Ah, can’t you picture it? The exquisite landscape overlooking the sea, where wooden boats are traveling between each town and smaller boats are patiently waiting to see what they’ll catch for the day. The ferries carrying passengers, who are excitedly awaiting to reach land to start their Italian dream vacation. And the homes and villas standing bright and tall for many generations to come, welcoming you to the beauty of Lake Como.

Ciao, my fellow rover! Before we dive into our next adventure, I just wanted to give a quick layout of Lake Como, for those that are not aware yet. Lake Como is basically the whole area that encompasses a lake shaped like an upside down Y and the 3 towns, Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio, that are situated on the outskirts of the lake. Together these 3 towns are also known as the “Golden Triangle.” When you imagine the rustic Italian village of Lake Como, you’re probably picturing one of the towns in the Golden Triangle. So, now that we got a gist of Lake Como’s map, we’ll be exploring Varenna and Bellagio on our next trip together. I hope you’re ready, cause we’re off to another adventure.

SIDE NOTE: After much research, I decided to only visit Varenna and Bellagio. These were the two larger towns in the Lake Como area that offered more things to see and do. With just one day in Lake Como, I wanted to be able to fully explore the area without any rush.

Getting to and around Lake Como

I took a day trip to the area of Lake Como with my husband and friends. We booked an hour long train that took us from Milan Central Station to Varenna-Esino station. To make the most of our day, we booked the earliest train to get there and the second to last train of the day to head back. This gave us about 10-11 hours to visit Varenna and Bellagio, and it was the perfect amount of time needed to explore both towns.

Once we reached the Varenna station, my group and I went to the ferry port to purchase our round trip tickets from Varenna to Bellagio. At the counter, you will have to select the time of departure from each location. Be sure to select one that corresponds best with your itinerary. For example, you wouldn’t want to book one at the same time as when your train is leaving. TIP: You’ll also have to take into account that it’s about a 15 mins ferry ride between Varenna and Bellagio and that you should be at the port 20-30 mins prior to ferry departure. During my visit there, I found that the ferries were punctual; so if you missed your time slot, you may be waiting up to an hour for the next one to come by again.

Varenna

Once we got our tickets, the next ferry leaving to Bellagio wasn’t departing until another hour. My group and I decided to visit Bellagio first and then explore Varenna afterwards, since our train back to Milan was leaving from the Varenna station. In the meantime, we explored the town center, Piazza San Giorgio, and popped into a local coffee shop for some cappuccinos and pastries. It seemed like the town was just waking up as we explored the cobblestoned town center; there’s really something about the calmness of the morning, that fills you with excitement for what the day has to offer.

On our way back from Bellagio, we rode past Riva Grande on the ferry. The buildings were so colorful that it gave a welcoming invitation to all visitors. The shoreline was absolutely breathtaking and was one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen, making it easy to pretend like you are in the beginning of a romantic Italian movie. After we docked, we were able to visit Riva Grande, where there are many shops, cafes, and gelato storefronts that you can pop into. To get there, you will have to walk though Passeggiata Degli Innamorati (The Lovers Walk). Passeggiata Degli Innamorati is a cute, red rail walkway along the coast, that offers you a great view of the water and landscape. It’s also a great spot for a photo.

If the walkway wasn’t enough to get you “the photo” for your social media feed, you’ll definitely get it at Villa Monastero. Explore the beauty of the botanical garden and the historic architecture that lines the lake shores. Every path will lead you to something even more beautiful than the last turn, whether it’s the view, a new plant, or sculptures. If you’re interested in home decor and architecture, you can also purchase tickets to visit the home museum on the Villa. In the House Museum, you’ll get the opportunity to see 14 fully furnished rooms with it’s original furniture and decorations. TIP: To purchase tickets to Villa Monastero, you would have to be on site. If you want to see more botanical gardens, a combo ticket to visit Villa Cipressi Garden can also be purchased. Villa Monastero is definitely a must visit in Varenna.

Bellagio

It was our lucky day when we landed on Bellagio because the Market of Bellagio was in full swing. The Market of Bellagio is offered on the 3rd Wednesday of every month from 7 am to 5pm, at Lungolago Europa. There are many local vendors lined along the walkway selling art, jewelry, clothes, and crafts. This market was hands down one of the my favorite activities that I did on my trip. I loved seeing all the handmade items and the wide variety of things you could purchase. TIP: You’ll definitely need to bring cash, although most of the vendors accepted card payments with a minimum charge.

Once you get to Bellagio, you must visit Salita Serbelloni. And if you don’t intent to, I’m sure you’ll find yourself on this historic street one way or another. Salita Serbelloni is an iconic cobblestoned area, with each step offering a new shop or restaurant to view. I highly recommend stopping in the shops to see local and handmade items, possibly even purchasing a leather or silk item, which is what the area is known for. It’s definitely a great spot to get yourself or a loved one a gift! TIP: Bring cash. Several of the shops offered discounts if you were able to pay with cash instead of card.

And finally, if you’re wanting to immerse yourself in the beauty and landscape of Lake Como, then a visit to Villa Melzi D’Eril is a must. This Villa was absolutely beautiful and a great way to enjoy the weather and scenery. You can take a stroll through the gardens, learn about the history of the villa at the museum, or sit on a shaded bench near the water to people watch and take in the view. And you definitely cannot forget to stop by the Arabian-style temple for a picture and a moment to admire its design. TIP: Once tickets are purchased at the villa, you can leave and return as many times as you want throughout the day.

Overall View

What can I say? Lake Como is beautiful and really exceeded all of my expectations. I knew it was going to be picturesque but I didn’t expect to be fully immersed in the scenery of it all. Lake Como was definitely my favorite spot to visit during my trip to Italy this time around. And I definitely think that one day was enough time to explore Varenna and Bellagio. Would I ever come back to visit again? Absolutely.

I hope that you enjoyed this blog and found it useful for your dream Italian vacation! If you have any questions or comments, leave a message below!

As always, thanks for being here!

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