Lake Como private speedboat tour: Villas and photo stops

One hour, four legendary villas, and the lake from the water

A private speedboat tour of Lake Como takes you past Villa d'Este, Villa Versace, and other historic lakeside mansions in a single hour, with photo stops and a local guide who knows the celebrity history. You travel by high-speed boat instead of ferry, skip the crowds, and see the most famous stretch of the lake tailored to what you want to photograph.

Step-by-step itinerary

Express tour of Lake Como villas

• Visit Villa d'Este photo stop
• See Villa Pliniana
• Photo stop at Villa Versace
• Pass by Villa Rocca Bruna
• Pass by historic residence in Torno
• Pass by villa of Luchino Visconti
• Explore Como city center
• Visit Cernobbio and lakeside promenade
• View villages Moltrasio, Carate Urio, Laglio
• View villages Blevio and Torno

The experience

The boat leaves from Como and heads north along the western shore, stopping for photos at Villa d'Este (a 16th-century palace now a five-star hotel), and Villa Versace, the sixteenth-century mansion Gianni Versace bought in the 1970s. Between those two, you pass Villa Pliniana, named after the Roman naturalists Pliny the Elder and Younger, and Villa Rocca Bruna, now the Mandarin Oriental. The captain narrates the history of who lived in each one and why they mattered, so you understand what you're looking at instead of just seeing grand facades from the water.

The route also takes in smaller villages on both sides of the lake (Moltrasio, Carate Urio, Laglio, Blevio and Torno), where villas line the shore and gardens spill down to the water. Because you're on a private speedboat instead of a ferry, you can linger at the spots worth photographing and skip the ones that don't interest you. The boat carries a refrigerator, toilet, shower and towels, so a one-hour tour doesn't feel rushed or uncomfortable.

The guide speaks English, Spanish or Italian, and the tour is built around fitting Lake Como's most famous sights into the time you actually have. If you're staying in Como for just an afternoon or passing through on a longer trip, this covers the essential stretch of the lake without the logistics of renting a car or waiting for scheduled ferries.

What’s included

• Private speedboat transportation.
• bottled water.
• cabin access.
• toilet and shower.
• bath towels.
• refrigerator.
• 12-volt socket for charging.
• live guide in English, Spanish or Italian.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day12 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 20:00

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.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Bertram sul lago

Is this one for you?Book this if you have one hour and want a private boat instead of joining ferry crowds. You'll see the famous villas and get photo stops without the shared-tour pace.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Italian.

What is Villa d'Este and why do people photograph it from the lake?

Villa d'Este is a 16th-century palace on the Como shore that is now one of Italy's most famous luxury hotels. It's one of the two main photo stops on the tour because the classical architecture and lakeside setting make it one of the most recognizable villas on Lake Como.

Can I get off the boat and walk around the villas?

The tour is a photo stop experience from the water. You don't disembark at the villas themselves. Villa d'Este and Villa Versace are private properties or hotels, and the tour is designed to show you their exteriors and gardens from the boat while the captain explains their history.

How long does the tour actually take, and does it include time sitting still or is it all moving?

The tour is one hour total, including travel time between stops and the photo pauses at the main villas. The boat moves between locations, then slows or stops when you reach a villa worth photographing, so you see the full stretch of the lake without spending the whole hour in motion.

What's the difference between this private speedboat and the public ferries on Lake Como?

A private speedboat lets you choose which stops matter to you and how long to linger at each one, while ferries follow a fixed schedule and route. The speedboat is also faster and smaller, so you avoid the crowds and get a more direct route to the villas and photo spots.

Is there anything to eat or drink on the boat?

Bottled water is provided, and the boat has a refrigerator on board. There's no meal service, but you can bring your own food and drinks if you want to eat during the tour.