We will be spending the first week of July in a villa right on Lake Como about 10 km from Menaggio.

I have many questions: should we rent a car (assuming that if we take trips to Milan, Lugano, etc. we will go by train)? We don't want to just sit in one place -- is a car the best way to see the small towns and outlying areas around the lake?

Anybody have favorite restaurants, activities, sights they recommend? I have 2 sons, ages 12 & 14. I'd like them to visit some places where local kids go. Any ideas? They like sports and music but are a little wary of this European trip (we will be the Umbria region the preceding week and in the Dordogne the following week.) I'm sure they will get their fill of castles and museums very quickly.

Thanks for any ideas, thoughts, suggestions.

Bellagio is a fun town to explore - we got there by the ferry boat as we did everywhere else on the Lake. Perhaps a car is good with kids as they do get restless on slow boats. Como itself is fun to walk around.. good gelato and more.

One tip for your Dordogne visit... there are lots of prehistoric caves to explore but choose the most interesting to really save on time. We found Peche Merle near Cahors (really the Lot Valley) to be the best of all.

I can only agree with Zuriga , a car is almost a must as the local public transport is reduced to the minimum. There are good connections by boat but they run quite irregularily. Lugano has many good places for teenagers, I'll try to get some addresses for you as "in" places vary from a week to another with kids. One thing is sure. The summer is short in Switzerland and in July most of the activities of youngsters centralize on the water either in the lake or at the local city swimming pool, which by the way offers a lot for adults as well. There are at this time of year also many concerts (pop and classical music). You will find also very well organized rafting trips, etc. Just PM me if you want more info.

We had a car last year at Lake Como. Cars are nice to drive, but it's very difficult to find a parking place (in Como, Bellagio, Lugano).
So we did a lot by boat. We went by boat to Como. From there we had a fast boat (Aliscafi?!) to Bellagio.
To Milan I would go by boat to Como and then take the train to Milan.

We have stayed at Lake Como 5 times in the last 5 years and have never bothered with hiring a car. I'd recommend Varenna as there is a good ferry service, a train station with good direct links to Milan and a reasonable bus service. No need for a car here.

Look at www.varennaitaly.com/english.html

If you've already booked a villa though this advice might be too late!

There's a lake festival on around the beginning of each July but I'm not sure when this year's is scheduled. The tourist office will be able to tell you.

A possible suggestion for your sons (and you?) is downhill mountain biking run out of Bellagio. They take you up in a van in the morning and you set off on the bikes making your own way downhill via various small villages. Of course you can cycle uphill as well if you want!

Look at www.bellagio-mountains.it/

Staying in Milan, looking for a day trip to Lake Como and Bellagio.

mrs. gleff isn't a big fan of figuring out public transportation in place she hasn't been, so preference would be for very clear directions on how to get there and for tours/activities to be small/semi-private.

Don't want to spend 1000 Euros.

Suggestions? Thanks!

Gleff:
I can't help with a tour (operator).

I would go by train from Milan to Como.

By Train
The City of Como is served by two railway lines: Ferrovie Nord Milan, with a station at “Como Lago”, and the Italian State Railways, whose Como S. Giovanni station is on the international Milan-Chiasso line to Switzerland. On-line schedules for both State railways and Ferrovie Nord: http://www.trenitalia.com. Trains From Milan to Como depart from three train stations: Central (state railways), Garibaldi (state railways), Cadorna (ferrovie Nord). The three stations are connected to each other by green line (Line 2) of the Milan subway. Milan Subway: http://www.atm-mi.it .

Trains from the Central Station (state railways) to Como San Giovanni (IC about 40 min ride, regional trains about 1h ride)

Departures are at: 06:10, 07:10, 07:30, 08:25, 09:25, 11:10, 11:25, 12:25, 13:25, 14:25, 15:25, 16:25, 17:10, 17:38, 18:25, 18:43, 19:20, 20:20, 21:25, 00:30

Trains from the Garibaldi Station (state railways) to Como San Giovanni (regional trains, about 1h ride)

Departures are at: 05:30, 06:30, 07:30, 08:30, 09:35, 10:30, 11:32, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30, 16:30, 17:33, 17:52, 18:24, 18:40, 19:30, 20:30, 21:30, 22:30

From the Cadorna Station (ferrovie Nord) ) to Como Nord Lago (all regional trains, about 50 min ride)

