I have always wanted to go to Lake Como, Italy. Sipping bright orange Aperol spritz over its glittering green waters while basking in the Italian sunshine is the epitome of dolce far niente – the sweetness of doing nothing. Lake Como, or Lago di Como in Italian, is a very popular travel destination and it’s easy to understand the allure. Every village is dotted with ornate villas in pastel pinks, yellows, oranges, and creams. The lake is pristinely clean and the smell of honeysuckle floats through the air. Wooden yachts with prosecco-sipping passengers traverse the lake as their small Italian flags wave over the water. It can feel a bit like stepping back in time. I half expected to see a sun-kissed Cary Grant sitting on a terrace with Grace Kelly clad in signature scarf and sunglasses. If I haven’t sold you on Lake Como yet, then keep reading. This is my Eat + Stay + Play travel guide to Lago di Como, Italy!
Know Before You Go
We flew from Amsterdam to Milan Linate Airport and arranged a car to take us to Varenna, the village on Lake Como where we stayed. We traveled to Lake Como in early-mid June and spent a total of 5 days there. Once you arrive in the region, the best way to get from village to village is by boat. There are numerous ferries that run throughout the day (pay attention to the time schedules) and tickets can be purchased just prior to boarding. Taxi boats are also available or you can rent a boat and be your own captain. More on boat rental later in this post!
Wear comfortable shoes and leave the stilettos at home. The villages can have many steps and you will be doing a decent amount of walking if you plan to visit any of the historic villas. I recommend packing stylish sneakers and espadrilles.
Where to Eat
Ristorante Alle Darsene di Loppia – When you’re in Bellagio, walk through the Gardens of Villa Melzi and be rewarded with a perfect lunch or dinner here. We came for a long lunch and loved sitting under the canopy surrounded by lush greenery and the lake just beyond. The food and service were absolutely amazing. Everything lived up to its Michelin reputation. We started with stuffed zucchini blossoms, octopus, and beef tartare topped with gorgonzola cheese (heavenly) and ended with a frozen eggnog and amarena cherries dessert that was incredible. I highly recommend this spot!
La Darsena – This restaurant is located in the La Darsena Boutique Hotel in Tremezzo and has one of the best restaurant terraces overlooking Lake Como. The staff is very friendly and the service was great, as was the food! We booked another long lunch here and really enjoyed it. We loved the pea soup with lobster as well as a roasted lake fish and chicken diavolo. Dessert was a mascarpone ball with caramel and chocolate. Loved this place!
Il Cavatappi – This is a great little restaurant in Varenna that is tough to get a reservation (just keep calling them) but worth it when you do. There are very few tables so it is quite cozy and the food is adventurous and delicious made from locally sourced ingredients. Cavatappi means corkscrew in Italian. We had an amuse bouche of bresaola wrapped around goat cheese (divine) as well as a caprese salad with burrata, salumi and formaggi, orecchiette with lake fish, tortelloni with ricotta and spinach, and a beautiful panna cotta for dessert. Recommend!
Al Prato – We enjoyed dinner here in Varenna on the last night of our trip. It’s nestled in a beautiful courtyard and every table is set with loving care. Reservations are also highly recommended here. We watched them have to turn away several parties. I enjoyed a Chandon Spritz that was artfully prepared in a wine glass with fresh oranges and sprigs of rosemary. I followed that with burrata with berries and sundried tomatoes. I had lake fish again (it really is so good in this region) with mussels and my husband enjoyed a T-bone steak. It was a great meal to enjoy on our last evening.
Ristorante Giglio – This restaurant was an unplanned find in Lenno after we toured Villa Balbianello. It’s right on the lakefront with stunning views all around. We noticed that there were more Italian tourists eating here, which we liked as a nice change from the swarm of American tourists we had been encountering. We had a very jovial waiter that helped to make the experience really fun. The food was also very good. They have a selection of simple Italian pastas on the lunch menu that are truly the best in comfort food. I loved the penne pomodoro and beef tartare “mini burger.” This is a great spot to sip wine and people watch.
Bar Molo Varenna – We enjoyed two meals here while in Varenna. It’s a lively bar/cafe right on the water and the perfect spot for aperitivo, lunch, dinner, or watching the sunset. We enjoyed lunch and dinner here as well as live music one evening. The food is simple and good with friendly service and delicious Aperol Spritzes. I thought the pizza was also very good. You do not need a reservation (I’m not sure if they take them) but you may end up waiting a bit for a table. They also have a little walk-up window where you can order gelato!
