UltimateGuide Lake Como
Our favourites
Varenna’s pastel houses and bell tower on the shore of Lake Como, under the wooded cliffs, in evening sun Varenna’s pastel houses and bell tower on the shore of Lake Como, under the wooded cliffs, in evening sun The Villa del Balbianello on its wooded peninsula, with its loggia, terraced gardens and the lake around it The Bellagio waterfront, with its grand hotels, the ferry landing and a lake boat moored in the sun Varenna and the Castello di Vezio above the lake, with Bellagio’s peninsula beyond

The lake guide to Lake Como, Italy

Best of Lake Como

Villa d’Este and the Villa del Balbianello, Bellagio on its point and Varenna across the water, the gardens of Villa Melzi and the Villa Carlotta, Riva boats, seaplanes and the car ferry, and the 2026 MICHELIN stars: Lake Como, checked place by place.

Launch edition · Autumn 2026

Where to eatWhat to see
The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peakSister guideULTIMATE Rail JourneysThe story of the train, the great journeys and where to book themA cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expeditionThe Matterhorn in winter above ZermattSister guideULTIMATE Ski ResortsSeason dates, hotels, après and ski schools, resort by resort
The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratSister guideULTIMATE PropertyPrime neighbourhoods, agents, new developments and how buying works

Your trusted, one‑stop guide to Lake Como

Lake Como is the lake of villas: palaces and gardens built by Milanese nobles and cardinals along a shore of mountains, linked by boats. Here are the grand hotels and the 2026 MICHELIN stars, the villas and gardens, the towns of Como, Cernobbio, Tremezzina, Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio, Lecco and the upper lake, the boats and seaplanes, and day trips to Milan, Bergamo, Lugano, Valtellina and Lake Maggiore. We’ve checked every listing against the venue’s own website or an official source, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm.

Lake Como, the lake of villas: the back story

In depth

The lake of villas

Lake Como·In depth

The Villa del Balbianello and the Villa Carlotta, the gardens of Villa Melzi and Villa Monastero, Como’s cathedral and the funicular to Brunate: how to read the lake.

Read the story

Lake Como by area

From the walled town of Como to the upper lake, each shore has its own guide: the silk town, the grand villas of the first basin, Tremezzina’s gardens, Bellagio on its point, Varenna, Menaggio, Lecco under its mountains and the wide northern lake.

The carved marble façade and rose window of Como CathedralArea guideComoThe silk townThe fountain on the lakeside Piazza Risorgimento in Cernobbio, with the eastern shore beyondArea guideCernobbio, Blevio & TornoThe first basinThe Villa del Balbianello on its wooded peninsula, with its loggia, terraced gardens and the lake around itArea guideTremezzinaVillas and gardensThe Bellagio waterfront, with its grand hotels, the ferry landing and a lake boat moored in the sunArea guideBellagioOn the pointVarenna’s pastel houses and bell tower on the shore of Lake Como, seen from the ferryArea guideVarennaThe eastern shoreThe Menaggio lakefront, with a lake steamer passing a grand hotelArea guideMenaggio & CadenabbiaThe car ferry shore

By boat

Choose a base near a ferry stop: the boats are the best way to move between the lake towns, and the car ferry links Bellagio, Cadenabbia, Varenna and Menaggio.

The Lecco arm of Lake Como at dusk, between its mountainsArea guideLeccoManzoni and the mountainsThe striped Romanesque church of Santa Maria del Tiglio at Gravedona, on the upper lakeArea guideThe upper lakeGravedona, Domaso and Colico

Plan your trip

The practical things to know before you go: the boats and the trains, the airports of Milan, the seasons of the villas and hotels, and itineraries for a first visit.

