Is Lake Como Worth Visiting? A Local’s Honest Answer
One of the most common questions I receive as a person living here – is Lake Como worth visiting? After living in Lake Como for almost 4 years, let me be honest – Lake Como is not a place for people looking for an active nightlife (nightlife is almost non-existent, and locals prefer to keep it this way). However, if you value beauty, history, nature, elegance, and inspiration – Lake Como is absolutely worth visiting. It’s every bit as magical as it looks in the movies and social media, but not for the reasons you might expect.
In this post, I’ll share what most people get wrong, what daily life is really like here, and what I’d do differently if I was planning my first trip.
What Most Visitors Expect
Many travelers wonder: is Lake Como worth visiting? The answer is a loud yes, and here are the reasons that make it so.
If you’ve spent any time researching Lake Como, chances are you’ve seen some variation of this:
- You’ll sip Aperol Spritz by the lake, wearing linen ✅
- You may meet celebrities who own villas in Lake Como: George Clooney, Gianni Versace, Ronaldinho, Richard Branson, and many others ✅
- You’ll take a glamorous boat tour and snap the best photos of your life ✅
- You will be having the most romantic dinners under the starry sky ✅
While all of the above can absolutely be true, here is what most people don’t expect:
- The time it takes to get there through the traffic
- The overwhelming number of hotel options in very different locations (up-hill, lake-front, smaller towns versus larger towns, etc).
- That most of the places you see on Instagram will be full of crowds
- How fast can your day disappear in ferry queues
- How big Lake Como actually is, and how many towns there actually are
What It’s Actually Like (From a Local)
I fell in love with my life in Lake Como mainly because of the space between the tourist moments — the serene hikes with incredible views, espresso at hidden bars, hams provided by a local butcher, boat rides when the lake is empty, and visiting villages that not many tourists know about.
Here’s what I experience day to day:
- Early morning walks in the local village streets meeting the locals, where everyone know each other’s names
- Super long Sunday lunches outside (this is an old Italian tradition)
- Hikes overlooking the lake, with the best local restaurants on the top of the mountains
- A pace that resets your nervous system (unless you try to do too much)
- Family owned restaurants serving local food, that only Old Money Milanese and Lake Como local people know about.
The real Lake Como magic happens, when you let go of ticking the checkpoints, and start following local footprint – living slowly, and always aiming for quality over quantity.
Who Should Visit — and Who Maybe Shouldn’t
✅ Come to Lake Como if you:
- Love authenticity, calmness, elegance, history
- Relax in nature, love mountains and water
- Have a desire for a slower, more refined Italian experience
- Love cycling, hiking, sailing, tennis, paragliding
- Are a couple looking for unforgettable Honeymoon or even a wedding
- Are a solo traveler – Como region is one of the safest in the whole country
- Enjoy romantic atmospheres, long ferry rides, appreciate architecture and gardening
🚫 Skip it (for now) if you:
- Want party scenes or late nightlife
- Don’t like narrow streets, stairs, or walking
- Do not want to change your lifestyle a bit or adapt to the local eating habits
- Look for modernity, cannot live without brunches, and hate classical style
- Only have one day — it’s possible, but Lake Como is not built for rush visits
- Cannot handle heat, but can only travel in August – I’d recommend to choose a seaside
What I’d Do Differently Now
Before moving to Lake Como for love (another story for another time!), I actually visited this place dozens of times. Most of those visits ended up with me making some of the rookie mistakes (I made them all) — overpacked or underpacked, stayed in the wrong places, accidentally skipped lunch time by not knowing the local eating habits, wasted hours waiting in the ferry queues under the sun, and most importantly, visited either only Como city, or only Bellagio/Varenna. You might even start wondering – is Lake Como even worth visiting? Little did I know what Lake Como has to offer!
To be fair, I still heavily fell in love with the place, because when you know, you know, but soo much potential wasted, simply by not knowing anyone who actually lives there to give me tips!
If I was planning my first trip today, I’d:
- Stay in smaller villages not too far away from either Como, or Menaggio (you want to be connected with an advanced ferry system)
- Book the ferry tickets online way in advance, or order taxi boats, and skip the car altogether
- Plan 3 full days, not 1 overnight
- Go only to the restaurants recommended by locals (believe me, there are some exceptional ones!)
👉 And yes, I’ve turned all that into a map + plan, which you can get below.
BONUS — My 3-Day Como Plan
I’ve created a printable Lake Como itinerary based on how I plan trips for friends when they visit. It’s:
- Walkable, local-tested, stress-free
- Includes great local restaurants + hidden corners
- Saves you hours of research and helps you avoid the tourist traps (yes, there are many!)
🎁 [Download my 3-day Como itinerary] — and thank me later.
So, is Lake Como worth visiting?
To sum it up, Lake Como should be on your bucket list and is worth visiting. It is one of the most magical places in Italy – full of history, breathtaking nature, elegance, and amazing architecture. Due to its unique landscape (lake surrounded by mountains) and historical heritage, Lake Como became the location of choice for many international events throughout the history.
So, is Lake Como worth visiting? Absolutely! With its stunning scenery, rich history, global importance, elegant villas, and serene atmosphere, Lake Como is worth visiting for anyone looking to escape the fast-paced ordinary life. Even if for a few days. You might come back more inspired, rested, and recharged.
FAQ
Q: How many days do you need in Lake Como?
A: At least 3 full days — 1 day for central lake villages, 1 for a boat day, 1 for slower moments. Also, if you are visiting in springtime, it is not unlikely to catch a rainy day or two, so it is always good to have some extra days – believe me, the lake turns into something else on a sunny day!
Q: Can you visit Lake Como without a car?
A: Yes! In fact, I recommend it. The ferry/taxi boats + walking combo gives you the most flexibility and helps to avoid traffic. Roads are narrow and not super developed, so you might be losing quite a few hours in traffic if you go by car in peak hours.
Q: Is Lake Como good for solo travel?
A: Absolutely. Safe, scenic, and friendly. Como was ranked among the top 10 safest cities in Italy!
Q: Is Lake Como or Amalfi better?
A: It depends — they are located in opposite parts of Italy, and people choose those locations for different reasons. South differs from the North on so many levels. I wrote an entire post comparing them here.
Q: When is the best time to visit Lake Como?
A: I absolutely recommend to visit Lake Como between April and May – it is already warm, but fewer crowds. Way easier to book restaurants and activities. You can walk anywhere; the summer heat is not there yet. The best part is that it is a blossoming season, and Lake Como has very established gardening all around – so everywhere you go, you are greeted with blossoms: wisterias, magnolias, sakuras, etc.!
Q: Why Lake Como is so famous?
A: Lake Como has been loved by world’s most famous figures for centuries. Fashion brand Chanel had their summer collection show in Villa d’Este this year, and over 20 movies were filmed here (House of Gucci, Star Wars, Casino Royale, Ocean’s Twelve, Murder Mystery, and others). George Clooney spends nearly all of his summers here, and Lake Como is home for international political, sports and business events. Lake Como was always chosen by creatives and science people as a place of focus, inspiration and discoveries – Lord Byron, Verdi, Leonardo da Vinci, Alessandro Volta, and so many others visited Lake Como throughout the history. I hope you can visit soon and see for yourself!
