Lake Como - a fairytale corner among the Alps
Lake Como is a picturesque lake located in the northern part of Italy, surrounded by the Alps. It is famous not only for its fairytale views, but also for the impressive villas owned by world-famous actors such as George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Sylvester Stallone. Singer Madonna also has her residence by Lake Como. Como is the deepest lake in the Alps and one of the deepest in Europe! Around the lake, you will find charming towns with narrow streets.
How to get to Lake Como?
If you are traveling from the southern part of Poland by car, you will have to cover approximately 1130 km. The most convenient option is to fly. The nearest airport to Lake Como is in Milan (Bergamo). From Milan or Bergamo, you can easily reach the town of Como (the main town by the lake) by train, which takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes. The station is called Como S. Giovanni. You can check the exact schedule on the website of the Italian railways https://www.trenitalia.com/. If you arrive in Bergamo, make sure to find some time to visit the city itself - it is beautiful!
Cable car in Argegno
One of the interesting attractions of Lake Como is the opportunity to see it from above. Therefore, we chose to take the cable car in the town of Argegno, which leads to the small town of Pigra located on top of the mountain.
Attention!!! During our stay, the cable car did not operate during the siesta time! Pay attention to the operating hours, as there is usually a several-hour break in the middle of the day.
At the top, near the entrance, you will find bars and lookout points with benches. There are also interesting hiking trails with viewpoints. The trails lead through forest paths, and although the one we took was not difficult, it is still advisable to wear proper footwear. At the top, you will find a small but charming town - Pigra, which you can explore. Our visit to the top, including exploring the town and walking one of the scenic trails, took about 2.5 hours.
Scenic trail in Pigra
From the cable car entrance, we walk straight for a while on an asphalt road, then turn left after passing the line of bars. You will find signs indicating the trail. Continuing along a well-trodden forest path for about 15 minutes, you will reach the lookout points.
GreenWay - trail along Lake Como
The GreenWay is a 10 km trail that runs through the towns of Colonno, Sala Comacina, Ossuccio, Lenno, Mezzegra, and Tremezzo. It is the main trail of Lombardy. The elevation differences are not significant, so you can easily hike with children. The trail partly runs above the line of houses, often descending into towns and leading through their most interesting places.
Medium
Greenway - Green Trail along Lake Como
We particularly enjoyed the initial part of the trail.
Isola Comacina Island
There is an entrance fee of 5 euros per adult to visit the island. The island is beautiful, but more wild. However, being in this region, you are constantly surrounded by beautiful views, so the island did not particularly impress us - perhaps because our stay was short (only 4 days) and we regretted not having enough time to see something more interesting, such as the recommended Villa Balbianello, which we didn't have time for.
Bellagio - the most famous town on Lake Como
This small town is also known as the pearl of Lake Como. It is located on a peninsula and offers a view of three branches of the lake. Due to its recommendation in all guidebooks, during the summer holidays, you will find a lot of tourists here, which can be a bit tiring and discouraging. For those who don't mind the tourist crowds, we recommend visiting the beautiful lakeside promenade, the park with a small playground and a view of the lake, the church, and the bustling center with stalls, restaurants, and cafes.
Argegno - a charming town on Lake Como
Argegno itself is a small but very atmospheric town with limited tourist traffic (at first, we were surprised that such a touristy place in the middle of August didn't feel crowded and touristy). Only when we reached the more famous towns near the lake did we realize that the crowds were there, just not in Argegno - which suited us very well. The main attraction of Argegno is the aforementioned cable car to the town of Pigra on top of the mountain. We missed having more space for walking - the main street runs along the promenade by the port.
Lake Como - practical information:
- The slopes around the lake are quite steep, and houses are built one on top of the other. The narrow and often steep streets and stairs are the main charm of the towns but can be challenging for people with strollers. We recommend bringing a carrier or sling for the trip.
- BEWARE OF SIESTA! In Italy, there is usually a siesta break from around 11:30 am to 4 pm. During this time, most people do not work, so shops, restaurants, cable cars, etc., are closed. It is worth remembering to check the opening hours and be careful not to get stuck somewhere involuntarily.
Publish Date: 2015-12-26
Last Updated: 2023-01-20
More in the Region Włochy (Italy)
Total Length 60 km
