We are planning a week in Bellagio...is there enough to do to fill a week?

We easily filled two weeks on one trip. Ferries take you all over the lake which we did. Lots of great walks too.

Depends on persons - Myself I stayed in Como four nights and was ready to move on - others like Happy found lots more they wanted to do. If wanting a divergence then you could easily day trip to Milan or Lugano, Switzerland by train - Como also I found a very neat old regional town fairly untarnshed by tourism.

Could also do a long but awesome day trip to the Bernina Pass via train and back - totally awesome place - take boat to Varenna-Esino and train to Tirano and then Bernina Exress or regular trains over same route to the summit area - totally awesome and to me the most dramatically scenic train ride in Europe:

https://www.google.com/search?q=bern...w=1280&bih=631

Get off at summit stations and do a short walk around a pristine glacier-fed lake to the tip of a glacier!

Really easily done on your own the whole trip and not that expensive - for lots on Bernina Pass Railway check https://www.rhb.ch/en/panoramic-trains/bernina-express: https://www.seat61.com/BerninaExpress.htm; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Note there is the official Bernina Express trains with fancy doilies on seats and commentary en route but regular trains you just buy tickets on a Tirano go over the same route. And no need to go to St-Moritz but summit stations then turn around.

Well, just a thought if you wish to add something totally awesome of Alpine experience and though lots of trains so so pretty.

I think it depends, a lot, on what you like to do. We are thinking of returning to Lake Como next June for four nights; sometimes just sitting and looking at the lake can be relaxing and fulfilling. Does it have to be a whole week?

I've been to Lake Como multiple times and never run out of things to do/see, but I admit I'm a slow traveler so I don't see as much in a day as some people.

Personally, the round-trip Bernina Express idea doesn't appeal to me. Yes, the scenery is awesome, but it's too many hours sitting on trains for me. One way is much more appealing.
Needless to say, it's critical that you're back in Varenna in time to catch a ferry to Bellagio, or you'll be stuck on the "wrong" side of the lake.

If you want to make a trip away from the lake, Lugano and Bergamo are relatively close.

Needless to say, it's critical that you're back in Varenna in time to catch a ferry to Bellagio, or you'll be stuck on the "wrong" side of the lake.>

Are there buses Varenna-Bellagio - thought so but boat may be quicker. Yes Bernina is a long day but if always wanting to see Swiss Alps at their most majestic...but yes several hours on trains - driving could cut that time a bit probably.

After four trips there we still haven't seen all there is to do.

I started a thread about 6 years ago which had a lot of links and suggestions about things to do around the lake. I have no doubt even more can be found online for local things to see and do.

There is a UNESCO world heritage site across the lake, above Ossuccio. That is a nice way to spend a morning - a nice walk up into the hills, to visit the sanctuary/church.

Above Bellagio are some nice mountain roads and at the top a church/shrine dedicated to cycling.

A number of villas all around the lake.

One thing to keep in mind is that the pace is a lot slower because you will be taking boats to get to most places - so you'll need more time to see things because it takes a while to get there. All the ferry rides are delightful.


Found it! Eight years ago, eek.

Third time visitor to Lake Como seeks new things to do and see.

"Are there buses Varenna-Bellagio - thought so but boat may be quicker."
Varenna and Bellagio are across the lake from one another, a 15-minute crossing. To travel by land would require many hours and multiple connections.

No one ever mentions going to Como??? To me was a highlight of the whole lake - I actually based there and preferred it to completely overrun by tourists places like Bellagio - which during day was one of biggest mob scenes I've ever seen small town tons of tourists - not quite as bad as Portofino but almost. Folks who stay the night say though after day-trippers have fled the town can be so serene. Not sure why day trippers even go to Bellagio - the town itself was IME wholly plastic with tourist shops, etc - especially around the boat dock.

Yeah buses look impractical but there are always water taxis I'm sure.

Pal, we liked the old section of the city of Como but that end of the lake is not anywhere as scenic as the mid section. We went from one end of the lake to the other, having lunch or just visiting the many towns. Walked between some of them too. We have also enjoyed visiting Lake Maggiore and Lake Garda.

We easily filled 10 days at the Tremezzo Grand Hotel directly across the lake from Bellagio.

Took the boats to all the small towns around the lake. Did a beautiful drive to Lugano, Switzerland.
The only town we didn’t like was Como.

Sans car a nice way to go to Lugano for the day is to boat to Menaggio then hop buses from to Lugano. fstest ones take about 1 h 45 but a scenic route thru hills and down to Lake Lugano.

Whereas there are "many things that CAN be done" I think it is the rare visitor who is interested in all of them. I gave up hiking after I retired from the Army (and I probably should be doing it again It is a great place especially if you, for once, do not overplan it.

I've stayed there twice a week each time and loved the time there. We took day trips across the lake, to Villa D'este, the ferry then bus to Lugano, Switzerland, and just took it easy in town as well. We had self catering and enjoyed getting provisions at the local shops. But for us it was a place to relax and slow down and enjoy the views.

We stayed six nights at Grand Hotel Tremezzo which has beautiful views of Bellagio. We went to Bellagio once for their shops. It was very crowded as was Varenna. We found Tremezzo much more peaceful. We took lots of ferry rides around the lake, rented a boat one afternoon, took a seaplane ride, visited Villa Carlotta and Villa del Balbianello, and did lots of hiking and swimming in the pool. We loved it.

In summer, the last Bellagio bound ferries leave Varenna at 11pm and Cadenabbia at midnight.

We based in Bellagio and loved it. FWIW, here is my TR...Bellagio at the end:

Turin, Spoleto, Bologna and Bellagio TR

I just re-read the TR. This might be a better link for photos:
The album cover shows the wine and cheese dinner menu.

Well, the album came up instead of the link.