Lake Como: Bellagio & Varenna Day Trip From Milan

Two Lake Villages in One Day: Bellagio and Varenna From Milan

You depart Milan by air-conditioned bus, board a boat to Bellagio for two hours of wandering and lunch, then take another boat to Varenna to explore its pastel alleys and waterfront promenade. Two hours in each village, boat rides included, return to Milan in the evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Lake Como day trip from Milan

• Depart Milan by air-conditioned bus
• Arrive Bellano and board boat
• Cruise to Bellagio, admire villas
• Free time in Bellagio
• Boat transfer to Varenna
• Free time in Varenna, stroll promenade
• Boat back to Bellano
• Return to Milan by bus

The Experience

You're on a bus leaving Milan by mid-morning, heading north toward the water. The drive takes about an hour: enough time to watch the flat Lombardy landscape start to fold into hills. When you reach Bellano, you step off and onto a boat. That's when it hits: the lake is enormous, and the villas lining the shore aren't small. They're centuries old, built when Lake Como was where money went to be quiet. The boat crosses toward Bellagio, the "Pearl of the Lake," and you see why people call it that. The town climbs steeply from the water, all narrow streets and pastel shutters, and you've got two hours to get lost in it on purpose.

Bellagio is the kind of place where you can eat lunch at a table overlooking the water, or skip lunch entirely and just walk. The alleys are steep enough that you feel like you're climbing, and the boutiques sell things you didn't know you wanted: silk scarves, leather bags, ceramics from local makers. There's a fortress at the top if you want to climb, but most people don't. Most people sit somewhere with a coffee and watch the light change on the water. When your two hours are up, you board another boat to Varenna, a fishing village on the opposite shore. It's smaller than Bellagio, quieter, with pastel-colored houses that look almost too perfect to be real. The "Lovers' Promenade" (a narrow walkway carved into the rock face along the water) is where people go to take photos, but it's also just a nice place to stand and not think about anything.

You get two hours in Varenna too, which is enough to walk the whole village and sit by the water twice. The boat back to Bellano leaves in the late afternoon, and then it's the bus ride home to Milan in the evening. The whole day is structured around the boat schedule, which means you're not deciding when to leave: the boat decides for you, and that's actually the point. You show up, you move when the schedule says to move, and the lake does the rest.

What’s included

• Round-trip private transfer from Milan in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• boat transfer from Bellano to Bellagio.
• two hours free time in Bellagio to explore and eat.
• boat transfer from Bellagio to Varenna.
• two hours free time in Varenna including access to the Lovers' Promenade.
• boat return from Varenna to Bellano.
• expert travel guide.
• evening return to Milan.

Days and timesDaily · 08:25 and 08:30

AgesAges 14+ · 4 to 13 years · Under 4

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends where it startsMeeting point, per the operator: “BUS STOP next to Excelsior hotel Gallia Piazza Duca d' Aosta corner with Piazza IV Novembre (Subject to different notice)”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by TAOTRAVEL

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main Lake Como villages in one day without renting a car or figuring out the boat schedule yourself: the fixed itinerary and included transport mean you just show up and move when the boat leaves.

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Top questions

Can children come?

4 to 13 years; under 4.

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 24h before the start.

How long is the drive from Milan to Lake Como?

About an hour by bus to Bellano, where you board the boat.

Can I have lunch in Bellagio?

Yes. You have two hours of free time there, which is enough to eat and walk the village.

What is the Lovers' Promenade in Varenna?

A narrow waterfront walkway carved into the rock face, one of the main attractions in the village.

Is the vehicle air-conditioned?

Yes, it's a private air-conditioned bus or minibus for the round-trip transfer.

What time do I return to Milan?

In the evening. The exact time depends on the boat schedule from Varenna back to Bellano.

What happens if the weather is bad?

Boat transfers may be cancelled for safety reasons in adverse weather conditions.

Can I bring a stroller or pram?

Yes, infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller.

Are pets allowed?

No, pets are not permitted on this tour.