The carved marble façade and rose window of Como CathedralBefore you goLake Como essentialsSeasons, the airports, the boats and the villasA Navigazione Laghi car ferry crossing the centre of Lake Como towards VarennaGetting aroundBy boat and trainThe boats, the car ferry and TrenordVarenna’s pastel houses and bell tower on the shore of Lake Como, under the wooded cliffs, in evening sunItineraryThree days on Lake ComoThe classic first visitThe Grand Hotel Tremezzo above its floating pool and lakeside terrace, with a wooden launch passingLuxury guideLUX LivingThe finest addressesVilla d’Este on the shore at Cernobbio from the air, with its gardens, landing stage and pool on the lakeItineraryThe Gold weekendVilla d’Este, a Riva and MateriaThe lakeside pool and boat dock of Il Sereno at Torno, with a wooden launch and the mountains of the western shoreItineraryThe Platinum weekendIl Sereno, a seaplane and the T Spa

Our advice

Arrive by train, travel by boat

Trenord runs from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino in about an hour, and from Milan to Como; from there, Navigazione Laghi’s boats and car ferry link the lake towns. Check both timetables on the day. Lake Como essentials

Beyond the lake

Milan, Bergamo, Lugano, Valtellina and Lake Maggiore, all within reach for the day: the great city, a walled upper town, Switzerland’s Italian lakes, terraced vineyards and baroque islands.

The Duomo di Milano and the arch of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the Piazza del DuomoBeyond the lakeMilanThe Duomo and the Last SupperThe Piazza Vecchia in Bergamo’s Città Alta, with the Palazzo della Ragione and the CampanoneBeyond the lakeBergamoThe upper townLugano and its lake seen from the mountains above, with the Alps beyondBeyond the lakeLugano & TicinoSwitzerland’s Italian lakesA dish of pizzoccheri della Valtellina: buckwheat pasta with potatoes, cabbage and melted cheeseBeyond the lakeValtellinaTerraced vineyards and pizzoccheriLake Maggiore and the Isola Superiore seen from Isola Bella, with a boat at the landingBeyond the lakeLake MaggioreThe Borromean Islands

Our advice

See the villas early or late

The Villa del Balbianello, the Villa Carlotta and the gardens of Villa Melzi are at their best in the soft light of morning and late afternoon, before and after the day boats. The villas and sights

In depth: Lake Como’s back stories

Lake Como cuisine, the villas, silk and music, eating, the grand hotels, film, the boats and where to buy: the stories behind the lake.

The carved marble façade and rose window of Como CathedralChristmas & New YearChristmas on Lake ComoComo’s Christmas town and a winter by the lakeA dish of pizzoccheri della Valtellina: buckwheat pasta with potatoes, cabbage and melted cheeseEatLake Como CuisinePerch, missoltini, pizzoccheri and the SfursatThe Bellagio waterfront, with its grand hotels, the ferry landing and a lake boat moored in the sunFeatureLake Como, the classic and the newGrandeur, villas, the table and the waterThe loggia of the Villa del Balbianello, its arches dressed in creeper beneath a carved coat of armsFeatureLake Como on filmCasino Royale, Star Wars and Ocean’s TwelveThe Villa del Balbianello on its wooded peninsula, with its loggia, terraced gardens and the lake around itThe back storyThe lake of villasThe Balbianello, the Carlotta and Villa MelziA Jacquard punched-card machine in the Museo della Seta in Como, before silk design drawingsThe back storySilk and musicThe UNESCO craft city and the opera house

In season

Most villas and many lakeside hotels close in winter: check each one’s season on its own website before you plan.

Villa d’Este on the shore at Cernobbio, seen from the lakeThe back storyEating on Lake ComoThe starred tables and the terracesThe roof and lettered façade of the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, with a lake steamer and the mountains across the waterThe back storyThe grand hotelsFrom Villa d’Este to the EDITIONThe Varenna ferry landing, with a lake steamer arrivingThe back storyBy boat and trainThe boats, the car ferry and TrenordThe fountain on the lakeside Piazza Risorgimento in Cernobbio, with the eastern shore beyondThe back storyBuying on Lake ComoThe shores and the notaioThe red and yellow car of the Como–Brunate funicular climbing through the gardens, with Como and the lake belowFun factsLake Como fun factsThings you might not know

Across Italy with the ULTIMATE guides

Milan an hour away, Venice by high-speed train, the Alps in winter and the great train journeys of the world.