Ristorante La Vista – This is the restaurant located in Albergo Milano, our hotel in Varenna. We enjoyed breakfast on the terrace as well as dinner here on our first evening. They have a beautiful big terrace with stunning views of the lake. The food and service are both very good, so much so that I forgot to take any photos of what I ate! Reservations recommended.
Where to Have an Amazing Aperitivo
Grand Hotel Tremezzo – This is a luxury 5-star hotel on Lake Como that is definitely a “see-and-be-seen” place. It may be one of the most, if not THE most, exquisite hotels I’ve ever seen. They have a great terrace overlooking the lake and their floating pool. You can sip on a rather large Aperol Spritz while you gaze over the beautiful people lounging under orange and white striped umbrellas. The entire place is truly amazing. We enjoyed our aperitivo so much that we came back a second time. This place is a must when you come to Lake Como. I’ve also listed it in “Where to Stay” below.
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni – For a comparable luxury aperitivo, stop at this 5-star hotel in Bellagio and enjoy a stunning view of the lake where you can press a brass button to ring the bar for “servizio.” I enjoyed a crisp rosé here while watching swimmers and boaters go by. They have a beautiful covered terrace with tables and sofas waiting for you!
Where to Stay
Albergo Milano – I really enjoyed our stay here in this cozy boutique hotel. Our room had a lake view with a private terrace that was so nice for enjoying a glass of wine and watching the sunset. We even grabbed a pizza one night and enjoyed a little terrace picnic. Hotels with private outdoor space are just so nice. Breakfast was included and the staff was very helpful and friendly.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo – See above! Here are some additional photos I took when we explored around:
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni – See above as well.
Where to Play (Things to Do in Lake Como)
Rent a boat! I am so glad we did this. The best way to see Lake Como is on the water. If you’re taking the ferries from village to village then you will get a great view, but nothing compares to hiring your own boat and captain. We rented a classic wooden boat through Taxi Boat Varenna. Our captain had loads of experience and was very knowledgeable about the region and its numerous famous villas and inhabitants. He was also the best photographer! We selected the 3-hour option and were able to see a lot of villas plus a stop for coffee. Two of the most famous villas on our tour included Villa Oleandra, home of George and Amal Clooney, and Villa Balbianello, famous for the movies Casino Royale and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. We also saw the Nesso Waterfall plunging over the gorge that splits the town of Nesso in half. We had some rain but the lake was still so beautiful. As our captain said, there is beauty in every part of Lake Como.
Visit a Villa! In addition to the villas we saw during our boat tour, we visited three villas in person: Villa Balbianello, Villa Monastero, and Villa Carlotta. All of them are beautiful in their own way, so I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. My tips for visiting villas are:
- Buy a ticket ahead of time if available.
- Decide whether you want to go into the villa or just visit the gardens. You have the option to do either or both.
- For really popular villas like Villa Balbianello, reserve your time slot as early as possible to avoid the crowds.
- Wear comfortable shoes. There is a decent amount of topography in the gardens, some with a lot of steps.
- Relax, enjoy, and take lots of photos – there are too many great photo spots to count!
Take the ferry to other towns! I loved exploring a new town each day. The ferries run often and are easy to take. Spend your time walking around the villages, do some shopping, stop for a spritz – live la dolce vita!
Enjoy an aperitivo! Arguably one of the best Italian traditions, aperitivo is my favorite part of the day when I’m in Italy. Aperitivo is a pre-meal drink to get your appetite going. It’s always served with a small selection of savory snacks like olives, potato crisps, and mixed nuts. We’ve also been served oversized croutons, bruschetta, and Doritos. It’s really a fun surprise every time!
Grab a gelato! Another Italian tradition I love is simply strolling with a gelato. The flavors are always exciting, even if you always get your favorite (mine is stracciatella). If you didn’t get gelato did you even go to Italy?
Lounge by the pool or take a dip in the lake! It wasn’t quite warm enough for me to get in this time, but I would definitely be in the pool at Grand Hotel Tremezzo otherwise!
And take as many photos as humanly possible because you’re not going to want to forget a single second of your time in Lake Como, Italy!
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xo – Erin
Eat + Stay + Play: Lago di Como (Lake Como, Italy) appeared first on CathedralsandCafes.com. If you see this content published anywhere else, please email cathedralsandcafes@gmail.com.
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