Lake Como

^ View from the central western shore, above and north of Menaggio. Want to enjoy this view during your Italian vacation? You can rent the place where I took this photo

Lake Como, shaped like an upside-down Y, is easily reached from Milan by car or train. You can take the train to Lecco (on the eastern tip of the Y), Como (on the western tip), or Varenna (on the east side of the center of the lake, opposite Bellagio in the crotch of the Y). From any of these places you can take commuter boats all over the lake. Go here for video of the ferry ride.

FAQ: How to Reach Varenna from Malpensa Airport

• The Cheap Way: Airport bus to Milan Central Station (1 hour, depending on traffic, about 6 euros), then direct train to Varenna (about every hour, also around 6 euros)
• The Easy Way: hire a car, from e.g. Best Viaggi. Antonello is absolutely reliable, and speaks very good English.

Some places to visit on and near Lake Como:

• Bellagio
• Bormio
• Lecco
• Ferry ride, Lecco to Bellagio
• Valcava & Alpe Giumello

Places to eat

Lake Como tourism & hospitality guide

Guide to the center lake region of Lake Como

Useful Fodor's trip report on all three lakes

The New York Times on Lake Como - leaving out, however, the entire southeastern branch of the lake!

My videos of Lake Como:

• Lecco
• Varenna
• ferry rides
• transport surprises
• Corteo
• cable car
• video snips

Got any great tips or sites for visits to Lake Como? Please share!

There Goes the Neighborhood

Sept 9, 2004

You may have heard that George Clooney owns a villa on Lake Como. He's over on the Como/Menaggio side, about as far from Lecco as you can get and still be on the same lake, so we are not exactly rubbing elbows with him. But it seems that his fancy friends have now taken a fancy to "our" lake.

George has bought the two villas flanking his own, partly for privacy, partly to have room for all his guests. Brad Pitt and various other luminaries were up here a few months ago filming "Oceans Twelve," and local rumor has it that Mr. Pitt fell in love with the place and is seeking a home somewhere in the Varenna area - a good deal closer to us.

Richard Gere is also supposedly looking for a villa somewhere on the lake. Well, none of these is among my favorite actors, but they're not bad additions to the scenery hereabouts, so I guess I won't complain. Especially if Brad Pitt goes boating in bathing briefs...

share your Lake Como favorites & tips here