The Duomo di Milano and the arch of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the Piazza del DuomoULTIMATE MilanMilanAn hour by trainA Navigazione Laghi car ferry crossing the centre of Lake Como towards VarennaULTIMATE VeniceVeniceEast by high-speed trainLecco and its lake seen from the mountainside above, with the peaks beyondULTIMATE Ski ResortsSki ResortsThe Alps beyond the lakeThe Varenna ferry landing, with a lake steamer arrivingULTIMATE Rail JourneysRail JourneysThe great train journeys

ULTIMATE City Guides: Europe & beyond

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

Europe

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Canal houses and bridges in Amsterdamthe NetherlandsULTIMATE AmsterdamThe canal ring, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, canal-house hotels, twenty MICHELIN-starred tables, brown cafés, and day trips to Haarlem and Keukenhof.Visit the guide The Alhambra in Granada in the evening lightSpainULTIMATE AndalusiaSeville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and Jerez, Ronda and the white villages, Doñana and Cabo de Gata.Visit the guide The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.Visit the guide The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open seaSpainULTIMATE Balearic IslandsMallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera side by side, and how to hop between them by ferry.Visit the guide The Sagrada Família lit up at nightSpainULTIMATE BarcelonaGaudí and the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, four Three-Star MICHELIN kitchens, the beaches and day trips to Montserrat and Girona.Visit the guide Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunsetSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.Visit the guide The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin against a blue skyGermanyULTIMATE BerlinThe Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island, the Philharmonie and three opera houses, the story of the Wall, and day trips to Potsdam and Dresden.Visit the guide The Royal Pavilion in Brighton under a blue skyEnglandULTIMATE BrightonThe Royal Pavilion and the piers, the Lanes and the North Laine, Kemptown and Pride, and the South Downs on the doorstep.Visit the guide The Romanian Athenaeum in its gardenRomaniaULTIMATE BucharestBelle Époque palaces, concerts at the Athenaeum, a buzzing food and coffee scene, and the castles and mountains of the Carpathians.Visit the guide The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the DanubeHungaryULTIMATE BudapestThermal baths, grand coffee houses, ruin bars and MICHELIN-starred dining on both banks of the Danube, with day trips to the Danube Bend and Lake Balaton.Visit the guide A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegroships & regions)ULTIMATE Cruises (linesThe world’s cruise lines for every budget, from family resort ships to yachts, expedition ships and river boats, with the cruising regions port by port.Visit the guide Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es VedràSpainULTIMATE FormenteraThe white sands of Ses Illetes, the lighthouses of La Mola and Barbaria, the craft markets and an island made for bikes.Visit the guide The Baie des Anges, NiceFranceULTIMATE French RivieraNice, Cannes, Antibes, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Menton, Saint-Tropez and Cassis: palace hotels, three-star tables, beach clubs, the Festival de Cannes and the painters’ coast.Visit the guide Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini calderaGreeceULTIMATE Greek IslandsIsland hopping made easy: Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Milos and the Cyclades, plus Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, with ferries, beaches, hotels and tavernas.Visit the guide Helsinki Cathedral above the South HarbourFinlandULTIMATE HelsinkiSuomenlinna and the South Harbour, saunas by the sea, Aalto and the Design District, two-starred Palace and day trips to Porvoo and Tallinn.Visit the guide The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sunSpainULTIMATE IbizaDalt Vila’s UNESCO walls, Es Vedrà, three MICHELIN-starred kitchens, the beach clubs and the quiet north, 30 minutes from Formentera.Visit the guide Hagia Sophia and its minarets in golden evening lightTurkeyULTIMATE IstanbulTwo continents, one city: Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, Bosphorus ferries, meyhanes and rooftop bars, Sinan’s hammams and the car-free Princes’ Islands.Visit the guide Congress Square, Ljubljana, with the castle on its hill behindSloveniaULTIMATE LjubljanaSlovenia’s green, car-free capital of river cafés and Plečnik’s bridges, an hour from Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, the caves and the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower lit at dusk across the ThamesUnited KingdomULTIMATE LondonRoyal palaces and the Thames, great museums, West End theatre, grand hotels, and the restaurants and bars of Soho, Mayfair and the City.Visit the guide The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran VíaSpainULTIMATE MadridThe Prado and El Retiro, the