Lake Como / Lugano in early March
 

Hello to all. I'm planning a one-week trip to Venice/Milan in early March and wanted to take a day trip to the northern lakes region. Does this area see much tourism in the winter?

I'd especially like to visit the town of Lugano.

Do the trains and ferries run on limited schedules this time of year?

Thanks!

Early March is very early. It is off season, so Lugano as a busy (small) city is a good choice if you want to see the lakes region.

The ferries do indeed run on limited schedule, the trains on regular schedule. If you are planning to do only a day trip you won't be able to do a ferry ride. Not enough time IMO.

I.

Idnas - Have you thought of doing it as a round trip to include both Lugano and Lake Como?

You could spend the morning in Lugano, then take a bus to Menaggio on Lake Como. (It's a very scenic ride along Lake Lugano and over the top to Menaggio, and takes about an hour).

You could then take a ferry across the lake to Varenna ... and return to Milan by train from there.

Or vice versa.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Thank you, Ingo and Steve, for your helpful replies.

I would love to include as much variety of the lakes area as possible in one day. Lugano is especially intriguing to me, I guess partly because it's in Switzerland. To tell you the truth, I'm still quite confused about all the different options right now. There are so many threads on this forum that I have printed out and am trying to decide what would work best for me.

I am willing to leave Milan very early and return very late... would someone like to present some itinerary ideas to me on how best to spend my one day? It would probably be Monday, March 14. I enjoy scenery very much, dining and shopping are secondary.

Steve, your idea of spending the morning in Lugano, bus to Lake Como and ferry to Varenna sounds very nice. Can you expand a little on that? Will the transportation options be pretty flexible in early March?

Thanks so much!

On thinking it through, I'd probably do it the other way round - Lake Como first and then end up at Lugano for the afternoon - if only because the bus stop is central in Menaggio. Lugano would also be nice after dark after you wanted to stay longer.

Here's how I'd do it:

MILAN-VARENNA:
I'd get the 08.15 train from Milano Centrale, which arrives Varenna at 09.18.

.......

There are ferries from Varenna to Bellagio as well as Menaggio - so you could spend time in Bellagio as well.

You can find ferry timetables on:
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/itali...indicecomo.htm
Timetables are valid until 26.03.2005

It lists weekday ferries from:
VARENNA-BELLAGIO
deps. 10.25 and 10.55

and

BELLAGIO-MENAGGIO
deps. 11.55 and 12.35

If you prefer to skip Bellagio, there are direct ferries from:
VARENNA-MENAGGIO
deps. 10.15 and 11.30

.......

You can find the bus timetable (C12) for MENAGGIO-LUGANO at:
http://www.sptlinea.it/pdf/C12.pdf

Departures are from Piazza Garibaldi.
Buy tickets before boarding and validate them on the bus.

I'd probably aim for the 13.52 or 14.35 from Menaggio.
Journey time to Lugano is about 1 hour.

.......

There are trains from LUGANO back to MILANO CENTRALE at:

18.06
19.06
20.06
21.48

The first 3 are Intercity trains which take 1hr 30mins

The 21.48 is a CIS train which takes 57 mins.

Ref -
www.trenitalia.it

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Steve,

Thanks for your ideas. You have helped me several times in the past on Italy (Rome/Paestum in 2002) and I appreciate the personal advice.

Ciao!