The Lake Como Itinerary I’d Take After Exploring Italy’s Most Beautiful Lake
I spent a full week on Lake Como, based in Como Town, riding ferries back and forth to Bellagio, Varenna, Tremezzo, and every little village in between. That week taught me something I wish someone had told me before I booked my train tickets: Lake Como doesn’t reward rushing. It rewards a good plan.
That’s exactly what this Lake Como itinerary is built to give you. Whether you’ve got a quick 2 days, a comfortable long weekend, or a full 5 days on the lake, I’ve laid out where to go each day, why the route works, and where to stay so you spend more time enjoying Lake Como and less time backtracking on ferries.
If you want the full background on the lake first — the towns, the ferries, the best time to visit — start with my complete Lake Como Travel Guide. This post picks up where that one leaves off and turns it into a day-by-day plan.
Which Lake Como Itinerary Is Best for You?
Before we get into the day-by-day details, here’s the short version:
- 2 days — Enough time for Bellagio and one more town (Varenna or Como). Good for a stopover on a bigger Italy trip.
- 3 days — My minimum recommendation. You get Bellagio, Varenna, and Como Town without feeling rushed.
- 4 days — Adds a full villas day (Villa del Balbianello and Villa Carlotta), which honestly might be my favorite day on the whole lake.
- 5 days — The itinerary I’d actually recommend if you can swing it. It adds a boat day on the water, which changes how you experience the lake completely.
| Days | Overnight bases | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Bellagio | Weekend |
| 3 | Bellagio | First visit |
| 4 | Bellagio | Villas |
| 5 | Bellagio + Varenna | Complete experience |
If you’re still deciding on your base, I’d also point you to my guide on where to stay in Lake Como before booking anything — your home base changes how each of these itineraries flows.
Lake Como 5-Day Itinerary Route Map
Before getting into the day-by-day details, here’s the route at a glance. This itinerary is designed to minimize ferry backtracking while covering Lake Como’s most beautiful towns, villas, and viewpoints.
The route follows a simple loop: start in Bellagio, explore the western shore villas, cross to Varenna, spend a day on the water, and finish in Como for an easy train connection to Milan
How to Get Around Lake Como (Read This First)
Almost every version of this Lake Como itinerary relies on the same transport logic: train into Como or Varenna, then the passenger ferry to get around the lake itself. The ferries connect Como, Bellagio, Varenna, Tremezzo, Lenno, Menaggio, and most of the smaller villages, and honestly, riding them is half the fun — you get views of the villas and mountains you simply can’t get from the road.
Keep a rough eye on the ferry timetable each morning (it shifts seasonally), and don’t over-schedule. One or two towns a day is the sweet spot. Three feels like a checklist, not a vacation.
How Much Walking Should You Expect?
Plan on roughly 6–10 km (4–6 miles) of walking each day. Most of the walking is easy along lakefront promenades and town centers, but Bellagio’s narrow streets are steep and involve a fair number of steps. Villa gardens such as Villa Carlotta and Villa del Balbianello also require a moderate amount of walking.
Typical Ferry Times Between Major Towns
These are approximate travel times on the public ferry. Exact journey times vary depending on the route and whether you take a fast or standard service.
| Route | Approximate Ferry Time |
|---|---|
| Como → Bellagio | 2 hours (standard) / 1 hour (fast service, seasonal) |
| Bellagio → Varenna | 15–20 minutes |
| Bellagio → Tremezzo | 15 minutes |
| Bellagio → Lenno | 20–25 minutes |
| Varenna → Menaggio | 15 minutes |
| Varenna → Bellagio | 15–20 minutes |
| Tremezzo → Lenno | 10 minutes |
Planning tip: Ferry schedules change throughout the year, so check the timetable the evening before each travel day, especially if you’re planning an early start or a late return.
