Hi! We will be traveling from Lucerne to the Lake Como region by train at the end of June for 5 nights. Our question is, is it best to stay in Como and use it as a base to explore other towns, or better to stay in Bellagio for a few nights, then to Como for 1 or 2 before departing from Milan? We will not have a car and will rely on trains, ferries, etc. Really appreciate the help and any advice you can offer! Thanks! Eddie
Posted by
11647 posts
I would stay in the much more beautiful mid lake section of Lake Como, not in the city of Como, the whole time. The towns you will want to explore will be closer to Bellagio not Como. There is train service to Milan from Varenna on east side of the lake while buses go up the west side of the lake, Menaggio, etc.
We have taken the high speed ferry from Como to Bellagio after getting off a train there too. We walked from train station with luggage to ferry slip.
Posted by
172 posts
Agree entirely with the first reply, stay mid lake. We've explored the entire lake by ferry, and keep going back to the mid lake area. Varenna is a great base for exploring any part of the lake by ferry. We stay at Hotel Olivedo, which is right at the ferry landing in Varenna, and only a short walk from the Varenna train station (which is an easy commute from or to Milan Centrale).
Posted by
Paris
7314 posts
Are you leaving out of Malpensa airport?
Do you have any interest in Milan itself?
If yes for Malpensa and if no for Milan, then it is possible to stay in the lake Como area up to the night before your flight, as long as you do not stay too far up the lake and are willing to pay for a cab/transfer. Torno, Cernobbio, Argegno would work in that regard. Tremezzo too perhaps, but Bellagio would be a bit of a stretch / expensive taxi ride.
Posted by
OP
16 posts
Hi and thank you all for the suggestions so far! It seems clear to us now that we will stay near mid lake, Bellagio and Varenna, and then take the train to Milan and stay 1 night there prior to returning home. I also realize that we are booking these hotels last minute and some are already full, but if anyone has other suggestions on where to stay, that would be great! We are also going to look into AirBnB’s as well. Finally, do you recommend advance tickets on the trains or can they be bought the day of transfer? Thanks you all again!
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34108 posts
for the last night which will be in Milan, I speak favourably - as well as many here on the Forum - of the Hotel Berna https://hotelberna.com/en/ which is extremely convenient to the station Milano Centrale (Milan Central Station), where the trains from Vernazza or Como arrive. I've stayed there, and in their annex which is just as good. That area is convenient for the trains both arriving from the lake, and the next day for leaving for the airport on (one branch of) the Malpensa Express. It isn't quite so convenient for the Last Supper, or the Cadorna station for the slightly shorter branch of the Malpensa Express, or for the Duomo or the Galleria. I don't know of any hotels to recommend in the Cadorna or Duomo areas.