Can you get from Florence to Bellagio on Lake Como by train? I can only find routes from Florence to the city of Como not Bellagio
Steve, I don't think there is a train station in Bellagio. I believe that you will need to take the train to Varenna and then get to Bellagio by ferry or passenger-only hydrofoil.
Its often easiest to research things like this by using google and looking for a tourism bureau in the place you want to visit; they have an incentive to tell you how to get there!
I did this and found the page at http://www.bellagiolakecomo.com/inglese/italiano.html click on "How to reach Bellagio" to see your options
To get to Varenna, which is a short distance by ferry from Bellagio, I would take a train from Milano. It takes about an hour, and trains run about hourly during the day. I think there are direct trains from Florence to Milano.
Steve, there are two ways to get to Bellagio from Florence.
The first method (and the one I'd prefer) is train from Florence to Varenna via Milan (the station name may be listed as "Varenna Esino"); from Milan it's about a one-hour ride. At Varenna be prepared to exit the train QUICKLY, as it only stops for about one minute! Walk down the hill and then left across the small bridge to the docks in front of Albergo Olivedo and use either a Traghetto (Ferry) or passenger boat to Bellagio (less than a 20-minute ride).
The second method is to travel from Milano to Como and use either Traghetto, Boat or Hydrofoil (Motoscafo?) to reach Bellagio (which is located about mid-lake). I can't recall the travel details from Milan to Como, but these are all listed in Rick's book.
Buon Viaggo!!!