Where to stay in Lake Como
Lake Como is about 50 km long, so where you stay decides the trip more than which hotel you pick. The towns look close on a map and are not: the roads are narrow and slow, and the boats are how you move. Stay in Bellagio for the classic view and expect to pay for it, in Varenna for a quieter village with a train station, and in Como town if you want trains from Milan and a lower price. The western shore, Menaggio and Tremezzo, suits villas and walks.
The short answer
- First trip
- Bellagio or Varenna, central on the lake, with ferries at the door.
- Without a car
- Varenna or Como town, both on train lines from Milan.
- Couples
- Bellagio for the view, or Tremezzo for a quieter, greener stay.
- Tight budget
- Como town or Menaggio, where rooms cost less than in the villages.
- Gardens and walks
- Tremezzo or Lenno, beside Villa Carlotta and the Greenway.
How we judge a town: how you get there without a car, how far the boats and trains reach, noise at night, and price. Nothing on this page is paid for, and the hotels we choose will say who chose them and when they last stayed.
Lake Como's towns, side by side
| Area | Best for | At night | Como Duomo | Bellagio pier | Varenna station | Getting around | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Como town | Trains, value | Lively in the center | 5 min | over an hour | over an hour | Trains to Milan; boats and buses | €€ |
| Cernobbio | Hotels, quiet | Quiet | 55 min | over an hour | over an hour | Boat or bus to Como | €€€ |
| Torno | Quiet, hotel stay | Very quiet | over an hour | over an hour | over an hour | Boat or bus to Como | €€€ |
| Bellagio | First visits, views | Lively until late | over an hour | 5 min | 60 min | Ferries to every shore | €€€€ |
| Lenno | Gardens, walks | Very quiet | over an hour | over an hour | over an hour | Ferry and bus | €€€ |
| Tremezzo | Villas, quiet views | Quiet | over an hour | 50 min | over an hour | Ferry and bus | €€€ |
| Menaggio | Walks, value | Quiet to lively | over an hour | over an hour | 60 min | Ferries and buses | €€ |
| Varenna | Quiet, trains | Quiet | over an hour | 50 min | 10 min | Trains to Milan; ferries | €€€ |
Walking times run from the middle of each town: the straight line plus a third for real streets, at an easy pace, rounded to five minutes. On a lake that only means something inside one town, because the three points are far apart. Between towns, take a boat, bus or train. Price is our read from € (cheapest) to €€€€ (dearest) until booking-site prices replace it.
Where the towns are
Como town, for trains and value
The city at the southern tip, with a cathedral, a lakefront, and direct trains from Milan in about 40 minutes.
Como is a working city with a walled old center, a marble cathedral, a lakeside promenade and the ferry piers where the boats leave for the upper lake. It has two stations: Como San Giovanni for the Milan trains, a fifteen minute walk from the old town, and Como Lago for lines toward Milan Cadorna beside the lake. The Brunate funicular climbs from the edge of the center to a viewpoint above the water.
It is the easiest base without a car and usually the cheapest on the lake, with the most restaurants. It is also a city, not a village: the traffic is real, the lakefront is crowded on summer weekends, and the pretty villages are an hour or two away by slow boat. Choose it if trains and price matter more than waking up on the water.
Good for
- Trains from Milan and a lower price than the villages
- A wide choice of restaurants and shops
- Day trips by boat or bus from one hub
Think twice if
- You want to wake up in a quiet lakeside village
- You want the best views from your window
- You have only two nights and hate transfers
Staying in Como town: nearby sights, food and getting around
Cernobbio, for lakeside hotels near Como
A lakeside town about four kilometers north of Como, with large hotels, gardens and a flat promenade.
Cernobbio sits on the western shore just north of Como and has the lake's grand-hotel feel, including the Villa d'Este and its park. There is a waterfront, a small center of shops and cafes, and boats and buses back to Como. Moltrasio and the villages further up the shore continue the same pattern.
It is calmer and greener than Como and cheaper than Bellagio, though the grand hotels are not cheap at all. It is not a village you wander, and in the evening it is quiet. You will use the bus or a boat for most of the lake, so it works best for a stay about the hotel and the garden.
Good for
- A garden hotel close to Como's trains
- A calmer base than the city
- A lake walk that is flat
Think twice if
- You want a busy square and many restaurants
- You want to reach Bellagio quickly
- You are on a budget at the grand hotels
Staying in Cernobbio: nearby sights, food and getting around
Torno, for a quiet corner
A small village on the eastern shore of the Como arm, reached by road or boat and almost free of day trippers.
