Looking for boat on Lake Como
 

We will be spending three nights on Lake Como, having rented an apartment in Torno. We know many people prefer mid-lake but we thought this might be quieter and Torno seems to have some nice restaurants. We would certainly like to spend time out on the lake; we realize ferries may be an option, but what about a small boat with a captain? There will be four of us and we will be there mid-May. This is our first time on Lake Como. Would be grateful for any advice.

You don't have google?

https://lakecomotravel.com/boat-tours-ferry-lake-como/

the problems appears to be finding boat tours from Torno and we won't have a car. I also looked on trip advisor as well as google and while they list many private boat tours, when you select "Torno" as your departure point, they don't have anything. I am hoping someone who perhaps has stayed in Torno will have some information? Perhaps I should have put that in the title of my post.

Try going to the tripadvisor.com forums (Italy>Lake Como>perhaps Torno). Generally there are people that can answer something about less touristed places.

This is, of course, an issue that comes along with staying in a less touristed destination, and one without a ferry stop. No car and no ferry stop seems and sounds quiet, but it may not be easy to find that boat or captain. Have you written to your landlord or accomodations? How about the Torno tourist information office?

A private boat will be costly. At the kind of rates private tours generally go for, I can't imagine that an operator wouldn't come and pick you up in Torno. I assume there's a dock, no?

I would email the operators you've found through Google and tripadvisor. Good luck.

>>> we realize ferries may be an option
Not much of an option.
The issue with that location is that it makes a poor base if you don't have a car or your own boat.
You can only see the off-season ferry schedule valid up to mid March at this time.
During the high season, if 2019 is like other years, limited number of boats would head to the mid-lake from Torno. Another option to head to the mid-lake is to take a land bus from Torno to Bellagio or the city of Como from where there are many boats heading to all directions. You can also head back to the city of Como on a more frequent boat.
Study the high season ferry schedule when it comes out with a help from the local to make sure you are looking at the correct boat schedule sorting out which runs on the specific day of interest.

Thank you for the help and I will follow ALL this advice. Starting with contacting the person renting us the apartment. Also, taking a bus to get to a more "happening" location to get a ferry is another option as well. Maybe both!

Hi there! If you can get yourself to Varenna, (bus to Bellagio and ferry to Varenna), where we stayed in late September, you can rent a boat for the day like we did. It was very casual, not very expensive (I think we paid $200 euros for a half day). Easy navigating, they give you a map with all the villas listed, and you are captain for the day!
Varenna Rent a Boat ? Enjoy the Lake of Como

I think that the fine people of Lake Como will be much better off if I don't drive a boat! Those darn things don't have brakes! We are at an age that we have now pretty much given up renting cars in foreign countries and are trying our best to maintain our driving abilities here in the US. But certainly your price point is more appealing. The prices I'm looking at right now (from our "landlord" and from our travel agent) are pretty jaw-dropping. Almost three times at much as much as we will be spending for a private boat with captain off Cinque Terre! I have no idea why the price points are so drastically different. I got two guide books from the library today and there was no help at all in either of them. Last year off the Gulf Coast of Florida we engaged a book with driver/guide for 4 hours and it was $450.That's the same ballpark more or less as what we're looking at from Cinque Terre. But Como? My goodness! It's quite a bit more!!!

BOAT with driver not book with driver!

There is a ferry stop at Torno, but the infrequency of service heading north will probably mean you'll have a hard time seeing much in a day. Currently showing winter timetables:

http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/doc/p...18_2019_sb.pdf

http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/doc/p...I2018_2019.pdf

ASFautolinee operates the bus service between Como and Bellagio, with stops at Torno. Line C30.

https://www.asfautolinee.it/wr-resou...bck=wrReq93922

If you want to search lines and timetables to other destinations:

https://www.asfautolinee.it/content/...-network-times

Thank you, Jean! I think the bus might be our best option

Since you are not traveling until May, it might be best to find a different apartment or a hotel in a town on the lake with more frequent ferry service.