Typical Costs for a Lake Como Trip
These are rough prices to help you budget. Costs vary by season and restaurant choice.
| Expense | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Passenger ferry | €10–25 per day |
| Villa admission | €15–30 per villa |
| Self-drive boat rental | €120–250 per boat (half day) |
| Casual lunch | €20–35 per person |
| Dinner with drinks | €35–60 per person |
| Gelato or coffee | €3–8 |
Budget tip: If you’re following the 4 or 5 day itinerary, the villas and boat rental are the biggest optional expenses. Skipping the boat day can reduce your total trip cost considerably.
Before You Go: Lake Como Planning Checklist
Lake Como is easy to visit, but a little preparation will save you time once you’re there.
✓ Book popular villas in advance
Villa del Balbianello and Villa Carlotta are two of the lake’s biggest highlights, and tickets can sell out during the busiest months. Reserve ahead if you’re visiting between June and September.
✓ Check the ferry timetable before each travel day
Ferry schedules change seasonally, and some routes run less frequently in the shoulder season. Check the timetable the night before so you can plan your connections without rushing.
✓ Wear comfortable walking shoes
Lake Como’s villages are beautiful because they’re built into the landscape, which also means steep streets, cobblestones, and plenty of stairs—especially in Bellagio.
✓ Download offline maps before you arrive
Some smaller villages have spotty signal, and offline maps make it easier to find villas, viewpoints, restaurants, and ferry terminals.
✓ Carry some cash for smaller cafés and restaurants
Cards are widely accepted, but having a little cash is useful for small purchases like coffee, gelato, or places away from the main tourist areas.
✓ Pack a light layer even in summer
The evenings can feel cooler near the water, especially if you’re taking a late ferry or sitting outside for dinner.
Lake Como Itinerary: 2 Days
A 2 day Lake Como itinerary is tight, but it works well if you’re stopping over on your way between Milan and somewhere else, or if the lake is just one stop on a longer Italy trip.
Day 1: Bellagio
Take the train to Como or Varenna, then the ferry into Bellagio. Spend the afternoon wandering the steep little lanes around Salita Serbelloni and visit the gardens of Villa Melzi d’Eril, then have dinner at La Punta Spartivento, right at the tip of Bellagio where all three branches of the lake meet. It’s one of the best water views on the lake, and a lovely way to start the trip. One of my favorite moments was wandering Bellagio after dinner, once the afternoon crowds had thinned and the streets felt much quieter. Stay the night in Bellagio — I have a full breakdown of hotels in my Bellagio Travel Guide.
Day 2: Varenna or Como
On your second day, choose one: take the ferry across to Varenna for its lakefront promenade and Villa Monastero, or head to Como Town for Villa Olmo and the old town before catching your train onward. Either way, this is a good introduction — you’ll want to come back for longer next time.
If a 2 day Lake Como itinerary is really all you have, prioritize Bellagio. It’s the most central town on the lake and gives you the classic postcard views in the shortest amount of time.
Lake Como Itinerary: 3 Days
The route: Bellagio → Varenna → Como
A 3 day Lake Como itinerary is where things start to feel like an actual vacation rather than a sprint. This is genuinely the minimum I’d recommend if it’s your first time on the lake.
Day 1: Bellagio
Arrive by train via Como or Varenna, then take the ferry into Bellagio. Spend the afternoon wandering Salita Serbelloni and the lanes around it, check out the gardens of visit the gardens of Villa Melzi d’Eril, then have dinner at La Punta Spartivento, right at the tip of Bellagio where all three branches of the lake meet — one of the best water views you’ll get on your first night. Bellagio sits at the center of the lake, so it’s the natural place to land first: from here, every other town is a short ferry ride away, and you won’t waste your first evening in transit.
Day 2: Varenna
Cross the lake to Varenna, visiting Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi and walking the lakefront promenade. Stay for a sunset dinner — Varenna has some of the best evening views on the entire lake, especially looking back across the water toward Bellagio. I put Varenna on day 2 rather than day 1 on purpose: it’s the town I’d most want daylight and golden hour for, so it earns the full, unhurried day. I go into much more detail on where to eat and what to see in my Varenna Travel Guide.
