We plan to arrive in Bellagio on Friday, Oct 19 for 2 nights. I just noticed the website for the boats only gives timetables through 9/30. Do the boats run in October?

Should we expect a lot of business to be closed by then?

Boats run all year, but much less in October.
Generally, the third week of October is considered the week most places close down. I've neen to Bellagio in late Oct/early Nov and it was beautiful, much less crowded , cold and very closed down. I still loved it, but liked it more on my two June stays.

We'll be at the END of the 3rd wk. Sounds like we may be lonely.

Might have to re-think this.

Thanks.

Don't rethink! Our most recent visit was at the very end of October 2003, and we had perfect weather for three days. It rained a bit on the fourth day, and it was clear again on the day we left. It wasn't cold during our stay.

Yes, fewer hotels are open and not all restaurants are open every night (they work out a schedule among themselves), but there are no crowds and no smog which tends to drift north from Milan in warm weather.

We stayed at the Hotel du Lac in Varenna on this trip. I happen to think the views from Varenna are better than those from Bellagio, and we loved watching the sunsets from the hotel's terrace.

The only impact on our plans by the reduced ferry service was that we had to eat very early (7 pm) if we wanted to dine in Bellagio.

Thanks, Jean

That's encouraging. We actually could arrive the week before. But your tips encourage me that we can stick to the original schedule if preferred.

Very helpful post.

Oh, one other thing. When we leave, we wanted to pick up a car in Como, leaving very early in the a.m. Do you know what time the earliest "fast boat" leaves Bellagio for Como...or where I could find the schedule for October?

Alternatively, we could train Varenna to Lecco and p/up the car there.

Here's a link that may help: http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/c...ra_sr1b_e.html

It gives the spring schedule. I'd contact the ferry company and ask if it's the same as the fall/winter.

Hi, Jeanne - we are going to Italy the 3rd week of Oct, too. We planned on ending our trip in Bellagio around Oct. 27, but our top 3 hotel choices are all closed for the season. It was enough to make us rethink our plans and I think we're going to end up in Turin instead. Not that that helps you in any way.

JeanneB, as Jabez noted, the Navigazionelaghi website reflects the ferry and hydrofoil schedule through 9/30/07.

How early do you want to get to either Como or Lecco? How early is the car rental office open?

I'm guessing (and this is just a guess) that you could reach Como by 8 or 9 a.m., but you are dependent on the reduced hydrofoil off-season service. The journey takes about an hour.

If it were me, I'd sleep better with the more frequent year-round train service from Varenna to Lecco. There are 2-3 trains every hour starting at about 6 a.m., and the journey takes about 30 minutes. You might even ask your hotel how much a cab from Varenna to Lecco would cost.

I don't know what hotels CheBird tried, but I reiterate my recommendation of the Hotel du Lac in Varenna which was open during our last visit.

This Lake Como leg is about the most complicated I've ever tried to work out: Drive/train/or bus to get there? If drive, where park? Will boats be running frequently enough? If not, stay in Bellagio or on the shore where we park the car (if possible). Leaving by train/boat/car/donkey??? LOL!

It's really making my head hurt!

We always go to Europe in early May and mid October for two reasons:
1- Much less crowds
2- Generally nice weather

Como area is not really complex to plan. You have cars, trains, buses so just pick which you want. A car gives you much more flexibility to go wherever and whenever you want to go.

Como area is great in Oct

We went to area Como last two weeks in Oct in 2005. Stayed in Varenna on Lake Como. Practically had place to ourselves and weather except for morning fog was good for first few days. Restaurants and hotels were open. If memory serves the ferries ran about every half hour, but could be wrong. There was a planned 12 hour strike on day we wanted to use them. Was interesting ferry came around about 15 minutes before strike was supposed to end and docked but wouldn't let anyone on until it was over.

Went to Stresa on Lake Maggiore and truly had the place to ourselves. Several hotels and restaurants were closed. Weather was bad. Cool to cold and mist and light rain. Train and ferry to Locarno were closed. But was wonderful having place to ourselves.

Think first two weeks would be better.

Where are you coming from? Where will you be going after Lake Como? Will you be driving a car in the earlier part(s) of your trip? Do you need/want one for the next destination?

Although many say there is more flexibility when you have a car, I don't think flexibility always translates to a less stressful trip. There are places with good public transportation that are just easier without a car. For two days on Lake Como, a car isn't going to make it any easier to see the usual/main sights.

And the reduced ferry service is not going to seriously impact your ability to see the usual/main sights. Just look at the posted schedule and plan your day. The only time you absolutely must pay attention is if you choose to have dinner somewhere other than where you are staying, because if you miss the last ferry, well, you're stuck.

But if you do have a car, parking won't be a problem in late October. The Hotel du Lac in Varenna has its own parking lot, but all of the hotels will have accommodation somewhere.

Another vote for Hotel du Lac in Varenna--actually two, my husband and I went after I recommended it to a friend who stayed there and enjoyed it as well. Our other favorite is the GH Menaggio in Menaggio which may have a few more things open and is a somewhat larger town, but you'll want Varenna if you decide to leave by train.