Lake Como speedboat tour: Villas and gardens by Bowrider

Ten villas and two botanical gardens in a single morning on the water.

A 2-hour private speedboat tour of Lake Como that passes ten named villas and gardens, each with its own history, from the neoclassical villa where Verdi composed La Traviata to Villa del Balbianello, which hosted scenes from Star Wars and Casino Royale. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, French, German or Italian and narrates the shoreline as you cruise past Maresi Castle, Villa Margherita Ricordi, the Grand Hotel at Cadenabbia, and the botanical gardens of Villa Melzi in Bellagio, ending at Comacina Island.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Lake Como villas and gardens

• Visit Maresi Castle and garden
• See neoclassical style villa
• View Villa Margherita Ricordi
• Explore famous botanical garden
• Pass by Grand Hotel
• Walk through public garden with staircases
• Visit Villa del Balbianello botanical garden
• See majestic villa for congresses
• Discover the only island on Lake Como
• Enjoy Villa Melzi Gardens in Bellagio
• Explore small village on peninsula tip

The experience

The speedboat departs from one of four points around the lake (Griante, Cadenabbia, Tremezzo or Bellagio), and stays on the water for the full 2 hours, so you're never anchored or waiting. The route traces the western and central shoreline, passing close enough to see the architecture and gardens of each villa without leaving the boat. Villa del Balbianello, the most majestic stop, appears twice in the itinerary because it sits on a peninsula and is visible from two angles. It's also the one most travelers recognize from film. It doubled as a Naboo palace in Star Wars Episode II and as a casino in Casino Royale. Villa Melzi Gardens in Bellagio is the botanical anchor of the tour, famous enough that its name alone draws visitors to that town.

Your guide provides live narration in whichever language you choose at booking, moving through the villas in geographical order rather than stopping to disembark. Maresi Castle opens the route with its tower and waterside garden. Villa Margherita Ricordi follows, the neoclassical house where composer Giuseppe Verdi lived and wrote La Traviata. The Grand Hotel at Cadenabbia marks a shift toward the grander resort villas, and a public garden famous for its staircases, the one used for fashion presentations, appears next. Comacina Island, the only island on Lake Como, closes the loop. The guide describes it as a treasure chest of mysteries, though the boat does not land there.

Infants sit on an adult's lap. Children in prams or strollers can travel if secured. The speedboat itself is the Bowrider model, built for speed and open-air sightseeing, so you'll feel the wind and water spray. Bring sunscreen and a light layer even on warm days. If you prefer not to book a private boat, public ferries run the same shoreline year-round, though they stop at towns rather than narrating the villas.

What’s included

• Private speedboat transportation for 2 hours.
• live guide narration in English, Spanish, French, German or Italian.
• views of ten named villas and two botanical gardens from the water.
• passage past Comacina Island, the only island on Lake Como.

Options for this experience

4 options

Departure from MenaggioGuide in 5 languages · Available from 7 Mar 2027Meeting point: Ac Boat Rental & Tours, Lungolago, Viale Benedetto Castelli, 22017 Menaggio CO, Italy

Departure from Griante/CadenabbiaGuide in 5 languages · Available from 20 Mar 2027Meeting point: Via Statale, 43, 22011 Griante CO, Italy

Departure from TremezzoGuide in 5 languages · Available from 7 Mar 2027

Tour departing from BellagioGuide in 5 languages · Available from 7 Mar 2027Departure and end in Bellagio: the start can be made from Loppia, Pescallo or La Punta (Bellagio)

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 timesNext departure: 7 Mar 2027

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian

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.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by AC Boat

Is this one for you?Choose your departure point based on where you're staying (Griante, Cadenabbia, Tremezzo or Bellagio), so you can walk to the boat rather than arrange a separate transfer to the dock. The speedboat format means you stay on the water and cover the entire shoreline in 2 hours, so you see more villas in less time than a walking tour of any single town would allow.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German 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 does it appear twice on the tour?

Villa del Balbianello is the most majestic villa on Lake Como, built in neoclassical style on a peninsula that juts into the water. It's visible from two different angles as the boat passes, and it's famous as a film location. It appeared in Star Wars Episode II and Casino Royale. The tour passes it twice because of its position on the shoreline.

Can I see Villa Melzi Gardens up close, or does the boat stay on the water?

Villa Melzi Gardens is the most famous botanical garden on Lake Como, and you view it from the water as the boat passes Bellagio. The tour does not include a landing or entry to the gardens themselves. You see the villa and its grounds from the speedboat.

Which departure point should I choose if I'm staying in Bellagio?

Book the tour with departure from Bellagio if you're based there. The other three options (Griante, Cadenabbia and Tremezzo) serve different parts of the lake's western shore, so pick the one closest to your hotel to minimize travel time before the boat leaves.

What happened at Villa Margherita Ricordi that makes it worth seeing?

Villa Margherita Ricordi is a neoclassical villa where the composer Giuseppe Verdi lived and composed La Traviata, one of the most famous operas ever written. The guide narrates this history as the boat passes.