Does andbody know the driving distance between Lake Orta and Bellagio by car? Is it a difficult drive and is it possible to take a car ferry to cross the Lakes? Thanks in advance for your responses!

Hi, Out of curiosity I checked viamichelin.com, and they calculate 74 miles in just under 2 hours. You might want to take a look. If you have not visited that site before, it's quite detailed with the estimated time for each portion -- will probably give you some idea of the difficulty. J.

There are 2 routes--the scenic north route via Lugano, and the faster south route via the autostrada. The latter may be 2 hours, but 3 is more like it for the north route. You are actually going to Menaggio and then a ferry to Bellagio. Do you have a good map?

Sometimes, from Lugano to Menaggio, "scenic" is an endless string of tail lights and brake lights. With the occasional whizzing motorcycle weaving and in and out of the stalled cars.

Best wishes,

Rex

Terrific Rex,
That will give them time to get over the awe they experienced in Ascona, Locarno and the Val Versasca. You never cease to amaze me.

<<You never cease to amaze me.>>

Huh? What in my post was amazing to you? It was not advice to choose one route or another - - just a statement of my own experience, from driving to Menaggio from Lugano.

Perhaps it isn't even typical. I just know it happened to us.

I did the reverse drive via Como, Verbiana, and Stresa, avoiding the autoroute. Mappy.com shows it as 2.5 hours and that sounds about right. If you go up the western shore of Lake Como it's an easier ride than the eastern shore.

You can put your car on the ferries to cross the lakes. I crossed Maggiore between Laveno and Intra and Lake Como between Bellagio and Cadenabbia.

The ride was pleasant and scenic. It's 130KM via the autoroute and 114KM the way I describe. The gentleman at Autoeurope told me to go the way I went, not to take the Autoroute.

I was there in October, mid day, mid week and there was very little traffic, even in Como. I can't say how much traffic there will be in the summer.