Departures are at: 06:12, 06:42, 07:12, 07:42, 08:00, 08:42, 09:00, 09:42, 10:42, 11:42, 12:12, 12:42, 13:12, 13:42, 14:12, 14:42, 15:12, 15:42, 16:12, 16:42, 17:00, 17:12, 17:42, 18:00, 18:12, 18:42, 19:00, 19:12, 19:42, 20:12, 20:42, 21:12, 22:03.

http://www-dsp.elet.polimi.it/avss2005/MainFrame/HowToGetThere.htm

You can see on the map where the two train stations are located. The COMO NORD LAGO is nearer to the boat station ... you can see the boat station on the map too (where you see the boat)

Then go by boat to Bellagio. Actually, there are two "lines/boats". One goes direct to Bellagio and one stops at each little village on the lake, criss-crossing the lake.
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/italia/navicomo/indicecomo.htm

The boats and 'aliscafi' of Navigazione Lago di Como connect the town with most of the villages sitting on the shores of the lake, the former are slower and right for sightseeing, the latter are faster and make less stops.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Como

mrs. gleff may want to visit (on another tour) Varese, the "leather, bag, shoe capital of the world".

Re Lake Como, I echo the suggestions of arriving by train in Como and taking the fast boat. Then use the ferries to get to Bellagio & Varenna. (As mentioned you can also take a train to Varenna and then a ferry to Mennagio, which may stop at Bellagio. The ferries don't take long at that part of the lake, but do take the fast one from Como. Do NOT rely on the bus from the Como train station. That takes forever on very narrow, twisty roads. We did that once -- not again.

We spent 4 days in Bellagio (above the old town) with our kids who were 16 & 11 at the time. We let them go on there own sometimes, even for dinner.

As for the Dordogne, Peche Merle is the best cave from my experience as well. It is an authentic cave, unlike Lascaux II which is a realistic duplicate of the original cave (which is still there but understandably accessible only by researchers in order not to further its deterioration). There is also a small interpretive centre that we found interesting.

The Lot and Dordogne are beautiful areas. That time of year will be ideal for kayaking or floating down the Dordogne. We also found it great for cycling. There is a "voie verte" -- a paved cycling path built on an old railway right of way -- that starts in Sarlat and goes some 30 kms (in a bit of a "Y" -- one branch crosses the Dordogne). The path to the east is much longer than indicated on the Michelin maps (including the ones at www.viamichelin.com). There are several companies that rent kayaks, canoes and bicycles, typically located on the river.

In the Lot, two other sites of interest are Rocamadour -- a cliff-side village that is the second-most visited site in France -- and the Gouffre de Padillac, which is a cave with an underground lake on which you take a short boat ride as part of the tour. We didn't visit this cave but I suspect your kids would enjoy it.

BTW, the tourist office in the centre of old Sarlat is excellent. Large, staffed with very helpful and knowledgeable people, and containing information on surrounding departments as well.

We did the same with taking the train from Milan and then to Como and then the fast boat to Bellagio. The streets in Bellagio are not particularly conducive to car travel. And the whole point of that area, at least to me, is to be out on the water for any reason whatsoever.

I also echo taking the train to Como, once there, take the ferry for village hopping. No fuss and quite easy to do. Get back to your hotel room in Milan at night if you don't want to spend the night in the lake.

I would still recommend staying on the lake in one of the smaller villages. We stayed on the edge of Bellagio on the edge of a hill (away from the day tourists in the old centre), yet walked easily one way to the centre and the other to a wonderful small restaurant on the lake where we dined al fresco. Marvelous, and a lot more scenic and relaxing than Milan. Our kids, then 16 & 11, would go back in a heartbeat.

I was wondering if anyone would comment on the weather in Lake Como in Early March. How cold will it be? Should I not go to this area then?

USAFAN,

Thank you SO much for the information!!! That will be extremely helpful.

We were in Bellagio last year and I would echo what others have said. Take the train from Milan to Como, a short cab ride to the fast boat in Como and it takes you straight to Bellagio. The right isn't very long and it is extremely beautiful. No need for a car in Bellagio at all, it would be more trouble than its worth for sure. You can take the boats everywhere and the real fun of being there is being on the water or near it.

Definitely recommend taking the ferry north through the lakes from Lake Como. Be sure to allow enough time for Bellagio, a must see. Since you have several days you could take the ferry further north although it is time consuming since it makes stops at each small village.

