Lake Region Home Base

A base for which lake? Como? Maggiore? Garda? Orta?Traveling between them can be challenging even with a rental car. Local roads, twisting one lane roads, traffic, etc. And once at at a lake , you don't want a car and parking can be difficult.
First look at the ferry schedules to see where they stop and how often. I have spent weeks on Lake Como without a car using Bellagio as my base. Also stayed in Stresa and Ranco across Lake Maggiore from each other. All the lakes have good ferry service and that should be your means of transportation.. on Como, the mid-lake triangle ferry service offers you many choices of places to visit.

Ellen,

My suggestion would be to look more closely either at Lago di Como (Varenna) or Lago Maggiore (Stresa), as they have the best transportation connections and the best sightseeing opportunities. If staying in Stresa, you could also take a day trip to Lago d'Orta, although the transportation can be a bit challenging. One great day trip from Stresa is to take the train to Domodossola and then take the scenic Cento Valli Railway to Locarno (Switzerland), returning in the evening by Ferry.

Ferry schedules are at http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/c_orari.asp and train schedules at www.trenitalia.com. The local TreNord service also provides this regional map: http://www.trenord.it/media/1699323/mapparegionale_2016_01_a3.pdf.

Lake Maggiore: Stresa area
Lake Como: Varenna or Bellagio or Menaggio
Lake Garda: Malcesine or Riva
Lake Garda has a railway only in the south (Peschiera, Desenzano), which is flat, but I prefer the north lake which has majestic mountains dropping in the lake. You can reach the north lake by bus from Verona or Peschiera (via Garda). Or also via Ferry from Peschiera and Desenzano.

Grazie, tutti!