Lake Como or Tuscan Hills

Sally - Just got back from Italy. We spent two nights in Lake Como to decompress after the long flight. It was a nice start to our trip. The traffic around the lake can be maddening - I scraped up our rental dodging a truck. We stayed at Alberghetto La Marianna in Cadenabbia - it was great - comfortable and the restaurant is fantastic. Bellagio strikes me as sort of a Disney interpretation of Italy - way too touristy for my taste - my wife enjoyed Bellagio much more than I did. Have fun.

Lake Como ( be it Varenna Bellaggio,Menaggio or another small place) is wonderful. Whether it is for you depends on your preferences. It is scenic and restful. There is no nightlife and there are few museums.We were enchanted.As the Italians say: "Tutti gusti son gusti"- to each his own

Sally: we could give a better answer to your question if you could give us a bit more information about your trip itinerary so far: about how many days do you have and where are the other places that you would like to go. Lake Como is on the northern edge of Italy and thus the other places that you will be make a difference in giving you advice on this.

YES, absolutely. It is just beautiful and riding around the lake on the ferry is great. I personally loved Bellagio - its really pretty and has some interesting shops. The lake is a lovely place to relax and enjoy some beautiful scenery and a less hectic way of life. I stayed at Villa Belevedere. Small family run hotel right on the lake. I'm sure you would enjoy a couple of days there.

Given your itinerary and number of days available, it may be the the Tuscan hill country will be the better choice for you. Given the rest of your trip, the travel times to the Tuscan hill country would make more sense. I've enjoyed both places, and I would say they are quite different experiences. Lake Como is beautiful and very relaxing, but there are not a lot of what you might call "sights" compared to the Tuscan hill country.

What airport will you be departing Italy from (assuming that you are flying back to the States after these 3 days)? If you are leaving from Milan, I would suggest Lake Como. However, if you are leaving from Rome, I would suggest Tuscany or Umbria.

Sally, I'd like to add another vote for Assisi. My wife & I consider that place one of the most peaceful places on earth... especially after 5pm when the tourbuses leave. It's an easy train ride from Rome (bus transportation up to the old town).
The Basilica is wonderful, but not the only draw.

We spent Oct 21,22 on a lake front room at the old Hotel Metropole in Bellagio and loved it. We didn't find it very busy at that time and loved walking the stepped streets. We ferried over to Varenna a few times...and for a real treat, take Chef Moreno's cooking class ( see Rick Steve's, Vernazza ). It was just what we needed after the busy cities full of huge tour groups and traffic and museums. ( I'll never get my husband back to Rome ). P.S. it can get cold and windy there.

Sally, as you may have been able to figure out from the postings here, you can't make the wrong decision in this case. Either would be fine.

However, I would recommend traveling in a straight line to maximize your sightseeing and minimize your travel time. Don't go out of your way to get somewhere. Thus, if your last stop is the CT, Amalfi or Rome then go to Tuscany. If your last stop is Venice, then either place would be fine. Lake Como is a shorter and more direct train ride from Venice, but Tuscany is doable.