Royal Palace, DiverXO’s three stars and cocido since 1870, with day trips to Toledo and Segovia.Visit the guide La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la MarSpainULTIMATE MallorcaPalma’s cathedral and palace hotels, the UNESCO Tramuntana, Deià and Sóller, nine MICHELIN-starred kitchens, and Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.Visit the guide Valletta’s honey-coloured skyline, with the dome of the Carmelite church and the spire of St Paul’s, above the harbour at sunsetGozo & CominoULTIMATE MaltaValletta’s knights’ city, temples older than the pyramids, Caravaggio, seven MICHELIN-starred kitchens and the Blue Lagoon.Visit the guide Yachts in Puerto BanúsSpainULTIMATE MarbellaWhitewashed lanes and orange trees in the Old Town, the yachts of Puerto Banús, beach clubs on the Golden Mile and day trips to Ronda and Gibraltar.Visit the guide Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, MenorcaSpainULTIMATE MenorcaA UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: the coves of Macarella and Turqueta, World Heritage Talayotic sites, Ciutadella and Maó’s great harbour.Visit the guide The Duomo di Milano and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the Piazza del DuomoItalyULTIMATE MilanThe Duomo and the Last Supper, La Scala and Brera, the Quadrilatero della Moda, Bartolini’s three stars, and day trips to Lake Como.Visit the guide Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountainsOur sister guideULTIMATE MonacoThe Casino and Monte-Carlo’s palace hotels, the Prince’s Palace on the Rock, superyachts in Port Hercule, Larvotto’s beach clubs and the Grand Prix streets.Visit the guide The Eiffel Tower seen from the Trocadéro in ParisFranceULTIMATE ParisThe Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, Notre-Dame reopened, the palace hotels, nine three-star tables, the bouillons, and day trips to Versailles and Giverny.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratOur sister guideULTIMATE Property (prime markets worldwide)Prime neighbourhoods, estate agents, new developments and how buying works, market by market across the ULTIMATE network.Visit the guide The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peakOur sister guideULTIMATE Rail Journeys (great train journeys worldwide)The story of the train, the great rail journeys of the world and where to book them, from the Orient Express to the Glacier Express.Visit the guide The Church of St John at Kaneo above Lake Ohrid, North MacedoniaOur sister guideULTIMATE Regions (editor’s letters & regional guides)Editor’s letters and the food, markets, nature and seasons each region shares, starting with the Balkans.Visit the guide St Peter’s Basilica in Rome under a clear blue skyItalyULTIMATE RomeThe Colosseum and the Vatican, the grand hotels above the Spanish Steps, La Pergola’s three stars, the trattorias, and day trips to Tivoli and Pompeii.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Matterhorn in winter above ZermattOur sister guideULTIMATE Ski Resorts (Europe & North America)Ski resorts in Europe and North America, country by country, for every budget: season dates, hotels, mountain restaurants, après, ski schools and getting there.Visit the guide The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at nightNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century stone bridge between a 21st-century square and an Ottoman bazaar, Kenzo Tange’s concrete city, Matka Canyon, and Lake Ohrid three hours away.Visit the guide The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, under a pink evening skyBulgariaULTIMATE SofiaRoman streets beneath the city, golden domes, warm mineral springs and a mountain at the end of the main boulevard.Visit the guide The restored Pyramid of Tirana under a blue skyAlbaniaULTIMATE TiranaAn Ottoman mosque painted with waterfalls, museums in bunkers, Blloku’s cafés and the Dajti cable car, with Berat, Gjirokastër, the Alps and the Riviera within reach.Visit the guide Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’OrciaItalyULTIMATE TuscanyFlorence, Chianti, Siena, the Val d’Orcia, Pisa and Lucca, Versilia, Bolgheri, the Maremma, Arezzo and Elba.Visit the guide Calatrava’s Hemisfèric lit at twilight, reflected in its poolSpainULTIMATE ValenciaCalatrava’s City of Arts and Sciences, the Gothic Lonja, paella by the sea, Las Fallas and the nine-kilometre Turia Garden.Visit the guide The Grand Canal and Santa Maria della Salute, VeniceItalyULTIMATE VeniceThe Grand Canal and St Mark’s, palace hotels, Two MICHELIN Stars at Glam, the bacari, the Biennale, and Murano, Burano and Torcello.Visit the guide The tiled roof of St Stephen’s Cathedral and the rooftops of central ViennaAustriaULTIMATE ViennaThe State Opera and the Musikverein, Schönbrunn and Klimt, the coffee houses and Heurigen, and Railjets to Budapest every hour.Visit the guide St Mark's Church and its tiled roof on St Mark's Square, Zagreb's Upper TownCroatiaULTIMATE ZagrebCroatia’s elegant capital of cafés, museums and markets, and the gateway to Plitvice Lakes, Istria, Dubrovnik and the islands of the Adriatic.Visit the guide

