Looking for advice on best place to stay if I am traveling without a car, will be arriving and leaving by train. We are arriving from Lake Garda and leaving for Cinque Terra around September 23-26 this year.
Thanks for the help
Posted by
San Diego, California
6554 posts
When will this trip be, how many people, and where will you be before and after Lake Como?
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/is-lake-como-getting-crowded-like-the-ct-and-ac
Posted by
Massachusetts, USA
2000 posts
Varenna is a good choice because it has a train station so it’s very convenient. It’s pretty and not as crowded as Bellagio. We recently stayed in Varenna and really enjoyed our stay here. We like Menaggio but that means you have to take a ferry to get there after arriving by train in Varenna so it’s not as convenient.
Hope this helps.
Karen
Posted by
Citizen of the World
3278 posts
The trains also can take you to Lecco— a favorite city among Italians on Lake Como’s eastern shoreline.
And since Varenna is often overrun with tourists, just staying on the train/bus another two miles gets you to Bellano which is not as mobbed as Varenna is these days.
Posted by
219 posts
I too agree with staying in Colico as Varenna is as overrun as Bellagio, even in September. It’ll be much quieter as most tourists don’t even venture there. Happy travels!
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
242 posts
In May 2019 we stayed at the Michaelangelo B & B in Varenna. It's next to the church. The room was good but not exceptional, but it has a rooftop eating/sitting spot with a 210 degree view of Lake Como that was amazing.