Are you going on holidays to Italy and your accommodation or hotel is close to Lake Como? Then we recommend you to travel to this lake because this is one of the places you should have visited once in your life. It is located near Milan which makes it ideal to combine your holiday with a trip to the Lake. Do you have a long city trip planned to Milan but you love nature as well? Travel to the Lake Como and escape to the nature for a couple of days. To complete your holiday, we will tell you what you should not miss!
Lake Como is located in Northern Italy, just above the famous city Milan and near the Swiss border. The lake is named after the largest city at the lake: Como, and it is the largest alpine lake after Lake Maggiore and Lake Garda. In addition to the beautiful nature surrounding the lake, the neighbouring villages are very popular among tourists. They travel to these villages to enjoy the typical Italian charm and the delicious food during their holidays. Lake Como is easy accessible by car, but also by train from Milan, from the Cadorna station. This travel to the lake takes about an hour. However, you can enjoy the beautiful views of the landscape during the train journey.
What to do at Lake Como?
The shape of the lake is an inverted “Y” with the three nearest villages: Como in the west, Lecco in the east and Colico in the north. Of course, it is also surrounded by other beautiful places you can visit, by foot or by boat. Do you want to learn more about these villages? Today we will tell you more about these places in order to help you plan your holiday to Lake Como.
Como
The most important and largest village is Como, which is almost grown with the Swiss city Chiasso. This city already existed during the Roman period, that’s why this place has many historical sights, such as the remains of a large city wall that used to be for protection. In this city you can also take the Brunate cable car which brings you to a point where you have a beautiful view of Lake Como.
Lecco
How do you recognise Lecco? Well, that’s easy! As mentioned, this place is located in the east, but we recognise the place above all because of the high tower in the distance that reaches above the small houses with a mountain in the background. We advise you to visit this place not only during the day but also in the evening when the whole place is lit and the bright light reflects on the water of the lake.
Colico
Further to the north we find Colico, a place where tourists can enjoy a beach with natural fresh water. The cottages are less picturesque than in the other villages but there are many activities for visitors like windsurfing, paragliding etc.
Bellagio
The village Bellagio is located between the two ends of the Y-shape, so in the central area of the Lake. Like the other places, this place can also be reached by ferry. This village has beautiful views and is therefore one of the most visited and well-known places in the area. Here you will find small and steep streets and stunning views of the lake.
Varenna
Another beautiful town is Varenna, located in the middle of the lake, opposite of the Bellagio coast and at the foot of the mountains. This is a typical picturesque village with a beautiful boulevard and a walking path along a rocky wall.
Tremezzo
If you take the ferry from Varenna then you can visit the next village, Tremezzo, just on the other side of lake. It is one of the most touristy villages because here Villa Carlotta is located, a beautiful home built for Charlotte of Prussia as a wedding present, in the middle of the nineteenth century. You can visit the house and discover the rooms, but you can also walk through the magic gardens.
Menaggio
Menaggio is also a popular place because of the connection with the village Como, Lugano and the northern of Lake Como. A walk through the streets is like a journey to the past where you can admire the remains of the medieval castle.
Lake Como is not only one of Italy’s largest lakes but also one of the most beautiful and popular because people can discover many different places around the lake. If you travel by car to southern Italy instead of a city trip to Milan, consider spending a few days here and enjoy this natural area full of history.