Things To Do Around The Lake

There are so many places to visit and things to do. There is an area around the middle of the lake called the 'Golden Triangle' and this is where you can find the elegant towns of Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna. This is where most of the tourists visit, probably looking for George Clooney.

 

To the south of this area on the western shores there are lots of other beautiful towns to see, including the city of Como which is right at the bottom, Cernobbio, Argegno, Tremezzo and Cadenabbia. These places can be reached by boat, car or there is an excellent bus service that goes from the top of the lake right to the bottom.

 

There are many villas with beautiful gardens around the lake that are open to the public - Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo, Villa del Balbianello in Lenno (used as a location for shooting Star Wars Attack of the Clones/Casino Royale) & Villa la Gaeta in San Siro (Quantum of Solace) are just three. These three are a short drive to the south from Pianello del Lario.

The northern part of the lake is well known for many sporting activities, such as sailing, water skiing and wind surfing. There are lots of sailing clubs and places where you can hire equipment to take part in these activities. There are also 7 golf courses around the lake, with the nearest being at Menaggio.

North of Pianello - West Side of the Lake

To go north to any of the villages listed below you can catch the Colico via Panoramica bus. The timetables are listed on all the lamp posts or you can pick up a new copy from any tourist information offfice.

Musso

 

The first village north of Pianello is Musso. This is not a particularly large place, but the restaurant that is just by the traffic lights on the main road is reported to be very good. The nice thing about Musso is that you can walk along the lake front from Pianello by turning left when you get to the Navigazione landing pier.

It is a really nice promenade and goes past the small harbour at Pianello. Recent development work means that the path continues all the way to Musso (in the past you had to cross a small river by going up to the main road). Musso is a very small village with a harbour of its own and if you fancy a swift drink to fortify you for the walk back, we have always found the "Streghe" pub to be very friendly.

Dongo

 

This is the first main village that you will arrive at after leaving Musso. There is a pretty square with cafes and restaurants around it. This is also where you will find the town hall with a tourist information office inside. There is a library in this building and this is where you can get internet access if you need it. It is only open for a few hours a day and you will find the opening times inside the green folder in the apartment.

 

There is also a small museum commemorating WWII. It was in Dongo where the partisans caught Mussolini, who was trying to escape to Switzerland. Across from the square is a small harbour and more boats and ferries stop here than at Pianello so you will be able to go to more places than you can from our village. Round the back of the square and through a small alleyway, you will find a few more shops and a nice cake/bread shop.

Gravedona

 

Gravedona is 10 minute drive north of Pianello. It has a pretty lake front with a small harbour and lots of cafes, bars, restaurants and small shops. Again there is a tourist information office here. You can also catch ferries to all parts of the lake from here.

Domaso

 

This village is approximately 15 minutes drive north of Pianello. It is a place with two faces. On one side, there is a small harbour and a tree lined avenue along the lake with restaurants and shops all along the lake front. There is a car park at the end with a pizzeria and also a tourist information office.

 

Once you have passed this car park, you will go over a bridge and straight away you will see a sign for a lake front path. In this part of Domaso, there are many camp sites and therefore shops and restaurants. There is also a large car park towards the end of the village, so you can park here and walk back along the lake front. It is a great place to take a picnic and spend the day as there is a long wide beach.

 

Sorico

 

Right at the top of the lake is a place called Sorico. Again here you will find camp sites, shops and restaurants. There is a car park just off the main road. From this car park there are signs to the lake where you will find a rare sandy beach. As there is a nature reserve nearby, this place again feels very different from other areas of the lake.

South of Pianello - West Side of the Lake

To go south to any of the villages and towns listed below, you can catch the Como via Panoramica. Again timetables are at the bus stops or you can pick up a copy from the tourist information office.

Menaggio

This is one the main tourist towns on Lake Como and is a 10 minute drive south of Pianello. It is a lively and bustling place and this is where there is a larger boat station. You can get anywhere on the lake from Menaggio and boats and ferries are very frequent from here. It is a very grand resort and there are many large hotels and villas to look at. There is a lovely town square with many cafes where you can sit and watch the world go by. There is a also a tourist office in the square.

