Lake Como Day Trip from Milan: Insider’s Guide
How to save time, money, and avoid hordes of people you will be surrounded by on Lake Como.
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📅 Updated: December 2025
Lake Como Day Trip from Milan: The Honest Insider's Guide
Most travel blogs sell you a fairy tale. We are going to tell you the truth.
Lake Como is stunning, but without a smart plan, it can be a logistical nightmare of 2-hour ferry queues, missed connections, and tourist traps.
Practical basics (quick facts)
– Best months: April–October (July–August = hottest + crowded).
– Best day of week: avoid Sundays in peak season if possible.
– Ideal departure from Milan: train around 7:00–7:30 AM.
For up-to-date ferry schedules and tickets, use the official Lake Como ferry website Navigazione Laghi. For train schedules and tickets from Milan, check Trenord or international search platforms such as Trainline.
- 🚆 Best Start: Train from Milan to Varenna (around 7:00 AM) to beat the crowds.
- ⛴️ Ferry Hack: Buy a Central Lake Day Pass (~€15) immediately upon arrival.
- 🍝 Food Rule: Never eat on the waterfront in Bellagio. Walk up the stairs to inland trattorias.
- ⚠️ Skip It: Villa Cipressi (overhyped), George Clooney's house (you won’t really see it).
- 💎 Hidden Gems: Bellano (the gorge) and Lugano (Switzerland).
Guide contents:
1. The Hard Truths About Lake Como
Between 10:30 AM and 4:00 PM, buying tickets in Bellagio, Varenna, or Como can take 60–90 minutes. Then you may wait another 30–60 minutes to board. You can easily spend half your day in queues, because you will need to take the ferry several times.
Cheap bus tours (50+ people) spend 5 hours on the road and only 2 hours on the lake. You hear "blah blah" in 3 languages and spend the day rushing.
❌ Mistake #3: Driving to Bellagio/Varenna on Your Own
Don’t do that. The roads are narrow, parking is extremely limited, and traffic jams in high season – especially at peak hours – are almost guaranteed.
❌ Mistake #4: Instagram Reality
Have you seen a lot of beautiful content on social media? Influencers create content to get likes, not to help you. If you blindly follow their suggestions, your day can be completely ruined.
Reality Check: This is Bellagio at 1 PM in summer. Plan smart to avoid this.
2. Choose Your Strategy: DIY vs. Tour
You have three ways to do this day trip. Choose your level of adventure.
Option A: The Classic Loop (Varenna–Bellagio)
Budget: ~€40–70 per person.
Route: Milan ➔ Varenna ➔ Bellagio ➔ Como ➔ Milan
- 07:20 AM: Train from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino. Sit on the left.
- 08:20 AM: Arrive in Varenna. RUN to the ferry dock for the Central Lake Pass.
- 09:30 AM: Ferry to Bellagio. Explore before the crowds hit at 11:00.
- 12:00 PM: Ferry or hydrofoil to Como town for lunch.
- Evening: Train from Como San Giovanni back to Milan.
Option B: The Two Countries Route (Como + Lugano)
Budget: ~€45–70 per person.
Route: Milan ➔ Como ➔ Lugano (Switzerland) ➔ Milan
- Step 1: Train from Milan to Como San Giovanni (~€11 round trip).
- Step 2: Morning boat cruise on Lake Como “first basin” (approx €9). See George Clooney's villa from the water.
- Step 3: Lunch in Como (cheaper than Switzerland).
- Step 4: Train from Como to Lugano (approx €25 round trip).
- Step 5: Explore Lugano (Parco Ciani, chocolate shops).
- Step 6: Train back to Milan.
Option C: The Smart Alternative (Bellano)
Why Bellano? Most tourists get off at Varenna. If you stay on the train one more stop to Bellano, you find a real Italian town with a spectacular gorge (Orrido di Bellano).
- Step 1: Train from Milan to Bellano–Tartavalle Terme (~€8).
