Como: Lake Como Day Excursion to Bellagio and Return

Depart Como at 13:10 from the Villa Geno pier — steps from the lakeside promenade of a city whose history extends from Roman foundations to a Gothic-Renaissance cathedral unique in Lombardy, whose silk industry dressed the courts of Europe, and whose waterfront frames Villa Olmo‘s neoclassical facade and the Tempio Voltiano, dedicated to Alessandro Volta. As the boat moves north, Villa d’Este appears at Cernobbio: a sixteenth-century cardinal’s palace set in formal terraced gardens descending directly to the water, now ranked among the world’s finest hotels. At Laglio, Villa Oleandra — George Clooney‘s private lake residence — is briefly visible among the trees before the boat enters the Tremezzina.

The Tremezzina is the most celebrated stretch of the western shore. Villa Carlotta appears on the left bank — iron gates, a stone staircase, famous for its Thorvaldsen sculptures and azalea gardens in bloom from April to June. Near Lenno, the gardens of Villa Balbianello extend to the water on three sides: a filming location for Casino Royale and Star Wars, and one of the most recognisable views on the lake. The crossing ends at 14:40 at the Lido di Bellagio — the Pearl of the Lake, where the three branches converge at the promontory.

This is the most complete way to experience both ends of Lake Como in a single afternoon. The outward crossing reveals the western shore at its finest — Villa d’Este, Villa Carlotta, Villa Balbianello, the full width of the lake. Over an hour in Bellagio is enough time to reach the promontory viewpoint and understand why this village sits at the top of every list. And the return crossing at late afternoon, with Como growing on the horizon, turns the journey home into a panorama of its own.