Should I go to Stresa or the city Como?
I am torn and wondering which of the cities at the lakes would be best to see
I'll only be able to go there for a day trip from Milan and back to Milan
it doesn't matter the convenience to me

I want to go to the city that has the best scenery, I love places like that, like a more relaxing and peaceful view, I kind of don't like tooooo many tourists, but I can deal with it
at first I wanted to go to Stresa, because of the Islands but now I'm not too sure which to go to now and I am in need of your opinions

I'd choose one each day but I have a limited time in Milan and I filled a spot to go to Cinque Terre although there are no tickets to go there yet

thanks!

Hard to answer your question tigerofjiang. Como is a beautiful city and the scenery is so lovely. Stresa as you mentioned has the islands and it has beautiful scenery also. I have enjoyed both cities and so if had to chose between one or the other guess I would toss a coin. But on second thought I would no doubt chose Como but you would enjoy either city I would think.

I love them both so I'm not a good one to say which. Stresa and the islands are exquisite, their beauty is of a calm and quiet nature, and probably easier to sample in just a day. From Stresa you can catch frequent ferries to Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola Pescatori. Here are some photos:

http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/c767587.html

http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/c774236.html

And there is a funivia at Stresa that will whisk you up Monte Mottarone in two stages, so you can stop half-way up and enjoy the views of the lake and mountains, or go to the top and find yourself in an alpine meadow. http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p22967426.html and http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p22967417.html

Como, the lake, is of an entirely grander nature and scale. And it will be more difficult to do it justice in one day, but I wouldn't let that stop me.

Take a look at this: http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p47813614.html

And this: http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p47813621.html

And this: http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p47813674.html

And this: http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/p47813666.html

Here are more, if you're interested: http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/c767591.html

You could spend a glorious day on the lake, going from town to town. You wouldn't be able to spend much time in any of them, but they are all so beautiful from the water anyway. And it would certainly whet your appetite to return.

http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/c771444.html

If you are going to Lago di Como at all, you should really be sure to go to Bellagio, not just the city of Como. You can reach Bellagio from Milan either by taking the train to Varenna and a short ferry hop to Bellagio, or taking the train to Como and a longer ferry ride. You might do it as a loop if when you get to Bellagio, you want to flee the tourists. (I would head for Varenna, and return via Como). But do go to Bellagio.

I think touring the islands in Stresa is something to do if you happen to be staying in Stresa. I wouldn't do it ahead of seeing the view in Bellagio.

thanks for all the suggestions and nice photos!

maybe I'll choose Varenna instead the train would get there in an hour and it's cheaper than como and stresa!
but there is a problem T_T
just like when i try to buy a train ticket past june 13 (I leave for Italy June 18) for Monterosso in Cinque Terre, it will not let me go past the 13th of June for Varenna but it will let me for Como and Stresa,

it's very odd does anyone know why this is?

I would choose Orta over either. I don't understand the latest of your train issues.

Orta? hmm..maybe I'll think it over, wait what city near lake Orta?

ahh my train issues again, I dont think trains like me
ok, so on the trenitalia website, I want to book a ticket from Milano to Monterosso for Cinque Terre (or any of the stations, it doesn't matter) and I am trying to book either june 19 or june 21 but every time I try to search it says "No Solution Found" it only has tickets up until June 13. It also has this for Varenna when I try to book the 23 of June

Maybe I could understand this, if all of the site was like this, but it's letting me choose tickets to Stresa and Peschiera del Garda (for Gardaland) those same days, it's confusing me
maybe you could shed some light on this?

I should also say the RailEurope site has the tickets available, which is making me more confused
and I'd buy them if they weren't so much more than the Italian site, I realized this a little too late last time

You can buy the tickets for your daytrip from Milan in Milan. I think they're not showing the small local trains, such as those that run along the Cinque Terre or up to Varenna. But there are lots of trains along these routes. No need to book ahead.

Personally, I would do the two lakes and skip Cinque Terre.

You needn't buy your train tickets in advance. It's easy enough to get them at the station once you arrive.

Trains to Varenna run every two hours from Milan; no need for seat reservations and tickets easily bought at the station in Milan.

The ferry dock for boats over to Menaggio and Bellagio is an easy ten-minute walk all downhill from the Varenna-Esino rail station.