Lake Como Boat Tour: Villas & Prosecco with Small Groups

The Villas You Can Only See From the Water

You board a small boat in Como town and sail past five lakeside villages, stopping to view historic villas including Villa Versace and a Russian Tsar's estate. A captain provides live commentary while you hold prosecco (or soft drink), and the boat's stability means you can actually look around instead of holding on. The whole circuit takes the first basin of Lake Como and shows you what the shore looks like when you're not standing on it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Lake Como boat tour with villa views

• Board boat in Como
• Pass Cernobbio village and shore
• See famous historic hotel
• View villa former home of Versace
• Pass hotel Il Sereno and Torno village
• Stop at villa built by Russian Tsar
• Return to Como

The experience

The boat pulls away from the jetty in Como and you realize the shoreline looks completely different from down here. What seemed distant from the town becomes immediate: the gardens, the stone facades, the scale of these places. The captain points out Cernobbio first, then the hotel where famous people have stayed for decades, and then something that stops you: Villa Versace, its park visible from the water in a way no road would let you see it. You're not reading about Lake Como anymore. You're moving through it, and the villas aren't postcards.

The boat tour includes stops in front of Cernobbio, Moltrasio, Carate Urio, Torno, and Blevio: each one a small town that reveals itself differently from the water. The captain stays on board the whole time, pointing out details you'd miss otherwise: the history of the hotels, which villas belonged to whom, why certain gardens are arranged the way they are. A glass of prosecco arrives (soft drinks for anyone under 18), and you're holding it while looking at one of the most expensive stretches of real estate in Italy. It's not pretentious. It's just the way the tour is built. The boat itself is new, spacious, and stable enough that you're not gripping the rail the whole time.

Groups stay small, maximum eleven passengers, which means you're not packed in with fifty other people trying to get the same photo. The whole circuit takes you past the famous hotel Il Sereno, across to the other side of the lake toward Torno, and then to one of the final stops: a villa built by the Tsar of Russia, which the captain says is one of the most beautiful on the lake. By the time you head back to Como, you've covered the first basin completely, and you understand why people come back to Lake Como year after year. It's not the towns themselves. It's the perspective the water gives you.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup at the Como jetty, a boat ride with a captain on board providing live commentary, a glass of prosecco (or soft drink if under 18), and views of five lakeside villages and their historic villas. The boat is modern, spacious, and holds a maximum of 11 passengers, so the experience stays intimate and stable throughout the circuit.

Options for this experience

3 options

Shared boat tour on Lake Como with prosecco and a winter coverGuide in English or Italian · 19 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 19:00

Shared boat tour of 3 hours to BellagioGuide in English or Italian · 11:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:00

Shared boat tour lasting 2 hoursGuide in English or Italian · 20 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 19:30

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 day20 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 19:30

Book up toStart time

GroupUp to 11

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 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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Around the lake srl

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Lake Como's most famous villas and hotels from the water (a perspective you can't get from the shore) without arranging your own boat or navigating the towns yourself. The small group size and fixed route mean you spend the time looking, not organizing.

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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's included in the prosecco boat tour?

A glass of prosecco (or soft drink for under 18), captain-led commentary, and the boat ride itself. Entry to villas or towns is not included. The tour is views from the water only.

What's the maximum group size?

Maximum 11 passengers per boat.

Is the boat suitable for young children?

Yes. Infants can ride in a pram or stroller, and small children can sit on an adult's lap. The boat is spacious and stable.

Where does the boat depart from?

A small jetty in the heart of Como town.

Which villas will I see?

Villa Versace, the famous historic hotel, Il Sereno, and a villa built by the Tsar of Russia, plus views of multiple towns including Cernobbio, Torno, and Blevio.

Is this tour not recommended for anyone?

The operator advises against booking if you have spinal injuries, are pregnant, or have poor cardiovascular health. Public transportation is available nearby if you prefer not to travel by boat.

Can I bring my service animal?

Yes, service animals are allowed on board.