Torno sits on the narrow eastern side of the southern arm, across the water from Cernobbio. It is a small old village with a lakeside church and a quiet waterfront, and it has one of the lake's best-known hotels. A boat from Como takes you there in a short time.
It is peaceful and a long way from the main ferry hub. There are few shops and restaurants, the bus is slow, and the narrow road is the only way in and out for cars. That is the point if you want quiet, and the problem if you want to hop between villages.
Good for
- Quiet nights and a village without crowds
- A hotel stay as the main event
- Easy boat links to Como
Think twice if
- You want to reach Bellagio and Varenna daily
- You want many restaurants within walking distance
- You are watching the budget
Bellagio, for the classic view
Stepped lanes on the tip of the promontory where the lake divides in two, with ferries to every shore.
Bellagio is the postcard town: a steep old center of cobbled stepped lanes, shops and cafes, a lakeside promenade, and the park at Punta Spartivento on the very tip. Ferries run to Varenna, Menaggio and Cadenabbia across the lake, and a longer boat runs to Como. It is the best-placed town for the central lake.
It is also the busiest and dearest, and from late morning in summer the lanes and the quay are packed with day visitors. Buses and cars reach it by a long road from Como or Lecco, so the boat is the better way in. Many hotels are on steep streets with stairs and no lift.
Good for
- The classic view and a first trip to the lake
- Ferries to Varenna, Menaggio and Tremezzo
- Shops, cafes and restaurants within a short walk
Think twice if
- You are watching the budget: this is the dearest town
- You want a quiet street in July or August
- You can't manage steps and haven't checked for a lift
Lenno, for Balbianello and the Greenway
A small town on the western shore near Villa del Balbianello, with a lakefront and a path that follows the water.
Lenno has a small lakefront with a Romanesque baptistery, a few cafes, and the ferry pier. Villa del Balbianello is on the point to the south, reached by a path or by boat, and the Greenway del Lago passes through the area. The Isola Comacina boats leave from nearby Ossuccio.
It is quiet in the evening and cheaper than Bellagio and Tremezzo, though the choice of hotels is small. You have a bus or a ferry to the rest of the lake, and a car helps. Come for gardens, short walks and early nights rather than a town to wander.
Good for
- Villa del Balbianello and the Greenway on foot
- A quieter west shore stay
- Boats to Bellagio and Varenna
Think twice if
- You want lots of restaurants and nightlife
- You rely on late buses
- You want a big village center
Tremezzo, for Villa Carlotta and a calm view
A green, low-key stretch of the western shore, facing Bellagio across the water, with Villa Carlotta beside it.
Tremezzo stretches along the shore in a line of villas, hotels and gardens facing Bellagio and the mountains behind. Villa Carlotta and its gardens are a short walk from the center, and the ferry runs from the pier to Bellagio and Varenna. Cadenabbia, just south, has the car ferry to Bellagio and Varenna.
It is calmer than Bellagio and has the same view in reverse. There is a small center with a few cafes and shops, and not much nightlife. It is also quite expensive, because the best hotels are on the water, and the coast road is busy with traffic and buses.
Good for
- Villa Carlotta on foot
- A quiet, green stay facing Bellagio
- Ferries to the central lake
Think twice if
- You want many restaurants and bars
- You are on a tight budget
- You dislike traffic on the main road
Menaggio, for walks and value
A practical lakeside town with a promenade, a bus hub, ferries and mountain paths behind it.
Menaggio is the western shore's working town: a flat promenade, a small square with cafes and shops, a ferry pier with boats to Varenna and Bellagio, and buses along the lake and over to Lugano. Paths climb the hill behind the town for hill walks and views.
It is cheaper than Bellagio and Tremezzo, with more everyday restaurants and shops, and it has more rooms than the smaller villages. It is not as pretty as Varenna or Bellagio, and the main road runs through the middle. Choose it for walks, a lower price and easy connections.
Good for
- Hill walks from the town
- A lower price on the central lake
- Boats to Varenna and Bellagio and buses to Lugano
Think twice if
- You want the most photogenic village
- You want a car-free street
- You expect a view of Bellagio from your window
Varenna, for a quiet village with a station
A steep fishing village on the eastern shore, with a station on the Milan line and ferries across to Bellagio.
Varenna is a compact village of narrow lanes stepping down to a small harbor, with a lakeside walk and Villa Monastero's gardens along the shore. The station, on the line from Milan, is a short but steep walk from the center. Ferries cross to Bellagio, Menaggio and Cadenabbia all day in season.