There is also a very nice tree lined promenade that goes from one end of Menaggio to the other starting from just in front of the square. If you go right to the end of the road and round the corner, there is an area where they stage outdoor events from time to time. In August they have music festivals there. This is also where you will find the Lido. You have to pay to go inside and there is a sunbathing area with a pool and a sandy area for playing beach volley ball. Just outside the Lido is a crazy golf course for the kids.

Behind Menaggio is a valley that takes you to Lake Lugano which is partly in Italy and partly in Switzerland and is well worth a visit. Buses run to the city of Lugano from here but remember to take your passports as the city of Lugano is in Switzerland.

Cadenabia - Tremezzo

 

These three places are just below Menaggio and all of them are worth a visit. There are lovely lake front promenades in them all. There are many villas with beautiful gardens around the lake and in this area you will find Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo. There is a free car park just off the main road in front of the villa and it has 14 acres of gardens to wander through just 100 metres from the Grand Hotel Tremezzo.

 

This grand house was built in the 17th century and in 1843 it was given by a Prussian Princess to her daughter "Carlotta" as a wedding present, hence the current name.You can go into the Villa and also stand on the balconies to see amazing views of the lake across to Bellagio and Villa Melzi.

Lenno

 

Lenno has a lovely bay where they have regular markets. This is also where Villa del Balbianello can be found. The Villa is set in the most beautiful surroundings and you can even take a small boat from Lenno harbour to get round to Villa del Balbianello or take a walk through a small wooded area. You cannot actually drive up to the villa. This villa was used as a location for shooting Star Wars, Attack of the Clones and Casino Royale.

 

The house has been kept in the same condition as it was left by it's last owner, who gifted it to Italian National Trust. There are some very interesting displays from the former owners Arctic expeditions, who was the first Italian to climb Mount Everest in 1973.

Argengo

 

Further south is the small town of Argegno. Again it has all the usual cafes, bars, shops etc. There is also a nice beach. The car park is just on the front next to the boat station. One of the reasons you may stop here is to go in the small cable car that takes you high above the lake. It may be closed for repairs so you will need to check at the ticket office but it does provide amazing views of the lake and surrounding areas but probably not for the faint hearted as the journey up is quite steep.

Cernobbio

 

This is at the bottom of the lake near to Como. This is where you may spot George Clooney hanging around Harry's Bar which is near to the boat station. (His Villa is actually in Laglio, a village just a little further north than Cernobbio.) It is a very picturesque place to visit with a lovely promenade next to the lake with lots of benches where you can sit and watch the world go by. There is also a small playground. There is no beach, but like a lot of places in the south of the lake, it has a lido. Lidos usually consist of sunbathing areas and a pool, sometimes with a beach and you have to pay to get in. (The one we went in was 18 euros for family of 4 for the day.)

Boats and ferries regularly stop here and it is also a place where you can hire a small speed boat. We hired one to have a nosy at the many mansions dotted around the south of the lake. It cost 40 euros for 1 hour with a 20 euro fuel charge. You can hire the boat from the small kiosk in the main square by the lake and the people speak good English. It is definitely worth hiring a boat while you are visiting the lake. You will normally need some ID eg, passport and they will usually hold onto this until you bring the boat back. Sometimes you will also have to pay a deposit and this is handed back when you return the boat.

Como

 

This is at the bottom of the lake and is stunning city. There are so many places to visit or you can just sit in Piazza Cavour and enjoy the views. If you are adventurous, you can go on a small sea plane from Como. It takes off and lands in the lake and flies all way up to the top of Lake Como giving you a different and amazing view of the lake.

There are lots of historical buildings, villas and churches to visit, including the Duomo which we are told is spectacular. Also if you want a great view of the lake from up high but don't want to risk the sea plane, you can take the Brunate Funicular. This railway chugs up for about 7 minutes alongside gardens and villas to a small hilltop resort that has a few bars and restaurants and again amazing views of the lake. At the top you can take a short but steep walk right up to the summit where there is a viewing balcony and lighthouse.

Como also has 3 train stations so you can get to almost anywhere in Lombardy. You can connect to Milan, Lugano and Lake Varese from here.

