4-Day Itinerary for Lake Como: Savouring Italy’s Most Romantic Lake

Lake Como is one of Italy’s most romantic destinations — a place to slow down, savor every view, and feel the charm of the lakeside villages. With pastel-colored towns, sparkling waters, and historic villas framed by cypress trees, it’s perfect for travelers who want more than just a checklist of sights.

This 4-day itinerary is designed for slow travel lovers: you’ll rent a boat, wander iconic villages, explore stunning villas, and even take a day trip to Milan — all at a relaxed, enjoyable pace.

For more information on this dreamy destination checkout our other blog posts in our Lake Como Travel Series: “10 Best Things to do in Lake Como, Italy (Villages, Boats & Villas)”, “Tips and Recommendations, Your Travel Guide to Lake Como, Italy” (Coming March 3^rd). As well you can explore our “Travel Guide and 1-Day Itinerary for Milan, Italy” as it makes a great day trip, when staying on Lake Como.

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Table of Contents –

1. Map It Out.
2. Day 1 Itinerary: Rent or hire a boat for a Perfect Day on the waters of Lake Como
3. Day 2 Itinerary: Day in Bellagio with a visit to the hidden gem village of Nesso
4. Day 3 Itinerary: Half – Days in Varenna & Menaggio by Ferry
5. Day 4 Itinerary: Day Trip to Milan
6. References
7. The Wrap up

1. Map it out –

Here is a map of the area to help you get orientated to this lake district. There is a train that goes to Como or Varenna, otherwise you would either need to have a car or take the ferry to your base town. The map also indicates where some of the popular villas are, some we explored and some we saw from the water. We will be discussing the best base towns in our next blog post, “Tips and Recommendations, Your Travel Guide to Lake Como, Italy” (coming March 3^rd). There are a lot of beautiful towns on Lake Como, so exploring by ferry is a great way to just get off when you want to and wander, this is what is so nice about Lake Como, there are so many opportunities here and each village has its own feel and set of perks! We wanted to do a combination of iconic and lesser-known villages, so that is what you get with our suggestions.

2. Day 1: Rent or Hire a boat for a Perfect Day on the Waters of Lake Como –

Rent a Boat (Self-Drive or with a Captain)

Start your adventure on the water — the best way to truly experience Lake Como. You can:

• Self-drive a small motorboat (no license needed for certain sized boats be sure to ask when you book)
• Hire a captain for a more relaxed, luxurious experience.

Spend the day cruising past grand villas, hidden coves, and quiet swimming spots. Stop for a picnic, take photos, or just drift and admire the scenery. Villages like Bellagio peek out from the shoreline, offering perfect spots to admire from the water. Varenna is particularly photogenic from the lakeside with its colourful houses and grand villas. Nesso is also impressive from the water, you can see the ancient bridge, waterfall and the houses clinging to the hillside. If you want to see Villa Oleandra (George Clooney’s place) it’s best seen from the lake. We rented our motorboat, from Hotel Villa Aurora, for 6 hours, had a picnic lunch and saw some unforgettable sights, was so relaxing, one of our favourite days. No boat license was needed. More on this in our blog post “Tips and Recommendations, Your Travel Guide to Lake Como, Italy” (coming March 3^rd).

Dinner by the Lake

After a sun-soaked day, freshen up and head out for a lakeside dinner. Think fresh pasta, local wine, and the golden glow of sunset over the mountains. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at Ristorante Aurora on the water, Reservations are recommended, but they have extra seating inside the hotel. Keep it simple and soak in the moment — Lake Como is meant to be savored.

3. Day 2: Slow Morning in Bellagio + Late Afternoon in Nesso –

Morning Wandering in Bellagio

Wake early and enjoy Bellagio before the crowds arrive. Stroll cobbled streets, browse boutique shops, and take photos of the town as it wakes up. We started at Salita Serbelloni, this is the famous street of stairs, it’s beautiful, but gets very busy by mid to late morning, so good to get here early if you want photos of this unique street, arriving early is also easier for parking if you’re driving. After, pick a little café by the water for a croissant and a coffee. And spend some time just exploring the side streets, churches, and piazzas.

Visit Villa Melzi

Spend late morning wandering the gardens of Villa Melzi. The manicured paths, sculptures, and lakeside views make it the perfect place to slow down and savor your surroundings. They do close during the winter, so typically open from March to October, it’s 10 euros to get in and they are open 10:00am to 6:30pm.

