Lake Como: Private Boat Tour & Historic Villas

What do the villas on Lake Como look like from the water?

You board a private boat in Como and cruise past ten historic villas (including George Clooney's summer home, a Gianni Versace estate, and a Renaissance palace) seeing the gardens and lakefront facades that are invisible from shore. The boat includes water, WiFi, and a restroom. Pickup can be arranged from nearby villages if your tour length allows, and the whole experience stays flexible around your schedule and location on the lake.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private boat tour on Lake Como

• Start tour from Como town
• View villages and old villas
• Pass Villa Troubetzkoy
• Pass Villa Erba
• Pass Artaria family villa
• See George Clooney's Villa Oleandra
• Pass Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Blevio
• Pass Villa Taverna in Perlasca
• Pass Villa Fontanelle
• Pass Villa d'Este in Cernobbio
• Pass Villa Olmo in Como

The experience

The answer is: different. From the shore, you see gates and walls. From a private boat on Lake Como, you see what the architects actually built: the gardens, the terraces, the way each villa sits against the mountain. The tour starts in Como town, though pickup from villages like Cernobbio or Blevio can be arranged depending on which tour length you choose. One hour keeps you close. Longer tours can reach farther along the lake.

You'll pass Villa Oleandra in Laglio, where George Clooney spends summers, then move through centuries of Italian wealth and taste. Villa d'Este, a Renaissance palace that became a luxury hotel in 1873, rises from Cernobbio's shore. Villa Fontanelle (built in the 1800s, restored by Gianni Versace in 1980, now owned by a Russian restaurateur who paid 33 million euros for it) shows what happens when eccentric taste meets serious money. Villa Troubetzkoy, named after a Russian prince who blew up rocks with mines to clear the land, is now a five-star hotel. Villa Erba, built by the noble Erba family a century ago, hosts weddings and exhibitions. You see it from the boat because it's normally closed to the public.

The boat itself has restroom access, bottled water, and WiFi, which matters if you're traveling with family or want to check in without losing the view. The lake is genuinely large (it's been listed among the 55 most beautiful places in the world by Travel + Leisure), and the private charter means you're not competing with a crowded tour boat for sightlines. Fishermen's villages appear between the villas, and the water reflects the mountains in a way that photographs never quite capture. You'll also see Villa Olmo, a neoclassical structure that's the most important villa in the Como area, and Villa Taverna, set in Perlasca between Blevio and Torno, which was enlarged in the 1800s by the noble Poldi Pezzoli family and hosted prominent personalities for generations.

Timing matters here: a one-hour tour keeps you near Como, so pickups from farther villages like Varenna or Bellagio aren't possible. But if you're staying in Cernobbio or Blevio, even the shortest tour can include those points. Longer tours give you the full arc of the lake: more villas, more distance, more time to sit and let the landscape change. The boat departs from Como, which is the base for the fleet, and the route adapts to what you've booked.

What’s included

• Your private boat tour includes bottled water, WiFi on board, and restroom access.
• Departure is from Como town, with flexible pickup arrangements available from nearby villages like Cernobbio and Blevio depending on which tour length you select.
• Service animals are welcome.

Options for this experience

13 options

One-hour dreaming tour of Lake ComoUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 11 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 19:15

One-hour Invictus boat tourUp to 9 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 11 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 19:15Lasts 1 hour on the boat

Eolo boat tour of Lake Como, 2 hoursUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 10 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 18:15Lasts 2 hours on an Eolo boat

See 10 more options

Invictus boat tour, 2 hours, up to 5 passengersUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 10 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 18:15Lasts 2 hours; boat holds a maximum of 5 people

Invictus boat tour, 2 hours, up to 9 passengersUp to 9 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 10 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 18:15Lasts 2 hours; boat holds a maximum of 9 people

Eolo boat tour of Lake Como, 3 hoursUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 9 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 17:15Lasts 3 hours on an Eolo boat

Invictus boat tour, 3 hours, up to 5 passengersUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 9 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 17:15Lasts 3 hours; boat holds a maximum of 5 people

Invictus boat tour, 3 hours, up to 9 passengersUp to 9 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 9 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 17:15Lasts 3 hours; boat holds a maximum of 9 people

Eolo boat tour of Lake Como, 4 hoursUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 8 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 16:15Lasts 4 hours on an Eolo boat

Invictus boat tour, 4 hours, up to 5 passengersUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 8 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 16:15Lasts 4 hours; boat holds a maximum of 5 people

Invictus boat tour, 4 hours, up to 9 passengersUp to 9 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 8 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 16:15Lasts 4 hours; boat holds a maximum of 9 people

Invictus boat tour, 5 hours, up to 5 passengersUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 7 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 15:15Lasts 5 hours; boat holds a maximum of 5 people

Invictus boat tour, 5 hours, up to 9 passengersUp to 9 per booking · Guide in English, French or Italian · 7 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 15:15Lasts 5 hours; boat holds a maximum of 9 people

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 09:15, the last at 19:15

Book up to1h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, 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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by La Dolce Vita Como Lake boat Tour

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the private villas and gardens of Lake Como from the water rather than from the shore. The boat is what makes the hidden facades and lakefront details visible, and the private charter means you're not sharing sightlines with a crowded group.

Traveler reviews

4.81★★★★★★★★★★

186 verified traveler reviews

5 ★174

4 ★4

3 ★0

2 ★1

1 ★7

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, 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.

Can I arrange pickup from Varenna or Bellagio?

Only if you book a tour longer than one hour. Varenna and Bellagio are too far from Como for shorter departures. Cernobbio and Blevio, which are close to Como, work with any tour length.

Is George Clooney's villa included in the tour?

Yes. Villa Oleandra in Laglio, where Clooney spends summers, is one of the stops you'll see from the boat.

What's included on the boat?

Bottled water, WiFi, and a restroom. Service animals are allowed.

How long does the tour take?

Tour lengths vary. One-hour tours stay near Como. Longer options extend farther along the lake and include more villas.

Where does the boat depart from?

Como town is the standard departure point. Other pickups in nearby villages can be arranged depending on your tour length.

Can infants come on the boat?

Yes. Infants must sit on an adult's lap. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

Is this tour suitable for families?

Yes. The boat has a restroom and is designed for all fitness levels. Infants travel free on an adult's lap.

What villas will I see?

The tour includes Villa Oleandra (Clooney's home), Villa d'Este, Villa Fontanelle (restored by Versace), Villa Troubetzkoy, Villa Erba, Villa Olmo, Villa Taverna, and others depending on tour length.