North America

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Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coastUSAULTIMATE CaliforniaSan Francisco, Napa and Sonoma, Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe and the national parks.Visit the guide A schooner silhouetted against the sunset off Key WestUSAULTIMATE FloridaOrlando and the theme parks, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, St. Augustine and Scenic Highway 30A.Visit the guide The Las Vegas Strip at duskNevadaULTIMATE Las VegasThe Strip and its shows, MICHELIN dining, Sphere and Fremont Street’s neon, with Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon beyond.Visit the guide Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel MountainsCaliforniaULTIMATE Los AngelesHollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels, the Sunset Strip, the Getty and the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu.Visit the guide Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami BeachFloridaULTIMATE MiamiSouth Beach and the Art Deco district, Wynwood’s murals, the Design District, Little Havana’s cafecito and the beaches of Key Biscayne.Visit the guide Sunset at the Naples PierFloridaULTIMATE NaplesWhite-sand beaches and sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico, Fifth Avenue’s terraces, grand beach resorts and golf, with the Everglades and Marco Island close by.Visit the guide The New York City skyline from Top of the RockNew YorkULTIMATE New YorkManhattan’s grand hotels and MICHELIN dining, Broadway and the Met, Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO.Visit the guide The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery SpencerCaliforniaULTIMATE San FranciscoCable cars over Nob Hill, North Beach cafés, the murals of the Mission, three-star tables and the Golden Gate Bridge.Visit the guide

Caribbean

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The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the BahamasOur sister guideULTIMATE The BahamasSeven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.Visit the guide The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesOur sister guideULTIMATE BarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.Visit the guide Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsOur sister guideULTIMATE St LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.Visit the guide

Asia & Indian Ocean

See all Asia & Indian Ocean
The Grand Palace reflected at dawnThailandULTIMATE BangkokThe Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of Charoen Krung, MICHELIN stars from street food to tasting menus, rooftop bars and the Thai islands.Visit the guide Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria PeakOur sister guideULTIMATE Hong KongThe harbour from the Peak, the Star Ferry, Cantonese dining rooms with MICHELIN stars, dim sum in the lanes of Central and the museums of West Kowloon.Visit the guide An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the MaldivesOur sister guideULTIMATE MaldivesUndersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.Visit the guide The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbourIndiaULTIMATE MumbaiThe Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.Visit the guide The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu RiverChinaULTIMATE ShanghaiThe grand hotels of the Bund facing the towers of Pudong, every MICHELIN star, Yu Garden, the two Shanghai Museums and day trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.Visit the guide The towers of the Central Business District lit up at night, reflected in Marina BayOur sister guideULTIMATE SingaporeMarina Bay and Raffles, three restaurants with three MICHELIN Stars, the hawker centres, and the Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Visit the guide A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, KandyOur sister guideULTIMATE Sri LankaColombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.Visit the guide Longtail boats on West Railay beach beneath the limestone cliffsOur sister guideULTIMATE Thai IslandsWinter sun on two seas: Phuket, Krabi and Railay, Phi Phi and Koh Lanta on the Andaman, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao in the Gulf.Visit the guide

Middle East

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Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourUnited Arab EmiratesULTIMATE DubaiBurj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on the Palm, every MICHELIN star of 2026 and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Hatta.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

The latest from our readers: visitors and locals talking about Lake Como, its restaurants, theatres, museums and neighbourhoods.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    Villa del Balbianello

    This week's pick

    Villa del Balbianello

    Lenno, Tremezzina·Villa and garden (FAI)

    The FAI’s Villa del Balbianello stands on its own peninsula at Lenno: Cardinal Durini’s loggia, Guido Monzino’s expedition museum and gardens falling to the water. Book on the FAI’s official site and check the season before you go.

