Lake Como Guide

Quick Snapshot

Lake Como is one of the most famous destinations in northern Italy, and the scenery absolutely lives up to the reputation. The lake, the mountains, and the villages are stunning.

However, during our visit the area felt extremely crowded and much less relaxed than we expected. Between packed transportation, busy towns, and tricky logistics, it ended up being one of the more challenging stops of the trip.

Quick Snapshot — Lake Como is visually spectacular, even when the logistics feel harder than expected.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the Hilton Lake Como using a combination of points and cash, and the hotel itself was excellent.

The property was very kid-friendly, the staff was helpful, and it was a comfortable place to come back to after navigating busy towns around the lake.

The rooftop pool was a highlight with incredible views across the lake, although it unfortunately closed at 6 p.m., which made it harder to enjoy after a full day of exploring.

Where We Stayed — Hilton Lake Como worked well as a comfortable family base, especially after long, crowded travel days.

Getting to Lake Como

We arrived by train from Milan, which turned out to be one of the more chaotic transportation experiences of the trip.

The train from Milan to Como was extremely crowded. We were essentially standing the entire time, packed together like sardines in a can.

If you're traveling with kids or luggage, it's worth preparing for this possibility, especially during peak travel times.

Getting to Lake Como — Getting to and around Lake Como can be more complicated than the postcard version suggests.

Getting Around the Lake

Transportation around Lake Como looks simple on a map, but it can be surprisingly complicated in practice.

We had trouble getting taxis in Como and ultimately needed to arrange a private van transfer to get from Como to Bellagio and later from Como to the airport.

Once on the lake, boats were the main way to move between towns.

Hydrofoil between Bellagio and Como
Ferry between Bellagio and Varenna
Private van transfer from Como to Bellagio
Private van transfer from Como to the airport

Getting Around the Lake — Boat travel is part of the experience on Lake Como, but it does not always feel effortless with a family.

Bellagio and Varenna

Bellagio is beautiful but physically demanding. The town is built vertically with a lot of stairs, which can make it difficult for both kids and older travelers.

Varenna was also lovely, but during our visit it was so crowded that walking through parts of the town felt almost impossible.

Both towns are undeniably scenic, but the heavy crowds made them less relaxing than expected.

Bellagio and Varenna are beautiful, but they can feel much busier and steeper than expected.

What Worked Best

The most enjoyable part of our Lake Como stop was actually the time spent relaxing at the hotel and enjoying the views rather than rushing between towns.

If we were planning the trip again, we would likely keep the visit shorter and focus on fewer locations rather than trying to see multiple towns in a single stay.