Exploring the possibility of spending 4 days on Lake Como as part of our Italy itinerary in mid-September. Bellagio is described as being the most beautiful village in Italy and Varenna as the loveliest spot on the lake. Which would you chose as a base from which to explore the lake & surrounding area by boat and/or car? Is this a good time to see its natural beauty or should we wait to visit in the spring/early summer?

I think September is a perfect time (although I think rain is slightly more probable).

I vote for Bellagio. While some say it is too busy with day trippers, if you only visit it from somewhere else you'll be one of those daytrippers. It's best in the early morning or evenings when the daytrippers aren't there.

And there are some really good restaurants in Bellagio. Having dinner there and then relying on boats to get back to Varenna can be a little tricky.

There are also more boat connections to Bellagio than to Varenna. It is a perfect base for exploring the lake by boat.

Bellagio is not a village. It's a very small city.

I think Varenna is much more beautiful and atmospheric than Bellagio, while Bellagio is crowded with shops and shoppes. However, Bellagio has much larger and better selection of restaurants and more services than Varenna. Varenna is easily reachable by train. I think Bellagio is not. Both have good boat service, but it's possible that there may be more frequent stops in Bellagio. You can easily check this on the inter-island boat schedule. (I'd give you a link to the website, but I just switched to a new Mac last week and haven't figured out yet how to transfer website bookmarks from the old PC.)

I stayed in Varenna a few years ago and was happy with the choice. However I stayed only two nights after flying into Italy. My time there was limited to one late afternoon and evening on day of arrival, one full day, and one morning until I left by train for my next destination.

Different terms for different people. I would never call Bellagio a city by any stretch of the imagination, but yes it is bigger than Varenna.

cmt, has a good point, and I'd sure consider staying in Varenna if I were only going for a night or two and arriving and departing by train. But for a 4 day stay, I'd prefer Bellagio.

Another vote for Bellagio. I've been there on a holiday week-end when there were many day trippers around, yet still found plenty of quiet areas to explore (Pescallo area, for example).

If you have a car, then you want a hotel with parking because public parking is very thin on the ground in Bellagio. The Belvedere, for example, has parking even though I think the Hotel Florence is a nicer hotel. (But the Belvedere also has a pool, which you would probably enjoy if it's still warm in September, as it probably will be).

I agree with NP. Bellagio is at its best early in the morning or in the evening when the day trippers have departed (and like NP, I don't think of Bellagio as being a city at all...Como is a city, Lugano is a city, but Bellagio? no). If you opt to spend just an afternoon there with everybody else, no doubt you may find it busy.

Many thanks for your insights & suggestions on these two towns! Sounds like Bellagio will suit us better. Not unlike other popular spots, Bellagio will be best enjoyed when the day trippers are gone and we will be left to enjoy the town!

I don't "think of" Bellagio as a city either. I think of it as a town. Nevertheless it is a city, but a small one. It is a "comune" and therefore definitely not a "village" no matter how someone might think of it. It's not the original poster's fault, but there's a lot of material floating around, including material put out by group tour providers and other travel-related service providers that should know better, that refers to various picturesque Italian towns and small Italian cities in a cutsie-poo way as "villages."

Add to those who "should know better" than to call Bellagio a village, a long list of tour gides and books, websites, and even hotels and attractions in Bellagio itself who advertise such things as "in the center of the village of Bellagio", "overlooking the village of Bellagio", and " Bellagio, a most picturesque Italian village". Google Village of Bellagio and read the first couple of thousand hits.

Let's face it. Terms like town and village are hardly clearly defined. One of the most interesting hits I found above was a phrase "Bellagio is a half hour along the lake from the VILLAGE of Como". Now I'd never call Como a village.

We visited Lake Como for 4 days at the end of September last year, and found the timing (perfect weather, smaller crowds, etc.) to be ideal.

Bellagio was not, for us, the highlight of our time there. As people have said here, different strokes for different folks, though! We preferred the smaller villages of Varenna &amp; Lenno. <u>HOWever</u>, if you want more &quot;activity,&quot; Bellagio is the place for you. And the shopping there is great fun!

No matter where you stay, Lake Como is, truly, one of the most beautiful places on earth, imo.

Bellagio as a base. You can visit Varenna easily for lunch but return to Bellagio with so many more options for dinner.

LucieV: Thanks! Appreciate your comments regarding the timing of our trip to Lake Como. Just a further question: If it is less crowded in mid-September, how crutial is it to have a hotel in Bellagio that offers private parking? Understand that public parking is limited &amp; can be difficult there.

Lucie, I'm trying to understand your post. I think you're saying that while you were at Lake Como for four days you never actually spent a night at Bellagio?

If so, then I think most of us would agree with you. As stated earlier, one must stay there to enjoy its charms. If you did indeed visit it as one of the thousands of daytrippers, I'm not the least bit surprised that &quot;Bellagio was not, for us, the highlight of our time there.&quot; That is to be expected.

My computer has been acting a little weird, only with the Fodors site, though.

I responded to this post, between cmt and NeoPatrick. When I look through the thread I do not see my response, but when I go to &quot;post my reply,&quot; it is there. Can the rest of you see my response about Varenna?

Diane

2010, I can't answer your question about parking, as we traveled by train &amp; ferry. I'm sure you can get an answer from someone else here, though. Also, once you decide on your hotel, the manager should be able to provide you with specific parking information.

You are visiting Italy at a wonderful time of year; your trip is destined to be special!

2010,

The Bellagio vs Varenna question depends on what type of experience you want to have. If you might want the feel of a small Italian town in a beautiful setting, then it's Varenna. If you want shopping choices, restaurant choices and hotel choices and a beautiful setting, then it's Bellagio.

Diane: Did not see your response to my post. I would love to hear your thoughts about Varenna! If you don't mind, please try again! Thanks!

Author: luvtotravel
Date: 03/03/2007, 02:30 am
I also recommend Varenna. You can see my photos and read my trip report from last May at http://www.travelswithdiane.homestea...5LakeComo.html

The third photo on the first page is Hotel du Lac where we stayed in Varenna. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

What is best train route to varenna from milan airport? Is there a bus at the airport to Gallarte where you can board a train rather than going from the airport back to milan. Thanks!

luvtotravel: Your narrative &amp; photos of your trip to Varenna are just stunning!!! Thank you so much for generously sharing this with me and other posters. I can understand your enthusiasm for this town &amp; the Hotel du Lac! You certainly have me thinking about staying in Varenna.

The last time we were at Lake Como we stayed in Menaggio.

I would have to agree that Bellagio offers much more in terms of shopping and restaurants than does Varenna.

Varenna is a small town (as is Bellagio) and has the only convenient rail connections. It is probably somewhat more &quot;typically Italian&quot; looking than bellagio but the latter has often been called the &quot;most beautiful&quot; town in Italy.