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    Varenna’s pastel houses and bell tower on the shore of Lake Como, under the wooded cliffs, in evening sunItineraryThree days on Lake ComoThree daysThe Varenna ferry landing, with a lake steamer arrivingItineraryA day on the water: the centre lake by boatOne dayThe avenue of plane trees and the flowering azaleas of the gardens of Villa Melzi, beside the lakeItineraryVillas and gardens of Lake ComoOne dayThe fountain on the lakeside Piazza Risorgimento in Cernobbio, with the eastern shore beyondItineraryA property viewing day: Cernobbio, Tremezzina and BellagioOne dayThe Duomo di Milano and the arch of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the Piazza del DuomoItineraryBy rail: a day in MilanOne day, by trainVilla d’Este on the shore at Cernobbio, seen from the lakeItineraryThe Gold weekend: a luxury weekend on Lake ComoTwo daysThe Art Nouveau façade of the Grand Hotel Tremezzo above its terrace and lakeside poolItineraryThe Platinum weekend: Lake Como at its most exclusiveTwo days

    Know your neighbourhoods

    Our favourites right now

    Restaurants

    1. 1Eating on Lake Como: the back storyLake Como · In depth
    2. 2Lake Como CuisineLake Como · In depth: food
    3. 3KitchenComo · Restaurant
    See all 30

    Cafés

    1. 1Pasticceria PolettiCernobbio · Pasticceria
    2. 2Martesana ComoComo · Pasticceria
    3. 3CastiglioniComo · Gastronomia and enoteca
    See all 6

    Bars

    1. 1Harry’s Bar CernobbioCernobbio · Restaurant and bar
    2. 2CO.MO Bar & BistrotBlevio · Hotel bar
    3. 3The Lobby Bar at The Lake Como EDITIONCadenabbia · Hotel bar
    See all 5

    Hotels

    1. 1The grand hotels of Lake Como: the back storyLake Como · In depth
    2. 2Villa d’EsteCernobbio · Grand hotel
    3. 3Mandarin Oriental, Lago di ComoBlevio · Resort
    See all 19

    Sights

    1. 1Lake Como, the lake of villas: the back storyLake Como · In depth
    2. 2Villa del BalbianelloLenno, Tremezzina · Villa and garden (FAI)
    3. 3Villa CarlottaTremezzina · Villa, museum and garden
    See all 11

    Arts & Culture

    1. 1Lake Como, the lake of silk and music: the back storyComo · In depth
    2. 2Museo della SetaComo · Museum
    3. 3Villa BernasconiCernobbio · House museum
    See all 16

    Gardens

    1. 1The gardens of the Villa CarlottaTremezzina · Botanical garden
    2. 2The botanical garden of the Villa MonasteroVarenna · Botanical garden
    3. 3The gardens of Villa MelziBellagio · Garden
    See all 5

    Walks

    1. 1The Greenway del Lago di ComoTremezzina · Walk
    2. 2Como’s walled townComo · Walk
    3. 3Como to BrunateComo · Walk
    See all 6

    Shopping

    1. 1Frey, CernobbioCernobbio · Silk shop
    2. 2Frey, BellagioBellagio · Silk shop
    3. 3Mantero 1902Grandate · Silk house
    See all 6

    Health

    1. 1Emergencies: call 112Lake Como · Emergency number
    2. 2Ospedale Sant’Anna (ASST Lariana)San Fermo della Battaglia · Hospital
    3. 3Ospedale Erba-Renaldi, Menaggio (ASST Lariana)Menaggio · Hospital
    See all 10

    Property

    1. 1Buying on Lake Como: the back storyLake Como · In depth
    2. 2The notaioLake Como · Official step
    3. 3Codice fiscale: your Italian tax codeLake Como · Official step
    See all 6

    Developments

    1. 1The Lake Como EDITIONCadenabbia · Development
    2. 2Villa Olmo and its parkComo · Development
    3. 3Villa PlinianaTorno · Development
    See all 4

    Boats

    1. 1Como Classic BoatsLaglio · Boat hire with driver
    2. 2Bellagio Water LimousinesBellagio · Boat tours and transfers
    3. 3The Riva Aquarama at Villa d’EsteCernobbio · Hotel boat tour
    See all 6

    Getting Around

    1. 1Lake Como by boat and train: the back storyLake Como · In depth
    2. 2Navigazione LaghiLake Como · Public boats
    3. 3The Como–Brunate funicularComo · Funicular
    See all 7

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