Day 3: Como Town and Departure
Head into Como for a final morning at Villa Olmo and along the lakefront promenade before catching your train back to Milan. Como Town goes last for a practical reason: it’s the town with the direct rail connection, so ending here means your last morning of sightseeing flows straight into your departure, instead of backtracking to catch a train.
This 3 day Lake Como itinerary hits the three towns I’d consider essential, and the order is built around geography and train logistics, not just a checklist. If you want a fourth town in the mix, Tremezzo or Menaggio are easy swaps for one of your days.
Lake Como Itinerary: 4 Days
The route: Bellagio → Villas → Varenna → Como
Add one more day to the 3 day plan above, and you unlock what I think is the single best day on the lake: the villas day. A 4 day Lake Como itinerary lets you slow down and actually enjoy Bellagio, the villas, and Varenna without feeling like you’re racing the ferry schedule.
Day 1: Bellagio
Arrive by train via Como or Varenna, then ferry into Bellagio. Spend the afternoon wandering Salita Serbelloni and the surrounding lanes, tour the gardens of Villa Melzi d’Eril, then have dinner at La Punta Spartivento, right at the tip where all three branches of the lake meet. As with the 3 day version, Bellagio comes first because of its central location — it becomes your base for the villas day trip that follows.
Day 2: Villas Day – Lenno and Tremezzo
Take the ferry to Lenno for Villa del Balbianello (yes, the one from Star Wars and Casino Royale — it’s even better in person), then continue on to Tremezzo for Villa Carlotta’s gardens. Have a lakefront lunch or an Aperol Spritz at Da Giacomo, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s restaurant right on the water. I slot this day in right after Bellagio, before Varenna, because Lenno and Tremezzo sit on the western shore, directly across from Bellagio — it’s a natural loop out and back to your base, rather than a detour once you’ve already moved on to Varenna. For more villa recommendations, take a look at my guide to the best Lake Como villas to visit.
Day 3: Varenna
Cross to the eastern shore for Varenna, visiting Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi and walking the lakefront promenade, then staying for a sunset dinner. Varenna comes after the villas day rather than before it, since you’re now moving away from Bellagio toward Como, and Varenna sits conveniently along that route on the way there.
Day 4: Como Town and Departure
Head to Como for a final morning exploring Villa Olmo and the lakefront promenade before catching your train back to Milan. Como still closes out the trip, for the same reason as the 3 day itinerary: it’s your gateway back to Milan, so there’s no backtracking involved.
This is genuinely one of the best-value itineraries on this list — four days is enough to see the lake’s icons without feeling rushed, and the order is designed to minimize ferry backtracking rather than just adding a day onto the 3 day plan.
Lake Como Itinerary: 5 Days
This is the itinerary I’d actually build my own trip around, and it’s close to what I did during my week based in Como Town. Five days in Lake Como gives you room for a full boat day on the water, which changes your entire perspective on the lake — you see villages and swimming spots you simply can’t reach on foot or by public ferry.
Day 1: Arrive and Settle into Bellagio
Arrive by train via Como or Varenna, then take the ferry to Bellagio. Spend the afternoon wandering Salita Serbelloni and the lanes around it, visit the gardens of Villa Melzi d’Eril, then have dinner at La Punta Spartivento, right at the tip of Bellagio where all three branches of the lake meet — one of the best water views you’ll get on your first night.
Where to stay in Bellagio:
For more on the town itself, my Bellagio Travel Guide covers restaurants, day trips, and the best viewpoints in more detail.
Day 2: Villas Day — Lenno and Tremezzo
Take the ferry to Lenno for Villa del Balbianello, then continue to Tremezzo for Villa Carlotta’s gardens and a lakefront lunch or Aperol Spritz at Da Giacomo, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s restaurant right on the water — a great spot to relax before or after the gardens. If you want to plan which villas are worth the entry fee and which you can skip, I break it all down in my Lake Como villas guide.
