Lake Como 3-Hour Boat Tour: Villas, Waterfalls & Swimming

See the lake's hidden corners from the water, not the road

A 3-hour private yacht tour of Lake Como departing from Menaggio, stopping at Bellagio, Varenna, Pescallo and the waterfall gorge at Civera. You swim in the lake at your choice of stops, taste finger food and prosecco, and hear the captain's stories about the villas and villages that line the shore. The boat is small enough to reach coves and inlets inaccessible by car or ferry.

Step-by-step itinerary

Lake Como 3-hour boat tour

• Board elegant Jeanneau Runabout 755 yacht
• Pass by Menaggio village
• Pass by pastel-colored lakeside village
• Pass by ancient fishing village Pescallo
• Pass by Bellagio village center
• Pass by Villa Melzi Gardens
• Pass by village with George Clooney's villa
• Pass by natural canyon waterfall spot
• Pass by elegant village nicknamed Gulf of Venus
• Pass by the only island on Lake Como
• Pass by village with Grand Hotel Tremezzo
• Enjoy swimming in lake waters
• Taste finger food with prosecco onboard
• Relax while captain shares stories
• Tour ends at starting point

The experience

You arrive at the meeting point and board an 8-meter Jeanneau Runabout, a wooden-style day cruiser built for comfort and speed. The captain handles the navigation while you settle in. The tour runs three hours and covers the lake's most photographed stretches. Menaggio, Bellagio, Varenna and Pescallo appear in sequence, each one a stop where the boat slows and the captain shares the history: Villa Melzi's Neoclassical gardens built for Napoleon's Vice-president, the pastel-colored houses of Varenna stacked above the water, the narrow alleys of Bellagio where Churchill and Kennedy stayed at Villa Serbelloni. You're not watching from a distance. The small boat gets close enough to see the architectural detail and the gardens that ferries and larger tours cannot reach.

Two moments stand out. At Civera, a natural gorge carved by two rivers meeting, a 200-meter waterfall drops into a deep pool: the captain stops here and you swim in water that has worn the canyon for centuries. On Comacina, the lake's only island, you float in the "Zoca de l'Oli," a stretch of crystalline water between the island and shore, with a glass of prosecco and finger food. The stops are not fixed. The captain arranges them with you beforehand or adjusts them on the day depending on conditions and what you want to see. If you'd rather spend longer at Bellagio or skip a village entirely, the itinerary moves with you.

Bottled water is included. Prosecco and food come with the tour. The boat carries up to eight passengers, so the experience stays intimate. The captain speaks English, Spanish, Italian or French, and entertains guests with anecdotes about the villas, the shipyards (Varenna's Cantiere Ernesto Riva has built wooden boats since 1771), and the families who built the estates. You return to Menaggio after three hours.

What’s included

• Bottled water.
• finger food and prosecco.
• captain's narration in your choice of English, Spanish, Italian or French.
• swimming stops at Civera waterfall and Comacina island.
• customizable itinerary arranged with the captain.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 12:30 and 16:00Last departure this season: 15 Nov

Book up to10h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French 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.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Boat Lake Como 1975

Is this one for you?The boat moves at a leisurely pace with stops for swimming and sightseeing, so the three hours feel unhurried rather than rushed. If you have a free afternoon and want to see the lake's most elegant corners without the crowds of a larger ferry or the logistics of renting a car, this tour fits that window.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Villa Melzi and why do people visit it on this tour?

Villa Melzi is an elegant Neoclassical estate built in 1808–10 for Duke Francesco Melzi d'Eril, Vice-president of Napoleon's Italian Republic. The villa and its gardens, shaped by sculptor Antonio Canova and botanist Luigi Villoresi, are open to the public and stand as a national monument. The boat passes close enough to see the architectural detail and the gardens from the water.

Can I actually swim during the tour, or is it just a scenic boat ride?

You swim at stops the captain arranges with you. The waterfall gorge at Civera is the main swimming spot: a natural canyon with a 200-meter waterfall and a deep pool. Comacina island, the lake's only island, is another swimming stop where you float in calm, crystalline water. The captain adjusts which stops you visit based on your preference.

What happens if I want to spend more time at one village and skip another?

The tour is entirely customizable. You arrange the stops and their duration with the captain before departure or adjust them on the day. If Bellagio interests you more than Varenna, or you want to linger at the waterfall, the itinerary changes to fit what you want to see.

Is this tour suitable if I've never been to Lake Como before?

Yes. The captain provides stories and historical context about each stop: the villas, the villages, the shipyards and the families who built the estates. The small boat reaches coves and inlets that larger ferries and car-based tours cannot access, so you see sides of the lake most first-time visitors miss.

What's included in the tour price, and what costs extra?

Bottled water, finger food and a bottle of prosecco are included. The tour runs three hours and departs from Menaggio. Pickup and drop-off at locations other than the standard meeting point are available. Contact the operator for details.