Lake Como Day Trip from Milan: Bellagio and Varenna, No Car Needed

When Milan gets muggy, the simplest way out isn't a car stuck on the ring road: it's a regional train. In just over an hour you're on a lake, with the water cooling the air and views Milan doesn't have. Lake Como works perfectly as a day trip, there and back, no car needed — and it's the trip we recommend most often to our guests in summer.

A couple of practical notes before you set off:

• Start from Central Station, a 15–20 minute walk from NoLo (all the routes here): no car, no parking, no queues on the Milan–lakes road;
• Watch out for the Como station: the one you want is Como San Giovanni (on the Milan–Chiasso line), not Como Nord Lago (reached from Cadorna) — they're two different stations in two different parts of the city;
• Bellagio gets very busy on summer weekends, with queues at the pier that in high season can run over 40–60 minutes: go on a weekday if you can, or leave early in the morning;
• Train and ferry times and fares change by season: check trenord.it and navigazionelaghi.it before you go.

Getting there: the right train

Two different lines leave Milano Centrale (or Porta Garibaldi) for the lake, both Trenord:

• To Varenna-Esino, on the Milan–Lecco–Sondrio–Tirano line: about an hour, with trains roughly every hour. This is the station for the classic Varenna–Bellagio combination.
• To Como San Giovanni, on the Milan–Chiasso line: about 40 minutes, with very frequent trains (roughly every 30–45 minutes).

A standard regional ticket costs roughly €5 to Como and €7 to Varenna. Trenord also offers "Gite in Treno" packages bundling the return train with unlimited ferry travel around the central lake (the Menaggio–Bellagio–Cadenabbia–Tremezzo–Lenno area) for a single price, around €25–27: handy if you plan to hop on and off the ferry several times in the same day.

Varenna, in the morning

You arrive at Varenna-Esino, head down towards the village (10 minutes on foot, or a short shuttle bus), and find yourself in one of the lake's most photographed towns. Worth taking your time over:

• The Passeggiata degli Innamorati ("Lovers' Walk"), a roughly 500-metre walkway carved into the rock above the water, with its historic red railing: the prettiest lakeside stretch around;
• The Fiumelatte, one of Italy's shortest rivers (about 250 metres), fed by a karst spring: it usually flows from March to October, but in drier summers it can shrink or run dry — not guaranteed, but worth the detour if you catch it flowing;
• Castello di Vezio, above the village: no funicular — you get there on foot, up a steep 20–30 minute path (or a longer, more scenic route, the "Scabium", of about 40 minutes) — the view over the lake from the top is worth the climb.

If you just want to cool off, Lido di Olivedo is steps from the ferry pier.

The ferry to Bellagio

From Varenna to Bellagio, the ferry crossing is a mere 15 minutes (some runs, changing at Menaggio, take up to 30): in the warm season (the 2026 summer timetable runs roughly from early July to early October) sailings are frequent, close to hourly and even more often around midday. There are two types of boat: the regular ferry (slower, some runs carry cars too) and the Rapido hydrofoil service (faster, a few euros' supplement on the fare). If you plan several legs in a day, the day pass ("biglietto di libera circolazione") for the central-lake zone (Bellagio–Varenna–Menaggio–Cadenabbia) is worth it, around €18.

Bellagio, in the afternoon

Bellagio can be walked in a few hours, but it's the kind of place worth slowing down for:

• Salita Serbelloni, the flower-lined stepped street that's probably the lake's most photographed image;
• Punta Spartivento, the tip of the promontory where the lake's three branches are said to meet: free, a 10-minute walk from the pier, the right spot for a shaded hour with a view;
• The Giardini di Villa Melzi, open from late March to October (ticket around €10): an English-style garden overlooking the lake, a camellia collection, a small lakeside chapel and a museum.

If you still have time (and fancy one more ferry hop), Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo is close by (open 20 March–18 October 2026, ticket around €17.50): gardens in bloom with camellias and rhododendrons, and inside, a 19th-century copy of "Cupid and Psyche" inspired by Canova, made by his pupil Adamo Tadolini.

For those with a less rushed day (or a second visit), there's Villa del Balbianello in Lenno — the one from Star Wars (Episode II) and a Casino Royale scene: reached on foot from Lido di Lenno (a roughly 25-minute climb on a gravel path) or by water taxi, advance booking required, closed Mondays and Wednesdays in season. Beautiful, but not something to improvise: only plan it in if you're not in a hurry.

Where to actually swim

If cooling off is the goal, the lake has several public swimming spots: in Bellagio, the San Giovanni and Pescallo beaches, plus the town lido; in Varenna, Lido di Olivedo near the pier; in Tremezzo, a shaded lakeside park to rest in after visiting Villa Carlotta.

At a glance

Why starting from NoLo works

A day like this needs organising: you leave early to beat the heat and the crowds, which means your base's logistics matter as much as the itinerary. From Nolo75 you have Central Station a 15–20 minute walk away — you can catch the first useful train without waking at dawn just to reach a station across town. Keyless self check-in leaves you free to come back whenever you like, even late in the evening; and if you don't feel like going back out for dinner, the apartment's full kitchen sorts it out.

If you're after more ideas for the hottest days, read Milan in August too, or, to plan your arrival, the guide to staying near Central Station.

Base for a day trip to the lakes? Nolo75 is a design apartment a 15–20 minute walk from Central Station, with keyless self check-in and a full kitchen: leave early, come back whenever you like. Book direct for the best price. **Check the dates and book →**