Lake Como Private Boat Cruise: Villa del Balbianello & Open Bar

Sail past the villas and villages that define Lake Como, stopping where the water lets you.

A private boat cruise on Lake Como departing from Bellagio (with six other starting points available) that passes Villa del Balbianello, Villa Melzi Gardens, and a string of historic villas and villages, with an open bar serving prosecco and soft drinks included. The itinerary varies by your chosen starting point and tour length. Swimming stops and village visits are available on longer tours. A live guide speaks English, Spanish or Italian.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. Villa del Balbianello10m
2. Villa Melzi Gardens10m

Lake Como private boat cruise highlights

• Start from Bellagio, the Pearl of the Lake
• Admire botanical gardens and art masterpieces
• View luxury hospitality icon on the lake
• See Park Mayer, Church of San Lorenzo, and villas in Lenno
• Observe Villa del Balbianello from the lake
• Pass by famous House of Gucci filming location
• View ultra-exclusive private paradise gardens
• Pass near the lake's only island for a swim
• Stop in medieval village for bruschetta or ice cream
• Walk elegant promenade with palm trees and flowers
• Sail through Griante and Cadenabbia villages
• Head to Varenna, the village of lovers
• See Villa Monastero and its botanical gardens
• View Heaven's Gate botanical garden
• Admire historic villas and Villa Melzi gardens
• End with view of Bellagio promontory and village

The experience

The boat leaves from Bellagio, the lake's most recognizable point, and the route unfolds as a sequence of named stops rather than a fixed schedule. You see Villa del Balbianello from the water (the Star Wars and James Bond filming location), pass the botanical gardens and Art Nouveau villas of Griante and Cadenabbia, and reach Varenna, the village of lovers, where Villa Monastero's 16th-century gardens come into view. The Gems of Lenno (Park Mayer, the Church of San Lorenzo, and three private villas) appear as you move along the eastern shore. Each stop is a named place, not a timed interval, so the day unfolds at the pace the boat travels.

What you drink is part of the booking: prosecco and soft drinks flow throughout, included in the open bar formula. On tours longer than two hours, the boat stops at the lake's only island for a swimming break in calm water. On tours of three hours or more, you can step ashore in an authentic medieval village to taste bruschetta or gelato. The guide narrates in your chosen language (English, Spanish or Italian), and can arrange advance bookings for Villa del Balbianello's interior or Villa Monastero's gardens if you want to step inside.

You choose the length when you book: one, two, three or four hours. The starting point can be Bellagio or one of six other locations around the lake, and the route adjusts accordingly. Infants sit on an adult's lap. Service animals are welcome. The boat suits all fitness levels, and public transport reaches the departure point.

What’s included

• Prosecco and soft drinks on an open bar formula.
• bottled water.
• a live guide in English, Spanish or Italian.
• swimming stop on the island (tours over two hours).
• village visit with food tasting (tours of three hours or more).
• fuel and boat operation.

Options for this experience

4 options

1H tourGuide in English, Spanish or Italian · Available from 1 Apr 2027Lasts 1 hour

2H tourGuide in English, Spanish or Italian · Available from 1 Apr 2027Lasts 2 hours

3H tourGuide in English, Spanish or Italian · Available from 1 Apr 2027Lasts 3 hours: a private, guided speedboat tour on Lake Como lasting 3 hours

4H toursGuide in English, Spanish or Italian · Available from 1 Apr 2027Lasts 4 hours

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

Before you book

Lasts 1h–4h, from € 300 per group, with a live guide in English, Spanish and Italian, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesNext departure: 1 Apr 2027

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

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Como Floaty Tour

Is this one for you?Pick the length that fits your day: the one-hour cruise works for a quick taste of the lake and its villas, while two hours lets you linger at the island for a swim. Three or four hours give you time to step ashore in a village and see the full arc of the eastern shore, from Bellagio's gardens to Varenna's medieval charm.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish 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 do we see it from the boat?

Villa del Balbianello is one of the world's most famous private villas, known as the filming location for Star Wars and James Bond films. The boat passes it from the water, which is described as its best vantage point. You can arrange an interior visit in advance if you want to step ashore.

Can we swim during the Lake Como cruise?

Yes, on tours longer than two hours the boat stops at the lake's only island for a swimming break in calm, shallow water: a chance to cool off without leaving the lake.

Does the open bar mean unlimited prosecco?

The open bar includes prosecco and soft drinks throughout the cruise, served for conscious fun without excess. Water is also provided.

What happens on the longer tours? The three and four hour options?

On three and four hour tours, you stop on shore in an authentic medieval village where you can taste bruschetta or gelato, and you have time to see more villas and villages along the eastern shore, including Villa Monastero and the gardens of Villa Melzi.

Do we need to book Villa visits in advance?

Interior visits to Villa del Balbianello and the gardens of Villa Monastero require advance reservation on the villa's own website, but you can arrange these when you book the cruise. Without a reservation, you see both villas from the water.

Which starting point should we choose?

Bellagio is the main departure point, described as the Pearl of the Lake and the most iconic spot. Six other starting points around the lake are available, and the route adjusts based on where you board. Ask which point suits your location or hotel.