We will be traveling from Zurich by car and wanted to visit the Lake Como area. Rick doesn't advise car travel in his guidebook for Lake Como. Is traveling there too much of a headache, especially if we needed to stay the night. Maybe we should avoid the area completely. I would appreciate any advise.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
32 posts
I have been to Lake Como using only public transport. From Milan I took a bus to Como and then a boat to Bellagio, where I was staying. It was magnificent. Do not miss it! I easily got around the lake by boat, then went back to Milan. No trouble at all!
Posted by
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
705 posts
Have to agree Lake Como is divine. I stayed at Argegno at Villa Belvedere right on the lake. They had a small carpark. Check out their website - google it. Its easiest and quickest to use the ferries and less scary. The roads around the lake are quite narrow and I needed a stiff drink after one bus ride. Bellagio is a must. It's just beautiful.
Posted by
San Jose, CA, USA
423 posts
I was just in Como last Wednesday and Thursday. I met a couple who drove from Switzerland and were continuing to drive to Venice. We stayed at the Best Western Continental Hotel (near the train station) which is a good location with plenty of parking.
If you want to enjoy the lake, leave the car behind and take a day trip to explore the towns.
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA, United States
2 posts
We have done this trip before by train and are about to do it again with car. I have been informed that the drive from Zurich to Como is easy and that driving around the lake is also fine. For touristing in Como or Bellagio, you won't use the car, but DEFINATELY worth including The Lakes in your trip as it is one of the most beautfiful places in the world.
Posted by
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2779 posts
Carol, it's a very easy 3 hours drive, all freeway with a speed limit of round about 70 mph. Try to catch travel advisory before you depart in Zürich as there are two alternative routes down to the lake of Como: Standard would be Swiss N2 freeway, your alternative is N13. Bottle neck on N2 is the 10-miles-long St. Gotthard's tunnel. If you can afford it time-wise don't take the pass instead of the tunnel. It's breathtaking scenery plus on top of Mt. Gotthard's there're the various springs of the Rhine river. Regardless of whether you take the tunnel or the pass you will note that North of St. Gotthard's your in Central Europe with its modest indland climate, language is German and all the trees and plants are the ones typical for Central Europe. On the South side of St. Gotthard's you're in subtropical Mediterranean Europe, language is Italian, the weather is different, plants look different and the mentality of people is different, too. It always amazes me... [to be continued]
Posted by
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2779 posts
... how one single mountain range can divide an entire continent in different climate and population zones. Of course if you take the tunnel instead of the pass this "switch-over effect" will be even stronger.