After 7 days in Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, we're flying to Genoa to spend 3 nights in Santa Margureta Ligure and 4 nights on Lake Como.. We're trying to decide if we should rent a car in Genoa and have our own transportation around Santa Margureta, Portofino and getting to Lake Como and back to Milan Airport or are we best to rely on public transport, trains and taxi's?
Posted by
11660 posts
Yes, rent a car in Santa Margherita Ligure ( note spelling.) It is fun the explore the area with a car. And it will be much easier to get to Lake Como( where?) and then to MXP.
Posted by
OP
25 posts
We'll be staying in either Bellagio or Varenna on Lake Como (holding reservations in both places). We do like the idea of having a car to explore at our leisure. Any suggestions re: Varenna over Bellagio or vice versa?
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
On the lake you will leave the car parked and you'll use the ferries, to enjoy the views and to save time.
Out of curiosity, do you know what a ZTL zone is? Did you look up travel times, routes, gas costs and tolls on a serious mapping site like viamichelin.com?
Finding free parking in places like Portofino is like winning the lottery.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16193 posts
I don’t think you need a car in Santa Margherita Ligure or Portofino.
Although I’ve been there many times since the 1970s and each time with a car, however every time I did, I asked myself: “What was I thinking to drive here with a car?”. Traffic and parking is horrible. I will add to Dario’s comment by saying that there is no free parking in Portofino anymore. Parking in the streets is reserved to residents only, while visitors can count on a multistory parking structure which costs €5.50 per hour to park. I don’t know what you intend to do, but a combination of trains, and buses (or taxi cabs) will probably be better for your sanity.
From Santa Margherita to Varenna to lake Como is a long drive. The train can get you to destination in similar time but with less stress. Once there in Varenna (or Bellagio or Menaggio) you won’t use the car much, if at all. The best way to visit the lake is indeed by the frequent ferries. I’m always on a car (mine, my relatives’, or rented), yet on Lake Como it often ends up staying parked for my entire stay. I basically used it mostly to get there and leave, and occasionally visit Lugano (Switzerland), when I stayed in Menaggio.
Posted by
11660 posts
Portofino has a large parking garage. You can also walk there from Santa Margherita Ligure(SML.)
Posted by
11660 posts
You don’t really need a car on Lake Como but could use it for getting there and to MXP. We have used a driver service for transportation to and from MXP.
We prefer Bellagio and have stayed there four times. We stay away from lakefront but with lake views. We like having more dining choices and ferry options there. Some hotels offer parking.