Forty-eight hours on Lake Como
Villas with terraced gardens, varnished wooden boats, nineteenth-century hotels and a light painters chased for two centuries: a weekend on the most elegant of the Italian lakes.
You must arrive by water. From the town of Como, less than an hour by train from Milan, the ferries slowly make their way up the lake from village to village, and the villas glide past on the mountainside, with their terraced gardens, stone landing stages and cypress trees. Lake Como is shaped like an upside-down Y, and it reveals itself better at the speed of a boat than at that of a car on its narrow roads.
Saturday morning: Cernobbio and the Villa d’Este
Begin with Cernobbio, on the west shore, very close to Como. This is where you will find the Villa d’Este, a sixteenth-century residence turned into a hotel in 1873, which has become one of the most famous establishments in Italy. Its garden, its pool floating on the lake and its terrace bar make it a legendary place. You can have coffee or lunch there without staying, by reservation.
Saturday afternoon: Tremezzo and the Villa Carlotta
Further north, Tremezzo has one of the most beautiful villas on the lake open to the public: the Villa Carlotta. Its botanical garden, famous in spring for its azaleas and rhododendrons, descends to the water in terraces. Inside are neoclassical sculptures, including a copy of Canova’s Cupid and Psyche, and nineteenth-century paintings. Allow a good two hours.
Saturday evening: Bellagio
Cross the lake by boat to Bellagio, at the tip of the promontory separating the two arms of the Y. Its stepped lanes, silk shops and terraces facing the sunset make it the most photographed village on the lake. Dine on a terrace, on lake fish and risotto, before taking a night boat back or staying over.
The Villa del Balbianello, perched on a wooded point near Lenno, has served as a setting for several films, including Casino Royale in 2006 and an episode of Star Wars. It now belongs to an Italian heritage foundation and can be visited, often by reservation. You reach it on foot along a path or, more elegantly, by boat.
Sunday morning: Varenna
On the east shore, Varenna is perhaps the most charming village on the lake, with its colourful houses clustered around a small harbour. Stroll along the lovers’ walk, suspended above the water, before visiting the gardens of the Villa Monastero, which stretch for nearly two kilometres along the shore.
Sunday afternoon: by Riva
Time to treat yourself to the lake’s most iconic pleasure: a ride in a varnished wooden boat. Several operators offer trips with a skipper aboard vintage launches, often restored Rivas. You glide past the villas, pause in front of the Balbianello, and let yourself be carried by the sound of the engine and the reflection of the mountains. An hour is enough, and you will remember it for a long time.
The notebook
- The best season runs from May to September, with a preference for the quieter months of May, June and September.
- The ferry lets you do everything without a car.
- Villa gardens often close in winter: check the dates.
- Bring a light jacket for the evening: the lake air cools quickly.
Lake Como is not visited. It is crossed, slowly.