Day 3: Varenna
Spend the day in Varenna, visiting Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi, and walking the lakefront promenade. Stay for a sunset dinner — this is one of the best towns on the lake for evening views.
You can either stay in Bellagio for the entire trip, or split your nights and stay in Varenna for this leg. If you’d like to base yourself there instead:
My full Varenna Travel Guide has more on where to eat and what to see beyond the two villas.
Day 4: Boat Day and Nesso
This is the day that makes a 5 day Lake Como itinerary worth the extra time. Rent a self-drive boat — no license required — and spend the day out on the water, anchoring at Nesso’s Civera Bridge for swimming and sunbathing. It’s completely different from ferry-hopping between towns, and it’s the closest you’ll get to seeing the lake the way locals do.
Day 5: Como Town and Departure
Head to Como for a final morning exploring Villa Olmo and the lakefront promenade before catching your train back to Milan.
Where to stay near Como Town:
Since I based my own week on the lake in Como Town, I put together a full breakdown of where to stay across every part of the lake — worth a read before you book: Where to Stay in Lake Como.
Best Lake Como Towns to Visit If You Have Extra Time
If any of these itineraries leave you wanting more, the lake has plenty of smaller towns worth a half-day each — Menaggio, Cernobbio, and Lezzeno among them. I’ve mapped out the best of them, with what makes each one worth a stop, in my guide to the must-see Lake Como towns.
Frequently Asked Questions About Planning a Lake Como Itinerary
Is 2 days enough for Lake Como?
Two days is enough to see Bellagio and one additional town, like Varenna or Como. It’s a good option as a stopover, but if it’s your only chance to visit the lake, I’d try to stretch it to 3 days if at all possible.
How many days do you need in Lake Como?
Most travelers do well with 3 to 5 days. Three days covers the essential towns (Bellagio, Varenna, Como), four adds a full villas day, and five lets you add a boat day on the water — my personal favorite addition.
What is the best base for a Lake Como itinerary?
Bellagio is the most central town and works well for most itineraries because it’s a short ferry ride from almost everywhere else on the lake. Como Town is a good alternative if you’re arriving or departing by train, since it has the main rail connection to Milan. I cover the pros and cons of each option in my where to stay in Lake Como guide.
Should I stay in one town or move around during my trip?
For a 2 or 3 day Lake Como itinerary, I’d stay in one base — usually Bellagio — and day-trip by ferry. For a 4 or 5 day trip, splitting your nights between Bellagio and Varenna (or Como) can work nicely and cuts down on ferry time on your busiest days.
Do you need a car to visit Lake Como?
No — and honestly, I’d avoid one if you can. The ferries connect all the main towns, parking is difficult and expensive, and the lakeside roads get congested in peak season. Train plus ferry is the easiest way to get around.
What’s the best time of year for a Lake Como itinerary?
Late spring (May-June) and early fall (September) are the sweet spot — the gardens and villas are in full bloom or still open, the weather is warm enough for the boat day, and it’s noticeably quieter than the peak of summer.
Can you do Lake Como as a day trip from Milan?
Yes, technically, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you can help it. A day trip only really allows time for one town, usually Bellagio or Como, and you’ll spend a good chunk of it on trains. If your schedule allows even one overnight, you’ll get far more out of the lake.
Do I need to book villa tickets in advance?
Yes, especially for Villa del Balbianello and Villa Carlotta in peak season (June through September). Both sell out on busy days, so I’d book online ahead of time rather than risk it at the door.
Final Thoughts on Planning Your Lake Como Itinerary
After a full week based in Como Town, my honest advice is this: whatever length of Lake Como itinerary you choose, don’t overpack the days. This is a lake built for long lunches, slow ferry rides, and evenings that end with a spritz by the water — not for checking towns off a list. Pick the version above that matches how much time you have, book your villa tickets ahead, and leave a little room to just sit by the water and take it in.
For more detailed planning, don’t miss my Lake Como Travel Guide, my dedicated guides to Bellagio and Varenna, and my roundups of the best Lake Como towns and Lake Como villas to visit.
