2 Hours Private Boat Tour Lake Como: Villa Views & Prosecco

Two hours on the water, passing ten villas and the lake's most storied island

A two-hour private boat tour of Lake Como with a live English or Italian-speaking guide, taking in Villa Erba, Villa d'Este, Villa Balbianello and Isola Comacina from the water. The boat stops at secret bays for photographs and views. Prosecco and snacks come on board. The route is tailored to your interests within the two-hour window.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private boat tour on Lake Como

• Board elegant private boat
• Enjoy glass of Prosecco
• See Villa Erba and park
• Pass Villa d’Este park
• View Villa del Balbianello
• Pass Villa Carlotta
• Discover Isola Comacina island
• See Villa Pliniana
• Pass village of Cernobbio
• View Moltrasio and Carate Urio villas
• Reach Laglio, Clooney’s villa

The experience

Two hours on the water means you see the villas and villages without the day-long commitment of a full lake crossing. The boat passes Villa Erba, a Visconti museum overlooking the lake in a centuries-old park; Villa d'Este with its 10-hectare private garden; Villa Balbianello, a romantic third-century residence that has hosted writers and travelers; and Villa Carlotta. You'll also pass the western shore villages of Cernobbio, Moltrasio and Carate Urio, where private villas sit directly on the water, and reach Laglio, the village where George Clooney's Villa Oleandra draws the international jet set.

Isola Comacina, the lake's most picturesque island, anchors the route. The boat also passes Villa Pliniana, built in 1573 on the right bank, and Villa Plinius: each one visible from the water without the need to dock or disembark. A private skipper navigates. A live guide in English or Italian narrates the stops and the history. Prosecco, bottled water and snacks come on board, so you're not hunting for refreshments between villages.

The route itself is private: meaning the skipper adjusts the stops and timing to what you want to see. If a particular villa or bay catches your eye, the boat can linger. If you'd rather move on, it does. That flexibility is what separates a private tour from a scheduled group boat, and it's why the same two hours can feel entirely different depending on what you choose to focus on.

What’s included

• Private boat with a skipper.
• live guide commentary in English or Italian.
• Prosecco and bottled water.
• snacks.
• views of Villa Erba, Villa d'Este, Villa Balbianello, Villa Carlotta and Villa Pliniana from the lake.
• passage past Isola Comacina and the villages of Cernobbio, Moltrasio, Carate Urio and Laglio.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day12 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 18:00

Book up to10h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Events in Italy

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Italian. Choose the language when you book so you follow the commentary comfortably. The two-hour window works for travelers who want the lake's highlights without a full-day commitment, and the private boat means your group sets the pace and which stops matter most.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

What's the difference between seeing the villas from the boat and visiting them on land?

The villas are private residences, so the boat tour shows you their exteriors, gardens and lakeside facades from the water: the view most visitors never get. Villa Balbianello and Villa d'Este are occasionally open to the public on separate paid visits, but this tour captures the whole shoreline in two hours without stopping ashore.

Is Isola Comacina a stop where we get off the boat?

Isola Comacina is included in the route and you'll see it from the water. The itinerary passes the island so you can photograph it and hear its history. Whether the boat stops depends on what you want to do during your two hours, which you can discuss with the skipper.

What happens if the weather turns bad during the two hours?

The boat operates in most weather. The operator will confirm conditions with you before departure. If conditions become unsafe, the tour can be rescheduled or refunded according to the cancellation policy.

Can we stop for lunch or a longer break at one of the villages?

The two-hour tour is designed as a sightseeing route with Prosecco and snacks on board. Longer stops in villages or restaurants aren't part of this itinerary, though you can ask the skipper about possibilities when you book.