Lake Como: Varenna & Bellagio Full-Day Boat Tour

Two lakeside villages in one day: the boat ride is half the experience

You board a fast hydrofoil in Como and spend the day walking two villages on opposite sides of Lake Como, with your guide naming the famous villas you pass on the water and explaining the churches and streets once you land. Lunch is built in at Bellagio, and the boat tickets are all arranged. You just show up at Piazza Cavour in the morning and return there by evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Como, Varenna, and Bellagio

• Meet at Piazza Cavour in Como
• Learn Como city history and tips
• Take fast boat to Varenna
• Admire Lake Como villas and scenery
• Visit San Giovanni Battista church
• Visit San Giorgio church
• Walk through Varenna with views
• Take boat to Bellagio
• Lunch break in Bellagio
• Walk Bellagio narrow streets and Promenade Europa
• Visit Basilica di San Giacomo
• Return by hydrofoil to Como city

The experience

Como city starts quiet in the main square, Piazza Cavour, where your guide meets you with a quick rundown of the city's history: Roman foundations, medieval walls, the shape it took. Then you're on the hydrofoil heading out across Lake Como, and the whole landscape shifts. The boat cuts through water ringed by pre-Alpine mountains, and your guide points out the villas as you pass: George Clooney's place, Villa del Balbianello (where they filmed Casino Royale), Villa Carlotta with its gardens, the ex-Versace estate. You're moving fast enough that the villages blur into each other, but slow enough to actually see them: the terraced houses, the church spires, the way the water reflects the cliffs. It takes about 50 minutes to reach Varenna.

Varenna is the kind of place that makes you understand why people stay on Lake Como for weeks. The walking tour winds through narrow streets and stone staircases, past the San Giorgio Church (your guide explains the art inside), down to the Lovers Walk with views across the water. It's compact (you can cover it in an hour), and there's no feeling of being rushed. After that, a 15-minute boat ride takes you to Bellagio, where you get a proper lunch break of about an hour. The town spreads up a hillside from the waterfront, and the walking tour there takes in the Basilica di San Giacomo, the Promenade Europa, and the narrow streets that tourists and locals both use. You're back on the hydrofoil by early evening, heading back to Como around 6 or 7pm.

The group stays under 12 people, which means the guide can actually hear questions and you're not shuffling behind a flag. Everything is included (the boat tickets, both guided walks, lunch), so you're not stopping at a restaurant and figuring out what to order or hunting for the next ferry. The pace is steady but not punishing. You walk, you stop, you look, you move on. If you've got a moderate level of fitness, you'll be fine.

What’s included

• Your day includes a guided overview of Como city at the start, fast hydrofoil transport to Varenna (50 minutes), a walking tour of Varenna with visits to San Giorgio Church and Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista, a 15-minute boat ride to Bellagio, a lunch break of about one hour, a walking tour of Bellagio including the Basilica di San Giacomo and Promenade Europa, and hydrofoil return to Como by early evening.
• All boat tickets and the English-speaking guide are included.
• Groups are kept to a maximum of 12 participants.

Before you book

Lasts 8h, runs every day at 11:30 and 10:30, from € 230 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 12 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday to Saturday: 11:30Sunday: 10:30

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (7 to 65 years) · Child (3 to 6 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

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 or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Como Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the two most famous villages on Lake Como in a single day without arranging your own boat schedule or timing: the fixed itinerary and included transport are what fit both stops into one afternoon.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 6 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

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.

How long is the boat ride from Como to Varenna?

About 50 minutes on the fast hydrofoil.

Is lunch included in the tour?

Yes, there's a lunch break of about one hour in Bellagio. The tour description does not specify whether the meal itself is paid separately or included in the price.

What's the maximum group size?

12 people.

What time does the tour end?

Around 6 or 7pm, when you return to Como city.

Are the boat tickets included?

Yes, all fast boat and hydrofoil tickets are included in the tour price.

Do I need to be very fit for this tour?

A moderate level of fitness is recommended. The tour involves walking through villages with staircases and uneven streets, but the pace is steady and not strenuous.

What language is the guide in?

English.

Can I bring a service animal?

Yes, service animals are allowed.