Lake Como is one of Italy’s top destinations. After all what more could you want from a European holiday? Around the lakefront you have pristine beaches, exclusive restaurants and bars, as well as plenty of activities to enjoy. What’s even better though is that a day trip to Lake Como is perfectly possible from Milan. In fact, by train the journey will only take you around 40 minutes.
Here is my quick guide which takes you through everything you need to know to get the most out of a day trip to Lake Como. I’ll include all of my top tips and recommendations to take the pressure off of planning, so that you can focus on enjoying a lakeside lunch and a serene boat ride.
A Day Trip to Lake Como from Milan | Your Quick Guide
Getting to Lake Como from Milan
Milano Centrale is the place you’ll want to go to for your day trip to Lake Como. Most trains will head to Como San Giovanni and are the small regional trains. This means that you don’t need to pre-book and you can just hop-on.
From experience, the trains do get incredibly busy. In fact, at peak times think the Northern Line at rush hour vibes. If you can, I’d wake up as early as you possibly can to avoid the chaos, especially if you’re in Milan during a weekend. This is especially important if you’re extending your day trip to Lake Como for a few days and are carrying baggage.
The train journey typically takes around 40-60 minutes and a return will cost €11 or so depending on the season / time. When you arrive at Como San Giovanni, the walk to the lakefront will take you about 10 minutes. Just keep on heading straight and, if it is busy, follow the crowds. They’ll all be heading there.
Itinerary
There is a fair amount to do at Lake Como and it will be really tricky to fit in a relaxing time and exploration into one day trip. I’ve gone for the approach of seeing the key places and immersing yourself into the place rather than a guide to relaxing.
I’ve written the itinerary with the view that you’re arriving relatively early at Lake Como and have the entire morning and afternoon to explore. If for whatever reason you arrive later then you can just chop-and-change the itinerary below how you want.
Early Morning: Stroll the Lakefront
As the temperature is relatively cool now, I’d say that this is the perfect time to explore the lakeside. The best way to appreciate the town is to walk along Lungolago, which starts at Piazza Cavour. Depending on how early you arrive, this is also the ideal spot for a luxurious cappuccino with views of the lake and the alpine backdrop.
From the square, turn left (if you’re looking at the lake) and continue down the Lungolago. Continue and head towards the Tempio Voltiano, an impressive Roman-looking building which is actually a museum. From here, continue to Monumento ai Caduti (a memorial to the First World War) which is where the promenade ends. You’ll find plenty of benches and places to sit along the route, which is the perfect vantage point for Lake Como views.
After walking along the promenade, you can either head in the Giardini del Tempio Voltiano (the public gardens which you skirted the outside of during your walk) or head back the way you came towards the lake front and the boats.
Late Morning: Boat Ride to Nearby Town
After your walk, I would heavily recommend a boat ride. This is easily the best way to see Lake Como and you can sail to a nearby town for a slightly different atmosphere. Ferries run regularly from Como (around every half-an-hour) and actually go all the way to Colico, the town on the other side of the lake.
However, it goes without saying that ferries are slow and the journey from Como to Colico will take you around 3 hours. Here are a few options depending on how long you want to be on the water for. I’d personally recommend just going to a nearby town as there is still plenty to see in the town of Como. Alternatively, head to further afield towns and catch the train back to Milan from Varenna.
My shortlist for your Como destinations are:
- Torno – Easily one of the prettiest towns along Como, a ferry here will only take you about 40 minutes. The village itself is especially quaint and is what – I’d argue – you want from a town found along Lake Como. It is perfect for wandering around and you’ll find fewer tourists and plenty of authentic Italian charm and food. But, don’t let the rustic charm fool you. There is plenty of luxury to be had here. In fact, the Il Sereno hotel is regarded as one of the most luxurious in Europe and you can book a seat at their 1 Michelin-Star restaurant. If you want to stay around the town of Como (probably the easiest option), I would pick this destination.
- Bellagio – If you don’t mind a longer ferry and are at Como early, Bellagio never fails to disappoint. It isn’t called the pearl of Lake Como for nothing and is filled with everything you could ever want for an Italian day out. Think Aperol bars by the lakeside, gorgeous Renaissance architecture and plenty of great foodie options. The one big downside is that it gets very busy, so you might want to get the ferry first-thing.
- Varenna – Just a couple of stops after Bellagio is Varenna, which is arguably just as popular as Bellagio. Once again, think of an incredibly charming, quintessential Italian lakeside town, but add in some of the most Instagrammable spots of the lake. As you can imagine, the town is really beautiful and I’d actually argue that it is one of my favourites. The downside is that it has become a tourist hotspot because of social media. My top tip for Varenna is that you can could start or end your day trip to Lake Como from Milan here if you wanted to. Trains run regularly to and from Milan.
Top Tip: There are so many different lakeside options to choose from, but the journey time can fluctuate throughout the day as ferries make more / fewer stops. Check out the ferry timetable to help you plan.
Afternoon: Explore Como Town
I’ve written this with the assumption that you head back to Como rather than staying in Varenna.
When you’re back in Como, I would head straight into the historic centre. The first stop is the Duomo di Como. This is a beautiful Renaissance gem which dominates the town centre. You really can’t miss it. The building started construction in the late 14th Century, but then took almost 400 years to complete. The inside of the cathedral is like a miniature museum and walks you through the history of the building. You can also find an impressive collection of 16th and 17th Century tapestries.
As you continue through the town, you’ll notice that there are plenty of restaurants and Gelaterias. We really liked Gelateria Vertigo; they did fantastic ice cream and it was at a good price too. In fact, we found that the further away from the Piazza you went, the cheaper the food became.
Another place to see in this part of town is the Palazzo del Broletto, the old town hall. It has some nice medieval details and I really like the architecture.
Late Afternoon
As the sun begins to get lower, I’d recommend taking a funicular ride up to Brunate. This gives you a higher perspective of the lake and the surrounding mountains. The station for the funicular can be found on the right-most promenade of Como (head in the opposite direction to your walk this morning).
The funicular currently costs €7.00 for a return trip and takes only 10 minutes, and runs throughout the day until 22:30.
Evening
For the evening you have two options. One is to enjoy a drink or dinner up in Brunate. You have a really good selection of bars and restaurants with lakeside views. I’d personally head back down to the lakeside. By now, much of the tourists will have departed and you’ll be able to sit right by the water.
A lot of the bars in this area (and Milan too, for that matter) often serve a complimentary apertivo tray, which will have different nibbles and even sandwiches. One good bar in Como is the Hemingway cocktail bar which serves a truly excellent tray!
The final train from Como to Milan usually runs at 22:49 each evening. This means that you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy a lakeside drink and dinner before heading back into Milan.
Final Thoughts | A Day Trip to Lake Como from Milan
A day trip to Lake Como really couldn’t be easier from Milan. To be honest, I’m not even sure if a day at Como is enough; there are just too many places to enjoy and relax. If you are spending 48 Hours in Milan or just happen to be passing through, make sure that you come to Como. Whilst it is busy, touristy and somewhat commercial, the hype is definitely real. If you want to feel like a celebrity whilst enjoying the Italian sunshine and the best cuisine on Earth, this is where you need to come.
