Lake Como

Lake Como: discover one of Italy’s most popular lakes, home to famously picturesque villas and colorful lakeside towns.

lake como

The Lake Como lies in Northern Italy’s Lombardy region, which is also home to the famous city of Milan. It takes its name from the town on its southern borders, also named Como. This is probably Italy’s best-loved lake, with fans international celebrities, including George Clooney, owning property on its shores. In fact, the famous casino, The Bellagio in Las Vegas, takes its name from one of Lake Como’s towns, Bellagio.

Lake Como has long been a dream holiday destination, with villas first appearing on its shores in the Ancient Roman era. Today, these villas are popular for their beautiful gardens and their majestic presence as they perch on the shore, often far from the nearest town.

That does not, however, mean that the towns aren’t gorgeous in their own right. On the contrary, they are rather enchanting, with warmly-colored buildings that reach right up to the water’s edge. These make for a great change of pace and scenery for anyone staying in Milan,  wishing to escape the city atmosphere for the weekend.

Some of the particularly popular towns include the aforementioned Com and Bellagio, but also Menaggio. The latter lies under the awe-inspiring Alps on the lake’s western shores. This is thus a popular amongst nature-lovers looking to go hiking, swimming, windsurfing or rock climbing. Como and Bellagio, on the other hand, are great for a relaxing stroll around the houses, stopping on the way for a gelato or caffè.

It is easy to get to Lake Como. The area has many train connections to its shores, including a train line that travels directly from Switzerland to Milan. It is thus also to take day trips from here to other places in Lombardy, such as its capital Milan. The nearest airport to the lake also belongs to Milan (Malpensa). Around the lake itself there are many regular ferry and hydrofoil connections.