It is calmer than Bellagio, though still busy in the middle of the day, and it is the easiest village to reach from Milan without a car. There are fewer rooms than in Bellagio, so it fills early, and the lanes mean stairs and no lift in many hotels.
Good for
- Reaching the lake by train from Milan
- A quieter village than Bellagio
- Ferries to Bellagio and Menaggio
Think twice if
- You want many shops and restaurants
- You can't manage steps and haven't checked for a lift
- You want to book late in July or August
Where not to stay on Lake Como, and what to do instead
Every booking site lists these places to stay in Lake Como. We would skip them, or at least choose with care. Nobody pays a commission on a warning.
- A room with a lake view that isn't on the lake side
Some hotels sell views that look at the road or a side wall. Confirm the room faces the water before you pay the difference.
- A cheap hotel inland, with no way to the water
A low rate is lost on taxis and buses, and the last bus leaves early. Stay on the shore, near a pier or a station.
- Two nights in three different towns
Moving every day wastes the hours the lake gives you. Pick one base and use the boats for day hops.
- A hotel high on a hillside with luggage and no taxi
Many hotels sit up steep lanes with stairs. Check the route from the pier or station, and ask about a lift.
- A weekend in Bellagio in August, booked late
Rooms are scarce and the prices are at their highest. Book months ahead, or choose a quieter town and cross by boat.
Which town suits you
A late arrival from Milan
Como town, ten minutes from the station by taxi.
Before you book a room on Lake Como
The practical things that decide whether a good hotel in Lake Como makes a good stay. Each town sets its own city tax, by season and room type, and we could not confirm the 2026 amounts, so we give none: check what your booking says.
- City taxItalian towns charge a tourist tax per person per night, and each sets its own rate, usually by season and the type of hotel. It is normally paid at the hotel and is not always in the booking price, so ask what it will be before you pay.
- From Milan MalpensaThere is no direct train from the airport to the lake villages. The Malpensa Express runs to Saronno, where you change for Como, and a direct shuttle bus between Malpensa and Como has run since November 2025. Check the timetable for the day you land.
- From Bergamo airportA direct shuttle bus runs from Bergamo airport to Como. It began on 28 April 2026 and takes about 1 hour 45 minutes. Tickets start from about €12, and booking online is cheaper than turning up.
- From Milan and LinateTrains run from Milano Centrale to Como San Giovanni in about 40 minutes. Trains from Milano Centrale or Cadorna also reach Varenna-Esino-Perledo, a little over an hour from Milan. Linate is closer to the city, so take a taxi or the metro to Milano Centrale and change.
- FerriesNavigazione Laghi runs slow boats, fast boats and car ferries. Fast boats need a supplement and a ticket bought before boarding, and the summer timetable is much fuller than the winter one. Check the last boat before booking a room across the water.
- ParkingVillages like Bellagio and Varenna have little parking, and hotels often charge for it. If you drive, ask where the car will go before you book.
- The seasonMany hotels and restaurants close from late autumn to spring. Check that your hotel and the ferries are running on your dates.
- Lifts and stairsMany hotels are in old buildings on steep lanes, with stairs and small lifts or none. If stairs are hard for you, check before you book.
Where to stay on Lake Como: questions people ask
What is the best town to stay in on Lake Como?
Bellagio for the classic view and the best ferry links, Varenna for a quieter village with a train station, and Como town for trains and lower prices. Bellagio is the most visited and the dearest.
Is it better to stay in Bellagio or Varenna?
Bellagio is larger, with more shops and restaurants, and is much busier. Varenna is smaller and calmer, and has a station on the Milan line. A ferry joins them in about 15 minutes, so you can visit the other from either.
Can I stay on Lake Como without a car?
Yes. Varenna and Como have train stations, and ferries and buses link the other towns. Use the boat between the villages: the roads are slow in summer.
Where is the cheapest place to stay on Lake Como?
Como town, then Menaggio. Both have more rooms and everyday restaurants than the small villages. Prices in Bellagio, Tremezzo and Varenna are higher, especially in summer.
How many nights do you need on Lake Como?
Three nights covers the central lake without rushing. Two works if you keep to one area. Add a night if you want to walk the Greenway or visit more than one villa.
How do I get to Lake Como from Milan airport?
From Malpensa, take the Malpensa Express to Saronno and change for Como, or a direct bus to Como. From Bergamo, a direct shuttle bus to Como takes about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Is the lake open all year?
The towns are, but many hotels, restaurants, villas and ferry services run fewer days from November to March. Check your dates before you book.
Is Lake Como safe at night?
Yes, the towns are quiet and well used. Watch your bag in crowds at the piers and on ferries in summer, as you would anywhere.
