Day Trip to Lake Como from Milan

Lake Como is a Y-shaped body of water that snakes through the craggy mountains of Northern Italy. A well-known retreat for the rich and famous, Como blends movie-star excess with the simplicity of rural Italian life. In Como, it is not uncommon to cross paths with the rich and famous. It is the type of place where boutique shops sell high-end jewelry and opulent villas showcase the best of Italian lakeside living.

And yet, its miles of hiking paths, its quaint streets and gardens and its easy accessibility from Milan mean that Lake Como can be easily enjoyed by everyone.

Regardless of budget, Lake Como is a place worth visiting and savoring. As such, a day trip to Lake Como has become one of the most popular excursions from Milan.

Lake Como: The Jewel of Northern Italy

Lake Como—the crown jewel of travel to the Italian Alps—constitutes an accessible getaway from Milan and brings visitors face-to-face with Italy’s irresistible charm.

While Lake Como is known as a famed retreat for George Clooney and Madonna, it has also become a common tourist destination for visitors from around the world. Much like the popular beach-side towns of the Cinque Terre and Amalfi Coast, visitors to Lake Como enjoy wandering around the lake’s picturesque villages and taking in the beauty of the surrounding mountains.

The body of water snakes through stunning alpine scenery and is home to some of Italy’s most romantic villages, including Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio.

Traveling to Lake Como from Milan

In the two years that I spent working as an Italian-language flight attendant based in New York, I traveled to Milan on a near-weekly basis. On my 24 hour Milan layovers, I took numerous opportunities to visit Lake Como by train.

While traveling to Milan for work, I must have gone to Lake Como at least five times. Each time, my visit was slightly different: sometimes I traveled to the town of Como, sometimes I chose to stay exclusively in Varenna, and yet other times, I explored the shores of Bellagio.

For travelers with at least two days to spend around Lake Como, hopping between lakeside villages is a fantastic idea. With only one day, however, I recommend focusing on the idyllic towns of Varenna and Bellagio.

In order to reach Lake Como, I took a train from Milan’s Central Station to the colorful town of Varenna. While the lake is home to a host of picturesque villages that are worth visiting, I recommend focusing on Varenna, as it provides quick and easy access to the idyllic town of Bellagio.

Trains to Varenna leave from Milan’s central station nearly every hour. The journey lasts approximately one hour by regional train and costs €6.70 each way.

• Varenna

The idyllic village of Varenna is a sleepy cluster of houses on the shores of Lake Como. Sitting on the shores of Italy’s beautiful Y-shaped lake and nestled between towering mountains, the town is bursting with colors. 

While there isn’t much to do in Varenna per se, the town’s beauty lies in its picturesque alleyways, its laid-back charm and its proximity to the lake. Eateries serving classic Italian fare line the lakefront and allow visitors to dine while taking in the views of their breathtaking surroundings. 

 

On many of my day trips to Lake Como from Milan, I spent the day meandering around the town’s cobblestone streets, sipping wine at one of the many outdoor cafes and taking in the lakefront views.

• Bellagio

Varenna is only a short ferry hop away from Bellagio—another idyllic town sitting on the shores of the lake. The short ferry ride takes about 15 minutes and costs €4.60 each way. The ferry ride is not only a convenient and inexpensive way of traveling between the two picturesque towns, but it is also offers fantastic views and is a must-do attraction in itself. The ride affords passengers spectacular views of the surrounding towns and mountains.

Bellagio is known for its beautiful villas. The town is one of the most renowned in Italy and a frequent bucket list destination for travelers to Europe. During my visits to Bellagio, I walked around the town’s narrow streets and admired its ornate residences.

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The world-renowned lake is a playground for the rich and famous that lies within striking distance of Milan—Italy’s second-largest city.