Lake Como Boat Tour: Villa Oleandra, Balbianello & Prosecco

You steer the stops on your own private boat through celebrity villas and mountain shores

A private boat tour of Lake Como where you choose the duration (2 to 8 hours) and the captain navigates past named villas including Villa Oleandra (George Clooney's home) and Villa del Balbianello (the Casino Royale and Star Wars filming location), with prosecco and water included. Free pickup runs from Argegno, Lenno, Laglio or Lezzeno. Other starting points carry a 100€ surcharge. The captain provides live commentary in English or Italian throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private boat tour on Lake Como

• Admire Villa Oleandra and Villa La Punta
• Pass by Villa Versace
• See Belvio and lakeshore rocks
• Explore Cernobbio village
• View a magnificent waterfall
• Visit Torno village
• Pass Villa del Balbianello
• See Villa d'Este hotel
• Pass Villa del Balbiano
• Admire Comacina island
• Pass Bellagio village
• See Villa Carlotta and gardens
• Visit Villa Melzi Gardens
• Pass Varenna village

The experience

The boat departs from one of four included pickup points on Lake Como's western shore, and the captain steers past the villas and villages that define the lake's character. Villa Oleandra sits in Laglio, the neoclassical home of George Clooney overlooking the water. Villa del Balbianello in Lenno is the jewel that drew Hollywood directors to film Casino Royale and Star Wars here, with its charming architecture and lush gardens visible from the water. The route also passes Cernobbio, a village known for inspiring artists, and a waterfall point where the mountains meet the shore.

In the longer packages (3, 4 or 8 hours), you can visit public villas and villages on foot. Bellagio sits on the lake's eastern shore, famous for its narrow alleys and romantic atmosphere. Villa Melzi there holds a botanical garden with sculptures and exotic plants spread across 70,000 square meters. Varenna is a quieter village with colorful houses and the Lovers' Promenade. Villa Carlotta in Tremezzina is a 17th-century museum with works by Canova and Hayez, surrounded by a park of azaleas and rhododendrons. The itinerary adjusts based on your chosen duration and pickup location, so the stops you see depend on how much time you book.

Water and one bottle of prosecco come with every tour. Extra bottles cost 10€ each. The captain provides live commentary on board in English or Italian. Fuel is not included in the price: the boat consumes roughly 70€ per hour. Pickup and drop-off are free from Argegno, Lenno, Laglio and Lezzeno. Starting from anywhere else incurs a 100€ surcharge, which you arrange with the company based on availability.

What’s included

• Water and one bottle of prosecco.
• pickup and drop-off from Argegno, Lenno, Laglio or Lezzeno.
• live commentary from the captain in English or Italian.
• private boat tour of Lake Como with views of Villa Oleandra, Villa del Balbianello and the surrounding villages and mountains.

Options for this experience

4 options

2 HoursGuide in English or Italian · 11 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 19:002 Hours

3 HoursGuide in English or Italian · 10 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 18:003 Hours

Half-day boat tour (4 hours)Guide in English or Italian · 9 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:004 hours

Full-day boat tour (8 hours)Guide in English or Italian · 5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 13:008-hour tour

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day11 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 19:00

Book up to1h 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.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by B&S Boat Service

Is this one for you?Book the private boat if you want to control which villas and villages you linger on without sharing the boat or following a fixed group schedule. The 2-hour option works for a quick pass of the celebrity homes and shoreline. The 4-hour tour gives you time to step ashore in Bellagio or Varenna and walk through the gardens and alleys. Fuel consumption is separate from the tour price, so budget an additional 70€ per hour for the boat's fuel.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English 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 does it matter for this tour?

Villa del Balbianello in Lenno is considered the jewel of Lake Como. It was the filming location for Casino Royale and Star Wars, and its charming architecture and lush gardens with panoramic lake views make it one of the most photographed villas on the water. You see it from the boat on every tour, and can visit it on foot during the longer packages.

Can I visit the villages and villas on foot, or do I just see them from the boat?

On the 2-hour tour you see the villas and shoreline from the water. On the 3, 4 and 8-hour packages, you have the chance to stop and walk through public villas and villages like Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna, depending on which stops fit your chosen duration and starting point.

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

Water and one bottle of prosecco are included. Extra prosecco bottles cost 10€ each. Fuel is not included. Expect roughly 70€ per hour of boat consumption. Pickup and drop-off are free from Argegno, Lenno, Laglio and Lezzeno. Other starting points add a 100€ surcharge.

How do I choose between the 2, 3, 4 and 8-hour options?

The 2-hour tour focuses on the villas and shoreline from the water. The 3, 4 and 8-hour packages add time to visit and walk through villages and public villas like Bellagio, Villa Melzi, Varenna and Villa Carlotta. Longer tours reach more stops. The exact villages depend on your pickup location and the route the captain plans.