Bellagio

This is the known as the pearl of the lake and has even been called the most beautiful town in Italy. It is a picture postcard village and it is where you will find many English and American tourists. It is situated in the golden triangle around the middle of the lake. You can get there by boat and car ferry from Menaggio and also by boat from Pianello between the months of June to September. There is a tourist information office just as you get off the boat where you can pick up maps of the town. There are also a few nice walks all around Bellagio.

There are many shops, bars and restaurants along the lake front. Behind all this, there are lots of interesting steep cobbled streets and alleyways, lined with upmarket souvenir shops. When you get to the top of all the steps, turn left and go right to the end of Bellagio. From here there are amazing views of the lake. There is also a restaurant, harbour and a small park with benches and a grassy area where you even can take a picnic.

Another place worth visiting is Pescallo which is a 10 minute walk from Bellagio. When you get to the top of the steep alleyways behind the lakefront, turn right and follow the signs to the footpath that takes you over the other side of the hill and down to this lovely fishing village. It really is a very peaceful and pretty place. There is a map from the tourist office that explains exactly how to get here.

There are a couple of villas in Bellagio that may be worth a visit. Villa Serbelloni sits high on the hill overlooking Bellagio and has gorgeous gardens but you have to book a guided tour. Villa Melzi also has spectacular gardens and is situated on the lake front. When you get off the boat turn right and walk along the tree lined promenade just past the Lido of Bellagio.  It is not possible to go into the house but the gardens are stunning.

Lake Como - East Side of the Lake

 

Colico

 

It is situated on the east side of the lake opposite Gravedona. You can get there by car by heading north and round the top of the lake or catching the Colico via Panoramica bus. It is also a main port for the boats and ferries so you can catch the boat from Pianello during June – September and other main towns all year round. It has a pretty lake front promenade, beach area and harbour and there are plenty of shops and restaurants.

They are developing the area behind the beach and there is a lovely bar/cafe area open now. In the future there will also be a lido there. Just off the beach is a place where you can hire canoes, boats etc and another lovely bar/cafe/restaurant that is open all year.

There is also a train station in Colico and from here you can catch trains along the Valtelina valley to places like Sondrio and Tirano where you can catch the scenic glassed top train over the mountains to St Moritz on the Bernina Express. You can also get to ski areas such as Chiesa in Valmenco, Aprica, and Bormio. If you go north the train takes you to Chiavenna which is a charming hill side resort which is a good base for walking.

If you head south on the train, it stops at all the main resorts down the east side of Como such as Bellano and Varenna and then goes onto Lecco. From here you can catch connecting trains to Milan and Bergamo.

Bellano

 

This town is situated almost opposite Menaggio and can be reached by road, rail or boat. It is really worth a visit because there are all the usual promenades, shops, restaurants etc, but they also hold a large market along the lake front. They have also upgraded and extended the beach area and this is a great place to take a picnic and have a swim in the lake.

Also behind the old town is the Orrido do Bellano, a pretty waterfalls walk up through the rocks. It is well sign posted and to get to the waterfalls, you go through lots of small, ancient interesting cobbled streets.

Varenna

 

This is also classed as one of the prettiest towns around the lake and forms part of the golden triangle with Menaggio and Bellagio. Again it is a main tourist spot so you will hear more English/American voices here. If you visit by boat, there is a Lido just to the left of the boat station and this is the place to bathe as the beaches in Varenna are not so child friendly with little shade. If you turn right, follow the path all the way round, under the red arched walkway to a charming little cove where there are restaurants and ice cream shops selling delicious home made ice cream.

If you carry on walking past this cove, you will find interesting narrow alleyways and the path continues along the lake to Villa Cipressi and Villa Monastero where you can visit the beautiful gardens.

If you are feeling energetic, you can climb behind Varenna and walk to the semi ruined Castello de Vezio. You will find the path for this just opposite the Villa Monastero. Once you have reached the top, there are great views of the lake below. This really is worth a visit but if you are not feeling too energetic then you can drive upto the village. The views over towards Bellagio are incredible and the castle itself is interesting. You can climb right to the top of the tower.