Lake Como, beyond the postcard

Lake Como is so thoroughly photographed that it can feel familiar before you arrive. The terraces, the cypresses and the pastel villages reflected in still water are all real, and all as lovely as promised. But the lake rewards a slightly different approach from the one the postcards suggest. Go slower, spend more time on the water, and give a morning to the town that gives the lake its name.

Understand the shape of the lake

Como is a long, narrow lake shaped like an upside-down Y. The southwestern arm ends at Como town, the southeastern arm at Lecco, and the three branches meet in the middle at Bellagio. That geography shapes every day you spend here. Distances look short, but lakeside roads are slow, so the water is usually the quickest and most beautiful way between villages.

For a first visit, most travellers stay on the western shore between Cernobbio and Tremezzo, or in Bellagio itself. Our guide to where to stay compares the shores in detail.

Mornings on the water

Book a private boat for at least one morning, before the ferries are busy and while the light is soft. Head north from Cernobbio along the western shore toward the wooded promontory of Lenno, where the gardens of Villa del Balbianello descend to the water. Continue to Tremezzo for Villa Carlotta, whose terraced gardens are at their best in spring, when the azaleas and rhododendrons are in flower.

Como town and the rationalist surprise

Most visitors pass straight through Como. That is a mistake. Beyond the cathedral and the lakefront lies one of the most important buildings of twentieth-century Italian architecture: Giuseppe Terragni's Casa del Fascio, completed in the 1930s.

It is worth being clear about what it is. The Casa del Fascio is a political building from the Fascist era, not a museum, and certainly not a place to stay. It is still in official use, so most visitors see it from Piazza del Popolo. Look at its white, gridded facade and the way the structure frames the cathedral behind it. It is an architecture stop on a Como day, best seen in the morning light.

Afterwards, ride the funicular up to Brunate for the view back over the town and the first basin of the lake.

A car for the hills

The lake roads are crowded in summer, but early mornings and the hill roads above the western shore are a pleasure to drive. The climbs from Menaggio give you mountain air and long views without the waterfront traffic. For our thoughts on the right car, see the second home on the road.

When to go

April to June and September to October are ideal. Many lakeside hotels close from roughly November to March, and July and August are the busiest months. If you can, travel midweek.

This guide is based on research rather than a commissioned visit. Opening times and access change, so check with each site before you go.