How to do Lake Como

We left late morning from Milan. Spent some time in Varenna and took the ferry over to Bellagio (very short hop). We then ferried back to Varenna for the return trip to Milano.. Don't forget to buy a return ticket when you buy your ticket in Milan. We didn't.. Luckily the little restaurate/ shop at the bottom of the hill sold tickets.. Oh yes, and they have excellent hot chocolate!

I'd skip Como town. I'd take the train to Varenna and visit Bellagio. Both will make a nice day trip (if you can spend the night, even better). Besides Bellagio you can also consider the mid lake stops at one of the Villa's (Carlotta or Babinello) but you'd have to check the ferry time tables.

You can buy both tickets in Milan. They will be regionale tickets and will be good for 4 hours after you validate them. But until you validate them they are good for 30 or 60 days. It's easier to just buy your return Varenna to Milan in Milan. Validate your ticket before boarding the first train (note do not validate your return ticket until you leave Varanna). Look for the machines to validate on the platforms and terminal. Like a small punch machine either Yellow or Green/White colored.

The train is about 1 hr 15 min each way. Start early in the monring.

The Ferry you can find information here. http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/c_orari.asp Note they have the Summer Time table up but not the fall. Not sure when you are traveling. but you can see at least the summer times and get an idea what times the ferries leave. You can enter the cities and see the times online or use the PDF and see the whole schedule and stops. For Varenna / Bellagio you want the link that says Mid Lake in the Spring section.

In Varenna it was real easy to purchase a ferry ticket. We only ventured out to Bellagio and Vila Babinello from our time in Varenna.

It's up to you.
I would visit at least Varenna and Bellagio.
Then from Bellagio down to Como it's a 40+ minutes ride on the fast hydrofoil (or 2+ hours on the slow boat).
The hydrofoil also makes some stops (not as many as the slow boat).
If you want to make another stop between Bellagio and Como, it depends how much time you have left after visiting Varenna and Bellagio.
I would actually go the Como way. The city of Como is not particularly beautiful, but the boat ride all the way down is.

train schedule:
www.trenitalia.com

boat schedule:
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/c_orari.asp

I would add: if your return leg is they way Roberto says, by hydrofoil to Como, you just walk from the Como pier to the tiny Como Nord station (3 minutes) and board a local train going back to Milano (Cadorna station) through a different railway line.

Como has also a bigger station (Como S.Giovanni), up the hill and distant from the lake, in this case the Como Nord service is more convenient.

The train to Varenna goes from Milano Centrale and the return train from Como Nord Lago goes to Milano Cadorna station, but they are only a few stops away from each other on the Metro Green Line.

Thanks for all the info. I think we'll just visit Varenna and Bellagio and possibly Menaggio (sp?) since it takes so long by ferry to Como and I don't want to do the hydrofoil.
Any other info. would be most welcome!