Private Wooden Boat Tour Lake Como: Bellagio & Villas

Three hours on the water seeing Como's grandest villas from the lake itself.

A private wooden boat tour on Lake Como departing from Como takes up to 11 passengers on a three-hour route past neoclassical villas, celebrity homes and lakeside villages, ending in Bellagio. The Navicella del Lario is a traditional Venetian taxi renovated in 2021, with wood and leather interiors, sun awnings and weather cover. A captain and crew handle navigation while you watch the shoreline unfold from the water.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private wooden boat tour on Lake Como

• Depart from Como tourist jetty
• Pass breakwater and Life Elettric installation
• Pass seaplane hangar
• View Villa Olmo
• Head towards Cernobbio
• Sail past Villa Erba
• Continue to Moltrasio and Laglio
• See Villa Oleandra in Laglio
• Pass Comacina island near Ossuccio
• Visit Villa del Balbianello in Lenno
• Stop for short visit in Bellagio Borgo
• Return to Como via east shore villas

The experience

What does it mean to see Lake Como from the lake itself? The Navicella del Lario leaves the Como tourist jetty and heads toward the breakwater, where you pass a Daniel Libeskind installation called Life Elettric, then the seaplane hangar. From there the boat moves along the western shore, passing Villa Olmo (a neoclassical structure built by the Odescalchi family) and continuing toward Cernobbio, known for its luxury villas and hotels. The route then carries you past Villa Erba, built between 1894 and 1898 for Luigi Erba, a major pharmaceutical industrialist of the era.

The boat continues south toward Laglio, where you see Villa Oleandra, the lakeside home of George Clooney, and other elegant villas clustered on the shore. You pass Comacina Island, a strip of land in front of Ossuccio that becomes especially striking when fireworks light it up to recall a historical fire. The tour then reaches Lenno, where Villa del Balbianello sits with its gardens open daily from 10 to 18 (closed Mondays and Wednesdays). A stop in Bellagio gives you time to walk the Borgo, the village center, before the return journey traces the eastern shore back to Como.

The boat carries fresh water, soda and prosecco throughout the three hours. Sun awnings shade the deck in clear weather, and a full cover protects against rain. The captain and crew are at your disposal to adjust the route or timing to suit your group's preferences, and the guide speaks English or Italian.

What’s included

• Fresh water, soda and prosecco throughout the tour.
• sun awnings and weather cover.
• a captain and crew to navigate and narrate the route in English or Italian.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 09:15, the last at 17:15

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?This is a private boat for your group alone, not a shared departure with strangers, so the captain can adjust the route and timing to match what you want to see. Book it if you want the flexibility to linger at a villa or skip ahead, and the comfort of having the boat to yourselves.

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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 is Villa del Balbianello and can we stop there?

Villa del Balbianello is an 18th-century villa in Lenno with gardens that open daily from 10 to 18 (closed Mondays and Wednesdays). The boat passes it during the tour, and you can arrange a stop to visit if the opening hours align with your departure time.

How many people can fit on the Navicella del Lario?

The boat holds up to 11 passengers comfortably. It was renovated in 2021 and has wood and leather interiors designed for groups who want both space and elegance.

Does the tour include a guide, or do we explore on our own?

A captain and crew guide the boat and narrate the route in English or Italian. They handle all navigation and can adjust stops and timing based on what your group wants to see.

What happens if the weather turns bad?

The boat has a full weather cover that deploys in rain, and sun awnings protect you in clear conditions. The captain decides whether conditions are safe to proceed.

Can we stop in Bellagio, and how much time do we have there?

Yes, the tour includes a stop in Bellagio's Borgo (the village center) for a short visit. The exact duration depends on the captain's schedule for the full three-hour route.