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BOI - Lake Como Hotel & Ferry Tips

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We are headed out on the Best of Italy tour June 3-18. Hoping for some insight from those who've done this tour before or those who've traveled around Lake Como and know the ferry system.

We just got our tour hotel list and I was surprised to see we're staying so far from the central part of the lake, down in Malgrate (near Lecco). The town isn't in the guidebook so I'm curious if anyone has stayed here on a previous tour? No doubt it'll be beautiful but a bit bummed that it's so far from the places I've been reading about and studying in anticipation for the trip. For some reason I thought I read this tour stays in Varenna? And I know, it says on the official itinerary that we'll "sleep in the Lake Como area" but I guess I thought we'd be more central.

I know we'll be receiving a ferry pass so we can certainly see different areas of the lake. From what I can decipher from the ferry timetables it looks to be about a 90 minute ferry ride to Bellagio...does that sound right?? Just trying to plan ahead for our free day. Are the ferries fairly easy to navigate?

Any insight and thoughts about traveling around Lake Como would be welcome. Thanks in advance!

Posted by
18152 posts

We took a ferry from Varenna to Bellagio some years ago (we were staying in Bergamo, not on an RS tour) and didn't find it difficult. I'm sure you get helpful guidance from your tour leader. :O)

Authors of the two highlighted alum scrapbooks of the 2025 BOI 17-day tour mentioned that their hotels were in Lecco.
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/scrapbooks/tour-alum-scrapbooks

If I was to venture a guess, Varenna's rise in popularity and crowds (especially of instagrammers), reported increase in hotel rates, and limited inventory of rooms (it's not a big town) may very well be why the tour is staying elsewhere 'near' the lake, as stated in the itinerary. Just one thread regarding rates in Varenna.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/hotel-in-varenna-be3aa206-1c5a-45f2-bfc6-78e7fe504ed3

And the crowds; Malgrate may be more enjoyable! :O)
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/is-lake-como-getting-crowded-like-the-ct-and-ac

Not to worry; I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time in lovely Italy!

Posted by
13513 posts

Suspect it was a 'no room at the inn' situation with Varenna.

Perhaps take the 90 minute ferry ride one way and take the train the other way. It looks to be a 22 minute train ride between Lecco and Varenna.
I would probably look at taking the ferry in the AM to Bellagio and plan to end in Varenna and take the train back to Lecco

Had no problem with using the ferry when we were there ( pre-covid)

It's a great tour, ENJOY

Posted by
18152 posts

Right. Take a ferry from Lecco. We only took one from Varenna as we wanted a peek at the town before heading off to Bellagio.

Posted by
167 posts

You aren't missing anything by not staying in Varenna. We stayed in Varenna (our first RS tour was BOI) and it was nice, but there really wasn't anything about it that would say "stay here instead of a different town on the lake". I'm sure that whereever you stay on the lake you will have easy access to the ferry.

Wow, you must be very excited about the upcoming trip! I envy you getting to go on BOI: that was our first RS trip and so it's my favorite. Some great places you'll be seeing. Feel free to ask if you have any questions (though BOI was about 11 years ago!)

Tony

Posted by
765 posts

Hopefully your tour guide will start you guys out at Villa Balbianello near Lenno. That will help get you oriented on the ferry system. Our tour was 10 years ago but still ranks #1 in the 9 we’ve taken. Then there’s the Villa Carlotta not too far from Lenno. I agree that while Varenna is nice and that’s where we stayed, I bet there are other equally great towns to stay in. Have so much fun Katy!

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