Another question: There are 6 of us (3 couples).Is it better to train to Como and ferry to Bellagio ... OR, train to Varenna and ferry to Bellagio. We will be training up from Florence. And then best way from Bellagio to Malpensa airport ... we'll be traveling there to stay night before departure. Thanks!

bellagio - bus or ferry to Como and hop airport bus to Malpensa, taking about an hour for the bus.

in OP another scenario - train to Como and bus to Bellagio may be quickest of all.

Milan-Como San Giovanni, on main line to Switzerland but San Giovanni station is about a mile from the boat dock

or Milan Cordona station to Como, a different rail line that deposits you right at the boat dock but is much slower than the mainline Milano Centrale to Como San Giovanni.

With six of you, you should consider hiring a driver, especially for your journey to Malpensa. It would be cost effective and infinitely more reliable. It might also make sense to do the same from Milano Centrale if you all are toting a lot of luggage. Ask your Bellagio hotel to recommend car services.

Since you are spending so little time on the lake, you might consider spending the night in Como itself. Have lunch in Bellagio, but don't spend the night there. The view disappears after dark anyway, and many people think the food is better outside of Bellagio.

Besides Bellagio being one of the mega tourist mob scenes i've ever seen - Portofinoesque mobs being ejaculated off the lake boats throughout the day. Elbow-elbow, camera-camera at the port.

If this is your first trip to the lake (or even if it's your 10th): though it may be more time-efficient to hire a driver, there is something incomparably romantic about travelling by ferry from Como to the smaller towns (though Bellagio wouldn't be my first choice.)

As for your return trip to airport, I would definitely hire a driver. We had a 7:30am flight, and hired a driver from the village of Lenno to Malpensa -- worth every single euro. Took about 45 minutes early in the morning -- can take much longer, depending upon time of day.

We used Bestviaggi.com to arrange transfers back and forth from Malpensa to Bellagio. Ask for Antonio. I highly recommend their service.

From Florence by train, I think you will be arriving at Milano Centrale.

All involve luggage hassles in different ways. All trains require schlepping luggages up and down to get on and off.

From Milano Centrale:

1. Trenitalia to Varenna then ferry to Bellagio.

Varenna train station to Varenna ferry dock is hmmm.. about 200m? It is all downhill and very little traffic. I saw ONE taxi whose purpose seemed to shuttle people between the train station and the ferry dock.

Varenna to Bellagio boat runs roughly hourly until around 10pm. Since the direct boat is a car ferry, getting a luggage on the boat is a snap unless you want to sit upstairs.

2. Trenitalia to Como San Giovanni then bus/boat to Bellagio

San Giovanni is quite far from the boat dock. Also, need to schlep luggages thru boat ramp and again up and down the boat. The boat stops running around 6-7pm depending on day.

3. Transfer to Milano Cadorna by taxi/metro then to different Como station using a Ferrovie Nord train (not Trenitalia)

Once you get to Como train station, it is hmm.. about 300m to the boat dock. You walk on a busy sidewalk to the dock.

Thank you all for the advice - my first time using this forum and I'm very pleased with getting the personal experience from others.