Day trip to Lake Como: what to do

Are you trying to figure out how to organise your itinerary for a day trip to Lake Como, but by dint of consulting boat and ferry timetables and jumping from one site to another to put together all the suggestions you are more confused than before?

Let’s see if I can guess!

What you need is clarity on the stops to make, the area to see, and the villages to include in your programme for the day.

I’ll tell you the good news, I can give you a hand!

Looking for a more personalised itinerary, perhaps with different stops or with valuable tips on where to eat? Check out my Travel Designer service for a detailed plan of your day!

What you will find in this article is in fact the classic itinerary that I suggest to those who visit the lake, have only one day to spare and what they want is to visit the most famous villages and attractions of the Lario.

Of course my Local Blogger soul also makes itself felt in a situation like this. For years I have been promoting mainly that lesser-known and renowned side of the territory, and instinctively I would like to suggest that you at least take a look at the rest of my blog as well. And be inspired.

Who knows, maybe after having visited the best known locations, you might feel the urge to explore the rest as well. And maybe even extend your holiday by a few days!

One thing is certain, in journeys the real added value is the time we are able to dedicate to really living and savouring an experience. So the advice I am going to give you here is also designed with this in mind.

No tour de force, no hit and run and above all no rush.

‘Less is more!’

But don’t worry, you won’t leave with the feeling that you have missed out on something. But rather with the knowledge that you have had a great taste.

So what to do on Lake Como in a day?

The first question you’re probably asking yourself is whether to visit Como or go for the small lakeside villages.

You will find those who advise you to do both in one day, but believe me, it is madness. Here the choice must be drastic and without hesitation I tell you to leave the city for another occasion.

My advice is to go beyond the city and reach the central part of the lake.

It is the most visited, the most touristy and the most crowded, you have to take that into account. But I admit it is a real concentration of places, villages and views that will leave you breathless.

What I recommend you include in your itinerary are: a villa, two or three villages and the boat tour.

Nothing more and nothing less.

My heart beats for slightly more remote villages, but of course today in this article I can only suggest visiting Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio.

Allow for the crowds, the world more or less passes by there every summer, but the reasons are all there: the setting is literally breathtaking.

As for the villas, unfortunately if you only have one day and want to see the rest, I do not recommend Villa Balbianello. It is undoubtedly a magical place! But because of its location and the way it can be visited, it ties up a lot in terms of time and travel.

The choice then falls on one of the others. Certainly the most famous is Villa Carlotta: for a day trip to Lake Como, it is the most classic stop, satisfying both garden and art lovers.

And it is a great addition to your lake itinerary!

However, do not exclude the others a priori, Villa Melzi (in Bellagio) and Villa Monastero (in Varenna) are also magical places! Let’s say that the choice will be dictated mostly by your tastes, but above all by how you decide to distribute your time in the individual villages you visit.

One thing is certain, whatever villa you decide to see, you will not be disappointed!

Discover Lake Como with my Pocket Guide full of useful tips!