Bellagio or Mennagio

Both are very doable via ferry. It’s a 15 minute ferry from Bellagio to Menaggio and it also goes to other towns worth visiting. Varenna, for one.

Bellagio is a larger, fancier and more upscale kind of town. While Mennagio feels like a resort town built in the 50s and 60s and is much quieter and laidback with a charming, flat waterfront promenade.

Which one you like more is up to you but I would budget much more time at Bellagio for exploring given the difference in size.

Also Varenna is on the same midlake ferry - charming, steeper and somewhere in between the two in terms of size.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

You can visit both easily. Definitely visit Villa del Balbianello.

It depends on how you are traveling. If you go by train, then it makes sense to visit Varenna (where the railway station is) and Bellagio, which is famous. If you want to visit Menaggio (the largest of the 3 townships) and you have the time, Menaggio is pretty too. When going by car, I prefer to stay in Menaggio, primarily because it has more free parking available, and from there it’s a quick 40 min drive to Lugano (Switzerland), along the homonymous lake, if one is interested in visiting that.

If you like shopping, I would choose Bellagio, and you can visit Villa Melzi gardens while there. But if you like more authentic, less crowded, choose Mennagio.

Thank you, everyone, for your excellent suggestions!