I will traveling to Italy in August of 2026, there are 5 of us, 4 adults and one 10 year old. We would like to do a day trip from Milan to one of the lakes; however, I am looking for recommendations as to what would be an easy day trip. We will take a train from Milan; however, I see when doing some research their are tour boats that go to several locations and should that be considered or pick one area/town and spend the day there? Any guidance is greatly appreciated.
Posted by
Idaho, USA
9054 posts
Hi Judy,
An easy day trip from Milan is to go to Stresa on Lake Maggiore. It’s one hour by direct train from Milano Centrale station. Stresa is beautiful in itself, plus, there’s a ferry that will take you out to the islands that are very close - a 10-minute ferry. Isola Bella has the Borromeo Villa and gorgeous formal Italian gardens. Nearby Isola Pescatori (fish) is small and fun to wander and have lunch. Varenna on Lake Como is very popular, but the crowds for waiting for ferries have been mentioned recently on this forum.
L’Angolo del Gelato shop in Stresa is excellent! (I’ve stayed in Stresa four times.)
Posted by
Idaho, USA
9054 posts
Another interesting day trip from Milan is nearby Bergamo. Go up into the medieval portion by taking the ground funicular to the Citta Alta section of Bergamo….or take a taxi or the bus up. There’s some beautiful architecture up there, plus the history of the Venetian wall surrounding it.
Or, if some of you are interested in Stradivari violins, Cremona is another 1-hour direct train option from Milan. The cathedral there has outstanding frescoes, and the clock tower is a great one to climb because the center has a solid core, so you don’t have to have a scary view as you’re climbing.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17117 posts
Recommended lake day trips easily accessible from Milan (both easily reachable via train):
Varenna on lake Como
Stresa on lake Maggiore
If you have a few nights to spare, instead of just a day trip from Milan, both would be excellent destinations for a few days' stay.
Varenna is very small and popular, so accommodations are sometimes hard to find, but both Bellagio and Menaggio, just across the lake from Varenna, with a very short ferry ride, are also excellent destinations where accommodations may be more plentiful.
Posted by
Massachusetts, USA
2089 posts
I recommend visiting Varenna on Lake Como as a daytrip from Milan. The train ride is about one hour. You can spend the day in Varenna and visit Villa Monastero. Visit the small churches, explore the streets and back alleys, walk along the waterfront, and have lunch in Varenna. Or you can take the ferry from Varenna to Menaggio and/or Bellagio.
Posted by
London
880 posts
We've visited all three of the major lakes from Milan as day trips and it's very easy. In addition to Stresa on Lago Maggiore, mentioned above, you can easily get a train to Como (on Lago di Como) and then take a very nice ferry ride along the lake to Bellagio. You can also get a train to Desenzano del Garda on Lago di Garda and get a ferry to Sirmione which is lovely as well. Of course you can get ferries to other places on these lakes as well, these were just the ones we found easiest as a day trip. If going to Stresa you can get a ferry out to the Isole Borromee in the middle of the lake which are nice to walk around.