The lake is rich in places worth visiting, and it is impossible to see them all in a few days. That is why we have created a 3-day Lake Como itinerary, selecting the most evocative places and the can’t miss experiences, for those who want a short private getaway. A guide to visiting this Italian gem, a destination for travelers from all over the world, in little time. The days are well sequenced: a morning at the market, a private boat with a captain, lunch in Bellagio, an Italian cooking class and a climb to the most beautiful viewpoint over the lake.
We chose Como as our base: Day 1 and Day 3 take place here. Day 2 is on the water. Every experience can be booked with Lake Como Experiences, with duration and group size stated, so you can check the plan against your dates before you decide.
We recommend doing this itinerary from spring to autumn, when the two villas of Day 2 are open.
Day 1: Como, market and wine
Day 1 – Morning
Once you arrive in Como, visit the market with our food tour in Como. Walk the stalls with a local guide and taste Italian delicacies along the way. Groups are limited to nine guests.
Why start in Como? We chose it as the starting point because it is a practical base. You don’t need a car for this three-day itinerary: Milan is less than an hour away by train, the station is a few steps from the lake, and the market, the old town and the boat landing are all in the same few streets.
After the tasting, spend an hour at the Duomo and on the lakefront promenade, both a few minutes’ walk from the old town. The Duomo took more than three centuries to build, starting in 1396, which is why you can admire Gothic and Renaissance details on a single façade. Keep lunch light: the market tasting will have covered more than you imagine.
Day 1 – Afternoon
Continue your day in Como, and don’t miss our wine tasting tour in Como. Guided by a sommelier, you will taste carefully selected wines, in an intimate, private atmosphere a few steps from the Cathedral.
The sommelier will guide you through the wines according to your personal taste, from the most appreciated selections to the rarest, including Franciacorta and Valtellina.
You will learn to sip wine like a true expert, distinguishing its aromatic notes.
Day 1 – Evening
Dinner at La Tua Osteria, a small, cozy osteria on Via Maurizio Monti, a short walk from the center of Como. The menu is short and traditional, with homemade pasta and regional ingredients. After a day of tastings, it is a relaxed, home-style table.
If you don’t want the day to end yet, stroll along the lakefront after dinner. The lights of the villas reflected on the lake create a magical atmosphere. It is the best possible way to end Day 1 of this 3-day Lake Como itinerary.
Tomorrow you will leave dry land behind and take to the lake.
Where to stay? We recommend the Vista Palazzo Lago di Como, in Piazza Cavour, the same hotel that houses the Sottovoce restaurant.
Day 2: The lake by private boat
Day 2 – Morning
Day two begins with a luxury private boat tour on Lake Como. We suggest arranging a longer day. You hold the helm, figuratively speaking: the route is entirely up to you. All you will have to worry about is not getting sunburned on the sunpad; your private captain will take care of the rest.
We suggest your first stop is Villa Balbianello, at the tip of the Lenno promontory. The villa is best reached from the water, and it was a set for Casino Royale and Star Wars. Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini had it built in 1787, and the explorer Guido Monzino, its last private owner, left it to FAI in 1988. For the history and what to see inside, read our guide to Villa Balbianello on Lake Como.
Day 2 – Midday
Cross the lake to Bellagio, on the promontory where the lake divides into the Como and Lecco branches. The crossing is part of the experience: from the boat you see villas and gardens that are invisible from the road. Once you land in the small village, walk along the lakefront to the gardens of Villa Melzi. The villa was built between 1808 and 1810 for Francesco Melzi d’Eril, vice president of Napoleon’s Italian Republic. The gardens are English-style, with paths that run along the water, and they stay quiet even when Bellagio is crowded with tourists. If you prefer a single booking for both gardens, the scenic boat tour with Villa Carlotta and Villa Melzi includes entry to the gardens of Villa Melzi.
Have lunch in Bellagio. Ittiturismo Mella and Trattoria Baita Belvedere are both on our list, and our guide to Bellagio on Lake Como describes the town in detail.
Can you see Villa Balbianello, Bellagio and Villa Melzi in one day? Yes, with a private boat, because you decide the order and don’t depend on ferry timetables. The day only works if you start early and treat the three stops as the whole agenda, with lunch as the one fixed pause.
Day 2 – Afternoon
You pass Torno, on the eastern shore, where Villa Pliniana rises from the water, and Cernobbio, on the western shore, home to Villa d’Este. From the lake the villas stand out against the mountains: in the late-afternoon light you can take memorable photos.
We suggest staying in the village: Bellagio deserves its time. The stepped lanes with their small shops and the lakefront are best explored without hurry.
Day 2 – Evening
Dinner at Mistral, the restaurant of the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio. For the night, stay at the same hotel: the rooms have neoclassical decor, gilded mirrors, frescoed ceilings and period furniture.
Day 3: Cooking class and the view from Brunate
Day 3 – Morning Spend the morning at a cooking class. In Como the class takes place on a terrace overlooking Villa Olmo, with chef Marco and a maximum of six guests. If you prefer to stay near Bellagio, the cooking class in Bellagio lasts three hours, takes up to eight guests and takes place near Villa Melzi.
You cook the dishes you then eat, and it is the most useful morning of the trip if you want to learn Italian cooking: you work fresh pasta by hand, prepare a sauce and finish with a classic Italian dessert, tiramisu.
Day 3 – Afternoon If you are sleeping in Bellagio and taking the cooking class there, leave after the class to reach Como, then take the funicular up to Brunate. The funicular has been running since 1894 and takes about seven minutes, so the climb is short; on clear days the view runs from the lake to the Alps. Bring comfortable shoes and a camera: it is the view that overlooks the whole Como basin.
Prefer a guided visit? The Como & Brunate walking tour runs in the morning, so you can choose it instead of the cooking class. Leave time to come back down and rest before dinner. This is the last evening of your Lake Como itinerary and it deserves a table, not a rush.
Day 3 – Evening
Close the trip in Como with dinner at Kitchen, the restaurant of the Sheraton Lake Como, on Via per Cernobbio. Chef Andrea Casali tends a biodynamic garden in the hotel’s park: herbs, flowers and vegetables from the garden go into the tasting menu, which can be paired with wines. A vegetarian menu is also available, with vegan variations. The alternative is Feel Como, on Via Armando Diaz, with nature-inspired tasting menus.
For the last night of this itinerary you can choose to stay at the Sheraton Lake Como, the same hotel as Kitchen.
Practical notes
Is a 3-day Lake Como itinerary enough? Three days cover Como, a full day on the boat and a slower one: it is enough for a first visit. It does not cover the whole lake. Add days if you want to include Varenna, Menaggio or the gardens of Villa Carlotta at a slower pace.
Where to stay? For this program, choose Como as your base. For details, read where to stay in Lake Como: we recommend a minimum of three nights, so book the hotel for the whole stay instead of moving between different towns.
How to get around: private boat on the lake, on foot in Como. Day 2 is the only one that depends on the weather, so keep it flexible if your dates are tight. Compare boat formats in our guide to the best Lake Como boat tour.
What to book first: the food tour, because it only runs on market days, then the private boat, because the date depends on the weather and on the villas’ opening days. The tasting, the cooking class and the walking tour fall into place accordingly. Book dinners as soon as the dates are set, especially the starred restaurants on Days 2 and 3, which have few tables.
When to go: between spring and autumn, when villas and gardens are open. Confirm opening days before fixing the order of the days, and book the food tour first on the market day, because it decides the whole sequence.
