Lake Como Private Boat Tour: Villas & Waterfront Glamour

Eleven people, one captain, the entire lake, and no schedule but yours

You board a renovated wooden boat at Como's waterfront and spend the day on the water with a private captain, passing Villa d'Este, Villa Erba, Villa Passalacqua, and the smaller noble residences tucked into the shoreline. Prosecco, water, and weather protection are included. The boat holds up to 11 people and the captain adjusts the route to your interests, so you're not following a fixed itinerary. You're exploring the lake as it unfolds.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private wooden boat tour on Lake Como

• Depart from Como tourist wharf
• Pass outer dam and see Life Elettric
• Pass by seaplane hangar
• Admire Villa Olmo
• Coast past Villa Erba
• Head to Cernobbio village
• View Villa d'Este hotel and pool
• Continue to Moltrasio and see Villa Pizzo
• Pass Villa le Fontanelle in Moltrasio
• Admire Villa Passalacqua near Moltrasio landing
• Arrive at Carate Urio

The experience

"Which villa was that one?" someone asks, and the captain cuts the engine just enough to point out the mosaic pool at Villa d'Este, floating like a jewel between the water and the mountains. That's the rhythm of a private boat tour on Lake Como. You're not following a route, you're following curiosity. The Navicella del Lario, a traditional Venetian taxi completely rebuilt in 2021, sits low in the water with mahogany trim and leather cushions, and it moves through the lake the way a local would, stopping when something catches your eye instead of when a schedule says so. Your captain is there to accommodate every request, which means if you want to linger at Villa Pizzo (the 17th-century promontory house that's only visible from the water). You linger.

You depart from Como's tourist wharf and head past the outer dam, where you'll see Daniel Libeskind's Life Elettric installation, then the seaplane hangar. From there the lake opens up and the villas start. Villa Olmo, the neoclassical structure designed by Simone Cantoni, passes on your left. Then Villa Erba, built between 1894 and 1898 for Luigi Erba, a pharmaceutical heir. The kind of place that makes you understand why Lake Como became a refuge for the wealthy. You'll coast toward Cernobbio, which locals call the Paris of Lake Como, and that's where the five-star hotels cluster: Villa d'Este with its famous floating pool, then Villa Passalacqua, which was just crowned the world's best hotel in 2024. The boat moves slowly enough that you can photograph, talk, or just sit with the view. Fresh water and prosecco are on board, and if the weather turns, the heated cabin and weather cover mean you're not cut short.

The boat holds up to 11 people, which is small enough that you're not jostling for space or waiting for someone else's photo, but large enough that you can split the cost if you're traveling with friends or family. The captain knows the lake. He knows which villas are still private residences, which ones host events, which ones have stories. A private boat tour on Lake Como isn't about ticking boxes. It's about moving through the water at your own pace and seeing the places that made the lake famous in the first place.

What’s included

• Your day includes private use of the Navicella del Lario or Sophie (both traditional Venetian taxis with wood and leather interiors), a captain at your complete disposal, petrol, fresh water, bottled water, prosecco, soda, sun awnings, weather cover, and a heated cabin in winter.
• The boat departs from Como's tourist wharf and routes are customized to your interests.
• You're not locked into a fixed itinerary.

Options for this experience

10 options

1-hour tour from Como for up to 6 passengersUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 11 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 19:15Lasts 1 hour

1-hour tour from Como for 11 passengersUp to 11 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 11 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 19:15Lasts 1 hour. Group size: 7 to 11 passengers

2-hour tour from Como for 6 passengersUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 10 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 18:15Lasts 2 hours

See 7 more options

2-hour tour from Como for 11 passengersUp to 11 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 10 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 18:15Lasts 2 hours. Group size: 7 to 11 passengers

3-hour tour from Como for 6 passengersUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 9 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 17:15Lasts 3 hours

3-hour tour from Como for 11 passengersUp to 11 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 9 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 17:15Lasts 3 hours, including a stop in Bellagio. Group size: 7 to 11 passengers

4-hour tour from Como for 6 passengersUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 8 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 16:15Lasts 4 hours

4-hour tour from Bellagio for 6 passengersUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 09:15 and 14:15Lasts 4 hours. Meeting point in Bellagio: Lungo Lario Manzoni, 9, 22021 Bellagio CO, in front of bar Sanremo. https ://maps.app.goo.gl/KfT6C1N8tcZZ7rfA9. Maximum of 6 passengers

4-hour tour from Como for 11 passengersUp to 11 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 8 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 16:15Lasts 4 hours, including a stop in Varenna: the tour makes a 30-minute stop in Bellagio and Varenna. Group size: up to 11 passengers

4-hour tour from Bellagio for 11 passengersUp to 11 per booking · Guide in English or Italian · 09:15 and 14:15Lasts 4 hours. Meeting point in Bellagio: Lungo Lario Manzoni, 9, 22021 Bellagio CO, in front of bar Sanremo. https ://maps.app.goo.gl/KfT6C1N8tcZZ7rfA9. Maximum of 11 passengers

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

Before you book

Lasts 4h, runs every day, 11 start times, from € 350 per group, with a live guide in English and Italian, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day11 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 19:15

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 today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Taxi Como Lake

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Lake Como's famous villas and waterfront without following a group schedule or fixed route: the private boat and captain mean you control the pace and stops, which is what makes lingering at a particular villa or exploring a quiet cove actually possible.

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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 on the boat?

Petrol, fresh water, bottled water, prosecco, soda, Bluetooth radio, sun awnings, and weather cover. In winter, the heated passenger cabin is available.

Can children go on the boat?

Yes. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. Dogs are not allowed on board, but service animals are permitted.

How many people can fit on the boat?

Up to 11 passengers, plus the captain.

Where do we depart from?

Como's tourist wharf at Lungo Lario Trieste, 26, Como. The boat is a traditional Venetian taxi, renovated in 2021 with wood and leather interiors.

Which villas will we see?

Villa Olmo, Villa Erba, Villa d'Este (with its floating pool), Villa Pizzo, Villa le Fontanelle (formerly Gianni Versace's residence), and Villa Passalacqua (named world's best hotel in 2024), among others.

Is this tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, it's suitable for all physical fitness levels. You're on a boat the entire time, so no hiking or strenuous activity is required.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The boat has a weather cover and a heated cabin for winter, so tours can operate in poor conditions. The captain will advise if conditions are unsafe.