Long Lunch & Leisurely Early Afternoon

Choose a terrace overlooking the lake for a long lunch. Let the afternoon unfold without schedules — Bellagio is best enjoyed unhurried, with time to sit, sip, and watch life along the water, and of course with a gelato!

Late Afternoon in Nesso

In the late afternoon, take a short drive or ferry to Nesso. Famous for its gorge, and waterfalls, it’s a quiet, romantic village to explore before sunset. Be sure to visit the Ponte della Civera, a picturesque 600- or 700-year-old stone bridge, with Roman roots — perfect for photos and a peaceful lakeside stroll. When we were there some locals were swimming and one of their dogs was enjoying a dip in the water as well, was so cute. If arriving by ferry, you’ll be close to the bridge, but if you’d like to check out the town above, you’ll have to climb some stairs, and if you’re coming by car, you’ll be parking up above, so will have to walk down to see the bridge. Wrap up your day with a relaxed aperitivo by the water here or in your base town before heading back to your accommodations.

4. Day 3: Half-Days in Varenna & Menaggio by Ferry –

Morning in Varenna

Hop on a ferry to Varenna. (if you’re not staying here). This intimate village with colorful houses stacked along the waterfront is perfect for slow wandering. Once you get off the ferry, head to your right and follow the path along the water, just explore, take the alleyways up and a different one back down, just have fun with it. Stop for breakfast, there are a lot of cute cafes, we liked Bar Molo, was cute with pretty white and yellow tables and chairs and colourful posters.

Visit Villa Cipressi and stroll the terraced gardens with panoramic lake views. We suggest arriving here as early as you can, if you want to take photos, we got here at 9:30am. This Villa has a stunning gate that opens up to the lake, very photogenic, but also gets busy and you will have to wait in line to take photos, so start here once you’re on the villa grounds. Afterwards, take your time and enjoy the gardens, villa, and lake views. Checkout their website for up to date hours as they change depending on the season.

Afternoon in Menaggio

In the afternoon, ferry over to Menaggio. With a relaxed lakeside promenade and a lively piazza, Menaggio is perfect for lunch, a stroll, or simply sitting with a spritz and watching daily life unfold. We had lunch at Bar Costantin Pizzeria, had great pizzas and salads. Make sure you check out the small inner harbour and walk along the water, ideally with a gelato!

5. Day 4: Day Trip to Milan –

On your final day, take the train to Milan. Swap the calm of Lake Como for city energy — explore grand architecture, iconic landmarks, and a charming shopping district along pretty canals. Wander past the Duomo di Milano, stroll through galleries, and enjoy a hands-on cooking class.

If you are staying in Varenna or Como it’s an easy train ride to Milan or if you’re staying in Lezzeno or Bellagio, you can drive to Como and take the train (this is what we did). For a detailed plan, check out our blog post – Travel Guide & 1-Day Itinerary for Milan, Itlay (An Easy Day Trip from Lake Como).

If you don’t have any interest in visiting Milan on this trip, you could spend Day 4 exploring Como, riding the ferry to a few other towns like Lenno and Visit Villa del Balbianello or Tremezzo and visit the impressive Grand Hotel Tremezzo, visit Bellano, or revisit your favourite town from earlier in the week. There is always lots to see and do on Lake Como.

6. References –

For our Lake Como travel planning, I leaned on a mix of trusted guidebooks, including DK Eyewitness Travel Italy, DK Eyewitness Milan and the Lakes, and Rick Steves Italy, which helped shape our itinerary, village selections, and must-see sights. In addition to the books, it’s helpful to reference official tourism websites, (lakecomo.is) and attraction sites, public transportation resources (like for the trains and ferries), and a few local food or culture blogs. Travel forums, Google Maps for driving and walking distances, and tour apps for the activities. We hope you enjoy our 4-day Itinerary for Lake Como as much as we did.

7. The Wrap Up –

Lake Como isn’t a place to rush — it’s a place to linger, explore slowly, and let the scenery sink in. Whether you’re gliding across the water on a boat, wandering charming, cobbled streets, or enjoying quiet gardens and hidden waterfalls, the magic is in the moments you take for yourself.

Plan smarter. Travel deeper. Lake Como rewards the traveler who slows down, savors the view, and leaves plenty of space for spontaneous moments.

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Thank you,

Beth de Verteuil

Wild Meadow Studio

Plan. Travel. Capture.

www.wildmeadowstudio.com