Lake Como. Our minds were full of elegant meals by the edge of misty waters, of cocktails at sunset with the sun setting over the mountains, of little boats playing in the shining surface of one of the world’s most glamorous lakes.
And George Clooney.
Como failed in only one respect. George wasn’t home. The rest of it was even more remarkable than we were expecting.
The train from Milan was quick and painless. Here’s our post on how to get to Lake Como from Milan.
Before long the Bergamo Alps were staring into our train carriage, and the glint of the lake sparkled and glittered. From the station, we crossed the tracks and headed down towards the edge of the lake and to the town of Varenna.
Varenna is just one of many little towns dotted along the shores of the lake. They all have this amazing ability to awe you as you walk their cobbles. They nestle in against the hills and mountains of the lakeshore, and make you wish you could stay there forever.
You try not to dream of having a little house here.
Or a little boat to wander from town to town on. Or maybe a really big boat! There are both on Como – and everything in between. We had neither, so we made do with the ferry service that runs from Varenna.
Views from the ferry were even more heart rendering because we were only staying the day. We made the most of it though, and the ferry dropped us at the town of Bellagio, which was beautiful as well.
In Bellagio, we left the busy port behind us and headed as far away from the crowds as we could. We wondered the streets and looked for a spot to refresh. We found it after a fair walk and were glad of our search. The little bar – La Punta – faced back towards Varenna and was excellent.
Heading back to Varenna, our ferry ride was treated to an impressive sunset that dipped behind the side of a mountain. We watched the light fade from a waterside restaurant – Bar Il Molo – over our cocktails and dinner.
From the quaint little bridges along the water’s edge and the stony paths that jut out over the lake to the delicious gelaterias and hidden bars under archways, we’ll miss Como. It’s one of those places that, now we think back on our day there, seems even more like a dream than what we imagined it would be.
It’s just lucky we were heading back to Milan. Many other places would have been an anti-climax too big to bear.
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Alfredo & Sobie Toledo
We plan on visiting Lake Como November 22-23 of this year. Can you recommend a nice hotel, or bed and breakfast for a one night stay in Lake Como.
Mr Romance
Hi Alfredo and Sobie. You must be excited about your visit to the beautiful Lake Como. We love it there. As I mentioned in the post, we visited Varenna and Bellagio for the day and did not stay the night there. However, we do have a lovely hotel recommendation for Milan, which is only a short train ride away.
On the other hand, if you want to stay near the lake, I’m sure there will lots of options there in November, as it’s not peak season. We looked recently and there are plenty of AirBnB options in Varenna too, which I think could be better than hotels.
I hope this helps and that you have a lovely time at Lake Como.
Cheers – Jim
Judith Bonner
We would like a bed and breakfast in Ballagio or varenna From Sep 26-October 8 or 10 any suggestions.
Mr Romance
Hi Judith. Really glad you’re heading to Lake Como. What a beautiful place. Unfortunately, we haven’t stayed overnight near Lake Como – this guide is only about our daytrip there. However, I believe there are plenty of AirBnB places around Bellagio and Varenna that would be perfect for an overnight stay. Best of luck with your planning and enjoy this beautiful part of Italy. Jim
john gilroy
Just did your trip to Lake Como. Great call on going to Verrana instead of Como. Quick trip from main station. Rented a boat and did a two hour tour of the lake. Amazing place. Next time we are staying there! Thanks so much.
Mr Romance
Hi John. So glad you had a good time at Lake Como – and so happy our story helped you! It’s so beautiful there, isn’t it? Great idea with the boat too. I think we might try that too – we’re heading back to Lake Como today funnily enough. Cheers – Jim