villas.
Villa d'Este and Grand Hotel Tremezzo are the two landmark hotels. For families or groups, a private villa rental gives the space and flexibility that hotels cannot.
Lake Como is genuinely one of our favourite places in Europe to send clients. It has a particular quality of light and a particular pace that is difficult to describe. Giving it time is the only advice that matters.
Let us help you think through it.
We work through these conversations carefully, one journey at a time.
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