The Best Towns On Lake Como Hand Down! Plus Things To Do In Each Town

 

Italy is blessed with many beautiful lakes and many of which I have had the pleasure to visit. In this post, I am sharing the best towns on Lake Como, including everything from Lake Como’s most beautiful places to visit, the best place to stay around Lake Como as well as places to eat and of course Lake Como map of towns to explore. For more tips on things to do in the region as well as for further ideas on what to do in Lake Como, check out my post on the best tours in Lake Como. 

 

 

Also See:

• The Best Photo Spots In Venice
• An Area Guide Of Where To Stay In Venice
• How To See Florence In One Day
• Tips For Visiting The Vatican

 

Best Towns On Lake Como

 

Lake Como, located in Northern Italy’s Lombardy region, is well known for its dramatic scenery, set against the foothills of the Alps. The lake is shaped like an upside-down Y(see Lake Como Map below), with three slender branches that meet at the resort town of Bellagio. At the bottom of the southwest branch lies the city of Como, home to Renaissance architecture and a funicular that travels up to the mountain town of Brunate.

 

Below I will be showcasing best towns in Lake Como, Lake Como towns to visit, from Lecco, Bellagio, Menaggio and more. Lake Como towns and villages are breaming with beautiful villas and gardens worthy of Instagramming. Lake Como elevation and surrounding hills and mountains provide amazing views, of course, I will also be including best places Lake Como visitors need to check out in each area.

 

Bellagio

Regarded as the Pearl of Lake Como, Bellagio is a stunning town situated in the middle of the lake’s southernmost branches. Bellagio is populated with quaint villas that offer stunning views of the lake. During your time in Bellagio, drop by some of these villas, like Villa Melzi and Villa Serbelloni. These villas have stunning and picturesque gardens which make them a great place to relax and unwind.  

 

You can take some amazing and worthwhile day trips to places like Como (where you can revel in stunning architectural sights and hiking trails), Menaggio (if you want to hike and go rock climbing), and Punta Balbianello (where some parts of Star Wars were filmed).

 

Great places to stay in Bellagio that offer you the best views of the lake which I’d recommend include Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, Hotel Suisse, and Hotel Il Perlo Panorama. Bellagio also has several boat tours that I believe anyone would enjoy. The best way to get around in Bellagio is by car, and you can reach all other nearby towns with ease.

 

 

Lecco

A resort town located at the southern end of Lake Como, Lecco is one of the beautiful towns in Lombardy, Italy. One of the best features of Lecco is its stunning waterfront area, and the amazing views of the lake and the mountains it offers.

 

While in Lecco, there are a handful of interesting landmarks and monuments for you to visit including the Visconti Bridge (also known as the Old Bridge, this is one of Leccos’s longest serving monuments, dating back to the 14^th Century), the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, Villa Manzoni, and Museo Manzoniano.

 

A worthy day trip to embark on is from Lecco to Malgrate – I promise it would be worth your while. You can also take a cable car up to Piano d’Erna for stunning and magnificent views of the lake and mountains which I’m sure you’d love. Lecco is also great spot for walking and cycling, so these are top activities to do while in Lecco.

 

Great place to eat in Lecco include Garage Pub (fast food and vegeterian), Al Porticciolo 84 (Italian, Mediterranean, and seafood), and Mamaioa Bistrot (Italian, Seafood, and Mediterranean).

 

 

 

Menaggio

A tourist favorite, Menaggio is a quaint and serene town with breathtaking views of Lake Como. Mennagio has lots of small boutiques and crafts shops that sell fashion items, food, and interior décor pieces. You can find these shops in the town center and enjoy a day of fun and shopping. You can also go on walks around the town to discover its great sights and hidden gems.

 

Menaggio has some amazing churches you can visit, like San Stefano, San Carlo, and San Giusto. The town also houses a picturesque bell tower and the ruins of a medieval castle.

 

From Mennagio, I recommend taking day trips to nearby towns like Bellagio and Varenna (a quick ferry ride will do the trick). You can also take the bus or your car to Tremezzina, which is just 10 minutes away.

 

 

 

Varenna

Located off the coast of Lake Como, Varenna is a slow-paced fishing village where visitors and tourists go to relax and unwind. Varenna has a host of amazing and breathtaking sights and locations that you can explore, and exciting activities for you to partake in.

 

While in Varenna, I’d recommend visiting Villa Monastero (an old monastery turned botanical garden and museum, and it also serves as an international conference center), Villa Cipressi (a building populated with beautiful Cyprus trees from which its name is derived), and Castello di Vezio (a medieval fortress that offers stunning views of the town).

 

Varenna’s rich history can be traced back to the eleventh century, and the town still manages to retain and exhibit that noble and historical flair. It offers some of the most scenic and stunning views, and is a great place for walks, tours, and sightseeing.

 

 

 

Tremezzo

Lake Como is home to lots of scenic and picturesque tourist hotspots, and Tremezzo is one of the most popular ones. While in Tremezzo, I recommend visiting Villa Carlotta and enjoying its tremendously beautiful gardens.

 

Great places to eat in Tremezzo include Cantina Follie, La Dersana, and Bar Victoria. From Tremezzo, you can take day trips to towns like Varenna and Tremezzina and explore the sights and culture.

 

 

 Lenno

Lenno is one of the beautiful and quaint Italian towns off the shores of Lake Como. It house great monuments which I think everyone should visit, like Villa del Balbianello (a grand villa renowned for its stunning gardens with beautiful trees and flowers in Italy’s colors of red, green, and white),  I Giardini di Villa Melzi, and Villa Mylius Vigoni.

 

Lenno has superb dining, and you can have a taste of that by visiting its amazing restaurants, like Ristorante Lenno, La Fabbrica del Gelato, and Hosteria Magnolia.

 

 

 

Bellano

Bellano is one of Lake Como’s hidden gems, situated on its eastern shore. It has a thriving tourist scene, and lots of great places to eat and explore. It is one of Lake Como’s pearls, and one of the best spots to visit in Northern Italy. The hotels in Bellano are great because they offer you stunning and unbeatable views of the lake.

 

During your time in Bellano, some great things I suggest doing include visiting Chiesa di San Stefano, La Ca Di Radio Vecc, and Chiesa dei Santi Nazaro e Celso. You can also take day trips to nearby towns like Menaggio and Bellagio.

 

 

 

Lake Como Map Of Italy | Lago di Como Map

 

Set in Northern Italy, Lake Como is just stunning. To give you an idea of all the towns on Lake Como below is a view of Lake Como area map. To check trains and ferries travelling around the lake check out Omio.

 

 

 

The Best Village To Stay In Lake Como

 

The above should give you an idea of best place to stay in Lake Como best on places you want to visit in each of the towns and villages on Lake Como and how much time to spend in Lake Como available to you. I have also shared tips on best Airbnbs on Lake Como but I have also linked to the best hotels in Bellagio, Tremezzo, Varenna, Lenno, and for the rest of the list of hotels in Lake Como towns click here.

 

Picking the best town to stay in Lake Como depending on the attractions you want to see. While most will come and explore the likes of Bellagio and stay in Bellagio so just factor in the ferries and journey times between towns to make it easier to explore Lake Como.

 

Love Italy? Also See

• The Best Airports For Lake Como
• The Perfect Itinerary For Rome In 4 Days
• Top Tips For A Luxe Weekend In Venice On A Budget
• A Visual Diary of Rome
• The Best Hotels In Rome With Balconies
• The Best Areas to Stay In Rome
• How To Get Around In Venice
• Top Tips For Visiting Vatican City

 

 

Found this post useful? Pin in to travel board.