I was wondering if anyone would comment on the weather in Lake Como in Early March. How cold will it be? Should I not go to this area then?

You will be running into an excellent possibility of snow.

I'll be in this area for the first time for only a couple of days in August.

I'm curious about advice for getting a good flavor of the area. We'll want a leisurely time, we will have a car. More interested in getting a good feel for the area, explore cool towns or villages a bit, and take in the scenery. I look at it as tipping a toe in the water for a future, longer visit.

Any hotels or inns, or good sources for finding them, that anyone can recommend? I'd like to stay less than 300 Euro per night, so I'm anticipating that we should be able to find something reasonably nice, with a lake view.

I'd appreciate any tips, insights, or recommendations that anyone can offer.

Thanks!

I would not suggest going to Como but rather driving another 15 minutes and spending your time in Lugano, Switzerland.

It will be several degrees cooler (very important in August) and you can stay in the heart of the city and still be right on the lake front.

The following post originally appeared for the Lugano Meet in December 2006 and a number of our members stayed at the Lugano Dante and were very happy with it.

I very much doubt, however, that the 99 SWF price will be available in August -- but it certainly worth finding out.


However, I just found a very good bargain -- the Hotel Lugano Dante is a 4 star hotel, in a fantastic location, and is considered among the city's best.

At this site (https://www.aec-internet.it/booking_engine/prenota.htm?headvar=ok&dc=&lingua_int=eng&id_albergo=170&id_gruppo=&id_canale=0&id_prodotto_sel=&id_percorso=) I found rooms available for a single at 99 Swiss Francs per night.

(You might want to check its prices at others sites as well.)

....The following post originally appeared for the Lugano Meet in December 2006 and a number of our members stayed at the Lugano Dante and were very happy with it.

I very much doubt, however, that the 99 SWF price will be available in August -- but it certainly worth finding out.

I checked several dates .. the cheapest was 219.00 CHF:(

219 Francs is not bad at all -- it translates to 136 Euros, less than half of what AZ Travels the World has budgeted.

Incidentally, the hotel has its own underground parking and in Lugano that is very important. It is hard to find a parking spot, even in one of the silos, during the winter much less the summer.

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I would put Como at a 6 -- at best -- and Lugano an 8 at worst.

I didn't like Lugano. Too many people, too busy, too much traffic. We booked to late to get in a hotel in Bellagio, but stayed in Menagio. Loved it.

Different people have different tastes.

I didn't like Lugano. Too many people, too busy, too much traffic. We booked to late to get in a hotel in Bellagio, but stayed in Menagio. Loved it.

Different people have different tastes.

I like both places, but for completely different reasons. Plus.......if you travel from Italy into Switzerland by train you can get to see the Italian version of the Keystone cops at the border. I think its safe to say the Italians are passionate about 2 things.........food and border security.

In my opinion, I'd rather be in Stresa or Cannobio along the shores of Lake Maggiore than anywhere else.

Is there a good online resource to see how much these ferries/water taxis cost and their schedule? Or is this a "fly by the seat of the pants" operation?

Much like the original poster, I am trying to figure out the best place to stay in terms of charm, accessibility to the small lake towns, best restaurants, etc.

In terms of the public transportation, I want to avoid what happened to my friends which was that they took a train from Milan to Como and thought they could take a ferry from Como to Varena and realized when they got there that they had to either spend $150 (or was it euros) on a water taxi or take the train BACK to Milan and take the right connections to Varena.

I think I'll weigh in here on behalf of our family, which vastly prefers Lake Como to almost any other spot we've ever been to! We are planning a trip to Italia this summer, and I am getting nothing but grief because for the first time we are solely concentrating further south. :eek:

Part of the reason is that our usual haunts have been doomed (for us) by the value of the dollar -- were it not for that we would surely be back in Bellagio and Cernobbio.

That being said, our "grand tour" of the Lake always begins with the train to Varenna and the quick ferry ride to Bellagio, just down the hill from the station. After our stay there, we board the slowest ferry we can find to Cernobbio (what a great value!) for our last 2 days relaxing before heading home.

From Cernobbio it's a quick (45 mins?) taxi trip to MXP for the trip home. Very hassle-free! And no cars or driving along the perilous lakeside roadways.

