17/09/2026
Planning a 3-day Lake Como itinerary? This is the route we’d recommend for a first visit.
You don’t need to squeeze every village into your trip to see the best of the lake. Stay in Como and use the public ferries to move around easily, with stops at Bellagio, Varenna, Villa Carlotta and Villa Balbianello all fitting naturally into the route.
The idea is to keep things simple while still experiencing what makes Lake Como special: beautiful historic towns, spectacular villas, mountain views and plenty of time to enjoy the lake rather than spend your trip figuring out how to get around it.
A few practical details make the plan even easier: Book the popular villas ahead during busy months, wear comfortable shoes for the steep streets and stone staircases and don’t underestimate the ferry rides themselve because some of the best views are from the water.
The Untold Italy app has more deets to complete your Lake Como itinerary, including where to stay, what to see, ferry advice and our restaurant recommendations.
Comment APPLE or ANDROID and we’ll DM you a link to download.
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