Lake Como Boat Tour: Private Charter to the Gold Coast Villas

The southwest shore villas that public ferries take hours to reach are a brief boat ride from the mid-lake towns.

A private 3-hour boat charter on Lake Como departs from Bellagio, Tremezzo, Varenna or Menaggio on your schedule, heading south to the Gold Coast estates inaccessible by public ferry. You glide past Villa del Balbianello (filmed in Star Wars and James Bond), Villa Carlotta, Richard Branson's lakefront residence, and a string of 16th- and 17th-century villas that line the western shore. Your guide, a local connoisseur, shares the history and ownership stories behind each one.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private boat tour of Lake Como villas

• Start private 3-hour boat tour
• See Villa del Balbianello
• View Villa Carlotta
• Pass billionaire western shore estates
• Photo stop at Versace villa
• Photo stop at historic 1573 villa
• View exclusive villa owned by Richard Branson
• See Villa Monzino filming location
• Photo stop at village waterfall
• Pass Lake Como island ruins
• Photo stop at 16th-century Tolomeo Gallio villa
• View 17th-century villa with botanical garden
• Pass Villa Rocca Bruna Mandarin Hotel
• Photo stop at Alessandro Volta birthplace
• Guide shares local history insights
• See symbol of Como city villa
• Pass historic 16th-century luxury hotel villa

The experience

You pick the departure time (morning light or golden afternoon), and the boat leaves from whichever town suits your day. The 3-hour route is built around the "mid-lake shortcut": instead of the hours a public ferry takes to reach the southwest branch, a private charter covers the distance in 20 minutes, leaving time to linger at the villas themselves. The boat is stable and fast, with unobstructed 360-degree views from the water.

The Gold Coast estates unfold in sequence. Villa del Balbianello, perched on a peninsula in Lenno, is the one you recognize from Casino Royale and Star Wars. It was donated to the Italian Environmental Fund by mountaineer Guido Monzino and sits among the ten most exclusive residences in the world. Villa Carlotta, built in 1573, inspired Leonardo da Vinci and now hosts weddings. The Versace mansion, purchased by Gianni Versace in the 1970s, anchors the fashion world's footprint on the lake. Richard Branson's villa, accessible only from the water, sits on its own peninsula. A 16th-century estate used to film the Gucci movie, a 17th-century villa famous for its botanical gardens, and the Mandarin Oriental (once the home of opera singer Giuditta Pasta) round out the route. Your guide tells you who lived where, what they built, and why the lake became a refuge for the world's most powerful people.

The boat carries bottled water, fruit, snacks and a glass of prosecco. The route also passes Nesso, a village with a waterfall that drops over 200 meters, and Comacina Island, Lake Como's only island, where Romanesque ruins still stand. You can ask to stop for photos or simply watch from the boat. The choice is yours.

What’s included

• The tour includes fuel and skipper service.
• bottled water, fruit and snacks.
• and a glass of prosecco. Your guide speaks English, Spanish or Italian and shares local history and villa stories throughout the 3 hours.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 1 Mar 2027

Book up to4h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish 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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Crissi sul Lago

Is this one for you?This is a private charter, so you set the time and the pace: ideal if you have a free afternoon or morning and want to see the Gold Coast estates without the schedule of a public ferry. The boat holds your group alone, which means you can ask to linger at a villa or skip ahead, and the guide tailors the stories to what interests you.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish 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 del Balbianello and why is it famous?

Villa del Balbianello is a 16th-century estate on a peninsula in Lenno that was used as a filming location for Casino Royale and Star Wars. It was donated to the Italian Environmental Fund by explorer and mountaineer Guido Monzino and ranks among the ten most exclusive residences in the world.

Can I visit the villas up close or do I only see them from the boat?

You see the villas from the boat and can ask for photo stops at any of them. The tour includes optional stops for sightseeing and photos, though some villas like Villa del Balbianello are accessible only from the water.

What time does the tour start and can I choose when to go?

You pick the starting time that fits your day, whether a bright morning or golden afternoon. The boat departs from Bellagio, Tremezzo, Varenna or Menaggio, whichever town you're staying in or prefer.

What is included in the 3-hour tour?

The tour includes the skipper and fuel, bottled water, fruit and snacks, and a glass of prosecco. Your guide is a local who speaks English, Spanish or Italian and shares the history and stories behind each villa and landmark.

Does the tour pass any other notable sites besides the villas?

Yes. The route also includes Nesso, a village famous for a waterfall that drops over 200 meters from the mountainside, and Comacina Island, Lake Como's only island, where ruins from the Romanesque period are still visible on its shores.