My two cents and my family's envy to you! :p

In my opinion, I'd rather be in Stresa or Cannobio along the shores of Lake Maggiore than anywhere else.

Dear NorcrossFlyer:

Thanks for sharing your preference for Maggiore (over Como). Can you tell me the reason(s) -- as well as the pros/cons of Stresa vs. Cannobio (and can you say how they compare with Varenna on Como)?

Also, can you or anyone tell me if there's a way to get from Maggiore to Como other than by car, which we can't do? We don't want to have to go back to Milan from Maggiore to see Como (or Como to see Maggiore)....

It's our first time to the Lakes (June 2009), and we'd really like to see Orta, Maggiore, Como, AND Lugano -- but stay for 3-4 days at only one of these as our "base" (and then possibly get back on the train to Verona for the arena opera and to see Garda and Iseo).

Am I crazy to try to do all that?

This would be at the end of a cruise that disembarks in Venice on June 12. We think we'll take the train to Milan for a day of sightseeing there and one night prior to the Lakes trip. Also trying to decide whether to leave athe cruise luggage in Venice and go back there to fly home to USA after our Lakes visit -- or carry the cruise luggage on the train to Milan and leave it there while we're touring the lakes and fly home from Milan, as the connections are a bit better.

ANY ADVICE IS MOST APPRECIATED.
:)

This would be at the end of a cruise that disembarks in Venice on June 12. We think we'll take the train to Milan for a day of sightseeing there and one night prior to the Lakes trip. Also trying to decide whether to leave athe cruise luggage in Venice and go back there to fly home to USA after our Lakes visit -- or carry the cruise luggage on the train to Milan and leave it there while we're touring the lakes and fly home from Milan, as the connections are a bit better.


Frankly, Milan is not a great sightseeing town for a day trip. Unless you are very interested in the fashion industry there are more interesting places to spend your time.

As for the luggage issue: where do you plan to store it in Venice/Milan while you try to travel light in the lakes region? The majority of hotels will not do this.

Frankly, Milan is not a great sightseeing town for a day trip. Unless you are very interested in the fashion industry there are more interesting places to spend your time.

As for the luggage issue: where do you plan to store it in Venice/Milan while you try to travel light in the lakes region? The majority of hotels will not do this.

Thanks for the response!

We were only thinking of Milan for the day (and maybe the one night) because it appears that all the trains to Maggiore and Como depart from there -- and we'd like to see the Last Supper, the Duomo, and La Scala....

We discovered that most Venice hotels probably wont hold luggage (as they do at hotels in other Italian cities we've visited), so we've been looking into the "left luggage" options at the Venice and Milan train stations and airports.

Best,
Mary-Lou

DrFUN (or)
Hello, Mary-Lou,

You have a very full -- in fact, IMHO impossible, schedule for 3-4 days and you definitely don't want to spend all your time on trains going back and forth from central spot.

I would recommend taking a car for this period but if you can't, your choices become even less.

First off, scratch the opera off of your list. The first show in 2009 will be on June 19 and you will be gone by then.

Still, by all means take the train from Venice to Verona and spend a day visiting the arena, Juliet's house, the Via Mazzini, and Piazza Erbe. Take a bus up to Garda and spend the next day and night there.

From there, return to Verona and take the train to Milan. I agree with bdemaria that there is not much to see there but the Duomo area is worth an afternoon. Forget about seeing the Last Supper unless you have advance tickets.

Then head to Como or Lugano by train. (I prefer Lugano). Spend a night there and you will have used up your alloted time. You can get a bus from in front of the Lugano train station directly to Malpensa Airport -- and it takes just about the same amount of time as does the bus from downtown Milan.

Thanks for the response!

We were only thinking of Milan for the day (and maybe the one night) because it appears that all the trains to Maggiore and Como depart from there -- and we'd like to see the Last Supper, the Duomo, and La Scala....

We discovered that most Venice hotels probably wont hold luggage (as they do at hotels in other Italian cities we've visited), so we've been looking into the "left luggage" options at the Venice and Milan train stations and airports.

Best,
Mary-Lou

You must book in advance to visit the Last Supper. Since your trip isn't until next June, that shouldn't be a problem.

Venetian hotels don't accommodate left luggage precisely b/c of the cruise ships. Way too many people w/a LOT of luggage in a city where space is at a premium.

As for the train stations - I don't think that leaving things overnight is an option but I can't say this for certain - as I've never done it.