Venetian Wooden Boat Tour: Lake Como Villa del Balbianello

A wooden boat and the lake's villas, without the tour bus crowds

A private Venetian wooden boat tour on Lake Como with a live guide in English or Italian, carrying up to six passengers on a flexible route past the lake's most photographed villas and villages. The 4-hour tour reaches Villa del Balbianello, Villa Melzi Gardens, Bellagio and the Gulf of Venus. The 2-hour version covers the eastern shore and Comacina Island. Prosecco and bottled water are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private Venetian Boat Tour on Lake Como

• Depart from Varenna or Menaggio
• Admire promenade of lovers in Varenna
• Pass Villa Cipressi and botanical gardens
• View Villa and its botanical garden museum
• Head to Punta Spartivento viewpoint
• Stop at Bellagio village for visit
• Admire Villa Serbelloni park and Grand Hotel
• See English gardens of Villa Melzi
• Reach Tremezzo village on west coast
• Admire Villa Carlotta and botanical garden
• Pass eclectic style building near Lenno
• View Gulf of Venus and Villa del Balbianello
• Pass Villa la Cassinella private residence
• Skirt eastern shore along Lezzeno
• Pass Ossuccio village and Comacina island
• Admire Villa Oleandra, George Clooney's home
• Cross lake to Nesso village and Civera bridge
• Continue northwards along eastern shore
• Return to Varenna meeting point

The experience

The boat leaves from Varenna, Menaggio or Tremezzo. You pick the starting point that fits your day. From there, the route is yours to shape: the guide proposes the classic itinerary (Villa del Balbianello, Villa Melzi Gardens, Bellagio, the Gulf of Venus, Comacina Island), but you can ask to linger at a village, skip a stop or chase light on a particular stretch of shore. This is not a fixed schedule squeezed into a bus. It is a private boat that goes where you want to look.

The 4-hour tour reaches the full arc of Lake Como's landmarks. You'll pass Villa Cipressi with its botanical gardens descending to the water, then head to Punta Spartivento (the watershed where the lake's two branches split) before arriving at Bellagio, where you can step off and walk the cobbled streets and the 18th-century terraces of Villa Serbelloni. South of Bellagio, Villa Carlotta appears with its neoclassical facade and art collections. Further on, Villa del Balbianello sits on its peninsula in the Gulf of Venus, a romantic 18th-century mansion that has hosted writers and travelers for centuries. The 2-hour option crosses the lake to the eastern shore, skirting Lezzeno and Nesso, passing the Civera bridge (a Roman crossing rebuilt in medieval style) and Comacina Island, the only island on Lake Como, where swimmers cool off in summer.

Prosecco and bottled water come with the booking. The guide speaks English or Italian and knows the stories behind each villa and village. Infants sit on an adult's lap. The boat accommodates up to six passengers, so the group stays small and the guide can answer questions without shouting over an engine.

What’s included

• Prosecco for passengers aged 18 and over.
• bottled water.
• fuel.
• live guide in English or Italian.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private tour for up to 6 people, lasting 2 hoursGuide in English or Italian · 09:00, 11:30, 14:00 and 16:30Lasts 2 hours: a private boat tour for groups of up to 6 people

Private tour for up to 6 people, lasting 4 hoursGuide in English or Italian · 09:00 and 14:00Lasts 4 hours: a private boat tour for groups of up to 6 people

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 timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 11:30, 14:00 and 16:30

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 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lake Como's Best

Is this one for you?Pick the 4-hour tour to land and explore Villa del Balbianello's gardens. Choose 2 hours if you prefer staying on the water to see the eastern shore and Comacina Island.

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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 I visit it on this tour?

Villa del Balbianello is an 18th-century mansion on a peninsula in the Gulf of Venus, famous for its romantic gardens and as a setting in films. On the 4-hour tour you can go ashore and visit the villa and gardens. Entry tickets are your own cost and must be purchased on arrival.

Can I get off the boat at Bellagio to walk around the village?

Yes. On the 4-hour tour you can step off at Bellagio and explore its cobbled streets, the Basilica of St. James and the lakeside promenade of Villa Serbelloni before the boat picks you up to continue south.

What happens if I want to change the route or spend more time at one stop?

The itinerary is completely flexible. The guide proposes the classic route but you can ask to adjust it: linger at a village, skip a villa, or chase a particular view. The boat is private and the route is yours to shape within the time you've booked.

Is there anywhere to swim on this tour?

Comacina Island, the only island on Lake Como, hosts swimmers in summer who want to cool off in the lake. It is safe to swim there, and the 2-hour tour passes it. The 4-hour tour can include it if you ask.

What's included in the price?

Prosecco (for passengers 18 and over), bottled water and fuel are included. A live guide in English or Italian is part of the booking. Entry tickets to Villa del Balbianello and any other paid attractions are separate and charged to you on arrival.