Lake Como

Varenna. The train stops there, it is not overrun with tourist, several good hotels / restaurants, and the ferry dock is easy to access.

Varenna is also overrun with tourists.

I was just in Varenna last week. I was pleasantly surprised at how quiet and not overrun with tourists it was. I don't know how different it is earlier in the season but when I was there it was delightful. Bellagio, in contrast was mobbed with people and is a much larger town.

On an otherwise great tour of N. Italy last month Bellagio was a drag. Wall to wall tourists, tacky souvenier shops, mediocre restaurants with frazzled serves. Fortunately we were only there for a day. Don’t, just don’t, anywhere would be better.

Do you have any mobility concerns? Both Varenna and Bellagio hug the lake and have stairways, sometimes instead of streets, to go up into the town. Menaggio would be a better choice as a base if you have mobility challenges as the lakefront is big and broad, good for an evening stroll, and the town center is flat. If you can schedule Varenna and Bellagio for weekdays, you might find fewer tourists in town than on weekends. Of all three towns mentioned, to me Varenna has the most charm.

Yes, I was in Varenna in September 2023 and it was completely overrun with tourists. I had loved Varenna on a previous trip quite a few years before, but I couldn't wait to get out of there this last time.

I have been there in the spring and have not experienced overcrowding. We are returning next spring, to Hotel du Lac, Varenna. ( They re not taking reservation yet for next year.) We love the rooms on the lake with a balcony. I never want to leave. They also have a nice happy hours, with a great selection of wines. Enjoy!

Bellagio is the famous town most everyone goes to see. Varenna is usually where they arrive by train. Both are usually crowded with tourists, weather permitting. This September and October, unusually heavy rainfall cleared out a lot of travelers so it seemed uncrowded to those who visited after tge deluge.
Menaggio, across the lake on the western shoreline,
has nice beaches and a view looking toward the other two towns with the mountains beyond. That makes Menaggio unique.

We were in Varenna the last week of September, and it was a lot busier than I remember from our last visit to Bellagio.

There was one wet day, and the beauty of that was that the daytrippers didn't come. What a wonderful difference that made!

We didn't visit Bellagio this trip, but have stayed there around ten years ago, at the same time of year. It was busy then, so I dread to think what it would be like now.

I think Varenna is a much nicer option, and I second Hotel du Lac, we had a room with a private terrace of the lake. Such a magnificent view and worth every penny. Make sure you have a degustation meal in the restaurant too.

I'll report my experience since it was so recent (Aug-Sep 2024):

Fri, Aug 30: Took train from Tirano to Varenna, arriving mid- to late morning (don't remember exact time). Walked down the hill to the ferry port, where I caught the ferry across the lake to Tremezzo (south of Menaggio), where I was staying. Later went to Villa Carlotta. Weather was sunny and (later in the day) very hot, with a high of 91F in Varenna. Varenna didn't seem busy at the time I passed through the town, but I didn't divert from the direct path between the train station and the ferry dock. I didn't have time to go back for more exploration. It's a cute little place; I was surprised it wasn't crowded, but perhaps I just didn't get tot he right part of town. (For me, Varenna seemed too small for a 4-night stay, but I always like to avoid multi-night stays in villages since I don't have my own wheels.)

Sat, Aug 31: Saw Villa Balbianello in Lenno. I passed through Lenno a few times while I was on Lake Como; it was never crowded. Temperature on Aug 31 was sunny with a high of 88F.

Sun, Sep 1: Went to Bellagio and walked around a lot. It was, indeed, mobbed (weekend--maybe extra day-trippers from places like Milan??). Temperature was sunny with a high of 88F. Note: There's a largish Sunday-only market along the waterfront with some attractive merchandise on sale.

Mon, Sep 2: Went to Menaggio and walked around a lot. It was moderately busy along the commercial streets but nothing like Bellagio. I thought it was attractive, but it's true (for me) that hillier towns like Bellagio and Varenna just naturally seem more picturesque. I don't think flat Menaggio matches the picture people have in their heads when they think of Lake Como. It was sunny in Menaggio with a high of 79F.

Tremezzo itself is a fairly quiet place. I didn't go very far from the waterfront. It's very convenient for Villa Carlotta and an easy ferry or bus trip to get within walking distance (uphill) to Villa Balbianello. I'd prefer Menaggio as a base; for me the extra tourist load would be a reasonable trade-off for more to do and a lot more restaurants. However, Tremezzo was where I found the most affordable lodging, albeit at a hotel that was something of a walk from the ferry dock and even the nearest bus stop.

For what it's worth, the activity I most enjoyed on Lake Como was walking a good chunk of the Greenway, from the southern end to Lenno. I was alone the entire time. It's not heavily signed, so I was glad I had picked up a brochure at the tourist office--and even that left me a bit puzzled on occasion, but since you always know where the lake is, and there are hourly buses running near the lake, it's not a problem if you get off the route. The Greenway takes you through some small villages perched on the hillside where you won't see other tourists. Access to the Greenway would be a good reason for me to return to the lake and stay on the west side, probably in Menaggio.