- Step 2: Visit Orrido di Bellano (waterfall gorge).
- Step 3: Take the ferry from Bellano to Bellagio (less crowded than Varenna).
- Step 4: Continue to Menaggio or Varenna for sunset.
Option D: The No-Stress Upgrade (Small Group)
We designed this for people who want to see the lake, not study timetables.
- ✅ We pre-book everything: train & ferry tickets ready. Skip the line.
- ✅ Hidden gems included: we visit Bellano or Lugano (the tricky routes) effortlessly.
- ✅ Max 14 guests: intimate, English-speaking guide. No "herding".
3. Other Towns: Worth a Stop?
Menaggio (The Relaxed One)
Cernobbio & Torno (Near Como)
Torno: tiny, authentic, and quiet (pictured above). A great quick stop on a slow-boat cruise from Como to escape the tourist crush. I love Torno.
Argegno (The Local Spot)
4. Which Villas are Actually Worth It?
Villa Balbianello – James Bond and Star Wars
Requires a reservation in advance. Accessibility is tricky (steep walk or taxi boat). Best visited via private boat. Expect plenty of influencers with selfie sticks.
Villa Monastero – The Easiest to Reach from Milan
Located in Varenna. Easy to reach, with spectacular long lakeside gardens. Perfect for photos.
Villa Carlotta (The Gardens)
Huge botanical gardens – the biggest on Lake Como. Located in Tremezzo. Big tourist buses often stop here, so go at opening time.
Villa Cipressi (The "Gate")
People queue for 1 hour just to take a photo of one gate (pictured above). Villa Monastero is right next door and better.
Villa Melzi – Bellagio
5. Upgrades: Private Boats & Transfers
Private Luxury Boat Tours
Cost: from €300/hour.
Verdict: the ultimate VIP experience. These are the boats you see all over Instagram and TikTok. You see the villas from the water without being squeezed onto a public ferry. We can arrange this for you.
Self-Drive Boat Rental (Budget)
Verdict: fun for adventurous types. Search “boat rental without license Lake Como” on Google Maps to find local operators. Beware of ferry traffic and waves.
Private Car Transfer
Verdict: extremely comfortable door-to-door service, but beware of traffic. The train is often faster to the center of Milan, but a car is better for luggage and comfort. We also offer tours by luxury van.
6. Food Guide: Stop Eating Microwaved Lasagna
Walk 2 streets away from the water (or up the stairs in Bellagio). The prices drop by around 30%, and the food becomes real Italian cooking. Check reviews on Google and prices on the menu before you sit down.
Nice view? Sure. But the food is often overpriced and microwaved.
7. Lake Como FAQ — Quick Answers
Is Lake Como worth a day trip from Milan?
Yes. If you leave early and follow a smart route (for example Varenna ➝ Bellagio ➝ Como, or Como ➝ Lugano), you can see the lake, walk through at least one village, and enjoy a proper lunch without feeling rushed.
What is the best town to visit if I only have one day?
Most first-timers combine Varenna and Bellagio. Varenna is easier for trains if you come early in the morning; Bellagio is iconic but more crowded and touristy.
Is it better to visit Lake Como on my own or with a tour?
DIY works if you’re comfortable with Italian trains, timetables, and ferry schedules. Without planning, public transport in high season feels like rush hour in New York. If you hate logistics, a small-group tour or private guide removes the risk of long queues, missed boats, and bad restaurant choices.
Are private boats on Lake Como worth the money?
If you need to ask, let’s just say: if you know, you know. If your budget allows, yes. A private boat lets you see villas like Balbianello, Carlotta, and Cipressi from the water, stop for photos, and avoid crowded public ferries.
About the author
This guide is based on 8+ years of guiding tours – from celebrities to 55-person group tours on Lake Como – and 2,000+ tours led in Northern Italy. In 2023, fed up with mass tourism, I founded my own small-group tour agency in Milan.
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