🇮🇹Italy · Places to discover
What to see in Lac de Côme?
15 places selected by the community - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
Lake Como is not a frozen postcard view: it is a vertical territory where villages cling to wooded cliffs and the light changes every hour. Varenna, on the eastern shore, concentrates more faithfully than anywhere else this atmosphere of an authentic lakeside village, well clear of coach tours. The water here is dark, profound, bordered by eighteenth-century villas whose gardens fall directly into the lake.
The best period runs from late April through June, before heat and tourists saturate the shores. Allow at least three days to explore both sides without rushing. The ferry remains the logical way to move between villages-the road is often congested and parking barely exists. Avoid Bellagio on an August Saturday: beautiful though it is, the village becomes an unmanageable pedestrian crush.
Landmarks & heritage
3 places
1Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
Villa del Balbianello
Perched on a wooded promontory at Lenno, this 18th-century villa boasts spectacular terraced gardens overlooking the lake. A filming location for James Bond and Star Wars, but above all a jewel of architecture and landscape.
2Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Landmark
Villa Carlotta
At Tremezzo, this Neoclassical villa houses a collection of sculptures by Canova and Thorvaldsen in an exceptional botanical garden. The flowering rhododendrons in spring are a rare spectacle.
3Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Landmark
Villa Monastero
Former 12th-century Cistercian monastery transformed into an aristocratic villa in Varenna, featuring a 2 km botanical garden along the lake. The century-old cypress trees and sculptures submerged at the water's edge are unforgettable.
Religious sites
1 place
4Wikimedia CommonsReligious site
Piona Abbey
An 11th-century Benedictine abbey isolated on a wild peninsula at the lake's northern shore, reached by a winding road. The monks still produce liqueurs and honey sold on site – a timeless atmosphere.
Castles & fortresses
1 place
5Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Castle
Vezio Castle
An 11th-century medieval tower overlooking Varenna from the heights, reached on foot in 20 minutes' climbing. A 360° view over the lake triangle and the Alps, with live falconry displays in season.
Nature
4 places
6Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Nature
Cenghen Waterfall
A wild 40-metre waterfall accessible from Nesso via a 30-minute woodland trail. The village of Nesso itself, with its Roman bridge spanning the gorge, is worth visiting even before reaching the falls.
7Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Nature
Sentiero del Viandante Path
An ancient medieval mule track running along the eastern shore of Lake Lecco from Lecco to Colico, with stone villages and constant water views. The Varenna–Bellano stretch is the most spectacular and least crowded.
8Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Nature
Piano Lake
A small natural pre-Alpine lake hidden in the Intelvi valley, a nature reserve with exceptional aquatic fauna. Ideal for a quiet picnic away from the crowds of the main lake.
9Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Nature
Bellano Gorge
Gorges carved by the Pioverna River through the heart of Bellano village, accessed via a metal walkway suspended above the turbulent waters. A dramatic and magnificent geological spectacle just 5 minutes from the landing stage.
Viewpoints
1 place
- 10
Viewpoint
Viewpoint
Venini Refuge - Monte Crocione
Mountain refuge at 1641m altitude accessible from Colonno or Ossuccio, with a sweeping view over the central lake and the Alps. The people of Menaggio climb here on Sundays for polenta and silence.
Activities
2 places
11Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Activity
Golf Club Menaggio & Cadenabbia
One of Italy's oldest golf courses (1907), perched at 900 metres elevation in the hills above Menaggio. Spectacular fairways with lake views—frequented by English holidaymakers since the Victorian era.
- 12
Activity
Activity
Sea Kayaking from Lenno
Kayak rental from Lenno beach to paddle along the coast towards Villa del Balbianello and Comacina island – the only way to reach certain cliffs and caves inaccessible on foot. Sunrise recommended before the boats arrive.
Beaches
3 places
13Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0Beach
Lido di Menaggio
Public swimming pool and beach facility in Menaggio dating from the 1930s, still used by local families in summer. Less chic than the grand hotels' private beaches, but authentic and affordable with direct views across to Bellagio.
- 14
Beach
Beach
Dorio Beach
Nearly deserted pebble beach in the northern reaches of the lake, in a wild alpine setting away from tourist circuits. The water is cooler than at the lake's centre but exceptionally clear—local divers come here for the trout.
- 15
Beach
Beach
Punta Balbianello Beach
Small wild pebble beach at the foot of Villa del Balbianello, accessible only by swimming or kayak from Lenno. Crystal-clear water in deep green, frequented by locals who know the way—no signage marks it.
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