As part of our first trip to Italy next year, we would like to explore the lake region in the north. Would Bellagio be a good base?
Or would anyone recommend a better place to stay? We are looking for a nice area and hotel (with views, if possible) but also good location for exploring the area. We love to walk, but will probably keep a rental car for day trips, unless it would be unnessary.We plan on being there end of May/early June and staying for about 5 days.
Any advice on location, sights not to miss, hotels, weather, car rental and other tid bits would be really appreciated!

Stay in Varenna! We just came back from Italy and stayed in Menaggio for four days. Menaggio is pretty, but we visited Varenna and Bellagio and while Bellagio is certainly beautiful, Varennna has a charm that is hard to beat. Plus, we felt there was more to do there. Check out the Castello di Vezio and the gardens of some of the villas in the area.

Everyone has his or her favorite based upon experience. We stayed in Bellagio for four nights late last September (just before many hotels, including the Hotel Florence where we stayed, closed for the season) and had a great time; Bellagio has a lot to see on foot and many good restaurants, along with regular ferry service to all points along the lake. Varenna was our favorite town to visit, but as nice as it was, it might be tough to fill 5 days there. Menaggio also worth the trip. In Bellagio, the Hotel Florence is lakeside with most rooms having lake views; just be sure to ask for one when you do your booking. It also has an outstanding restaurant on the lake where we had many long lunches.

Hotel Belvedere in Bellagio is terrific. Had a great time there last year - views are fantastic. If you do a search you will find nothing but positive comments about the hotel. Bellagio is a great place - personally I think the smaller towns are fun to visit but you would run out of things to do very quickly.

Klapenta -
check out my page on our trip to the lakes -
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/57...a/liguria.html
Perhaps it can help you...

BTW, my vote is for Bellagio, unless you are on a tight budget, which would give an advantage to Verrena or Mennagio.

One other advantage of staying in Bellagio is there are more direct ferry connections to other towns on the lake.
I also give an endorsement of the Belvedere Hotel in Bellagio.

I was at the Hotel Belvedere in Bellagio in early May and I highly recommend it. Bellagio is a centrally located spot from which to catch a ferry to the other mid-lake towns Verenna, Menaggio, Tremezzo. The Belvedere has great views and is a short walk down into the town where there are a lot of restaurants and shops. We had a car, but did not use it while we were there. And the free parking in front of the hotel is a nice little perk.
Lake Como is beautiful, but also get over and see Lake Garda.

OK, here's some more info.
Whereas Bellagio may, or may not, "have more ferry connections" Varenna has a direct rail connection to Milan (1 hr 20 minutes) and ferry connections.
Menaggio is the largest, geographically, of the three places mentioned. Bellagio is certainly beautiful but Varenna, to me, seems more typical of a small Italian town.
There seems to be more nightlife in Bellagio and there are also more tourists but at the time of year you are visiting that may not be an issue for you.
The views from the Belvedere, IMO, aren't necessarily any better than the views from the DuLac in Varenna.
Overall you may be better off in Bellagio although it is not large, none of them really are, and I don't think any of them, alone, would fill "several" days for you.
Depending on where you want to make your day trips you may or may not need a rental care for this period.
The towns and other spots on the lake which are reachable by ferry can easily occupy your entire time there.

I don't want to start a debate, but Bellagio does have more direct ferries to other towns. It's not a case of "may, or may not"; it's a fact. And, that feature is a distinct advantage for staying in Bellagio.
Don't get me wrong, we loved Varenna, but Bellagio is a much more convenient town to base yourself in for a variety of reasons.

Views from the Du Lac in Varenna are spectacular, and the town has its charm. But if you want to be in one place from which it is easiest to explore the lake, then you want to be in Bellagio.

However, before you get too distracted by the debate of Bellagio v. Varenna v. Menaggio, keep in mind that the ferry ride is less than 15 minutes from Bellagio to either side of the lake.

You might like to take a look at some pictures of Varenna at

http://www.richardconroy.org/Pics/Italy/Varenna/

wow. J.

Thank you all so much. What a great help. Pretty sure our base will be Bellagio. Can anyone tell me if and why we might need a car? Besides sightseeing around the lake which sounds fantastic, should we see anything else while we are there? Should we plan on driving into Switzerland from there and is it worth the time away from the lake?And if we do not pick up a rental car in Milan when we fly in, what is the best way to get transported to Bellagio?
Still trying to decide on "the perfect hotel", too.

to IMW44
I tried to look at your pictures, but all I get are the directories and listing of each picture in words. Tried to double click on them & nothing happens--any ideas?

We just returned from a 2 night stay in Varenna and loved the Hotel Du Lac. We visited Bellagio and liked the town, but felt Varenna was a bit quiter which worked for our purposes as the first 2 nights of our Honeymoon. Bellagio certainly is fabulous, but just bigger which might help for 5 days.

One thing I really really wanted to do that we didn't fit in was the visit the Madonna Del Ghisallo Chapel, high above Bellagio, which is a top destination for cycling lovers since it is the partron saint of cyclins and it has tons of cycling jerseys, bikes etc...from the top races and racers in the world.

Actually, I'd say that having a car would be more advantageous if you were staying in Mennagio, since it's right there on the major road to Lugano and parts west. Driving around the lake and up the peninsula to Bellagio is knid of a pain. But I don't want to talk you out of Bellagio...it's a very pretty spot. One of my favorites.

I don't think you'd go wrong with any of those three towns, because of the frequent ferries and good hotel options in each.

And did someone say pictures? I got pix of all three, right here:

http://community.webshots.com/album/111426084EaGejG

http://www.richardconroy.org/Pics/It...arenna%208.jpg

Hi, klapenta, sorry you're having trouble accessing the richard conroy photographs. Yesterday they were easy; today I'm having trouble as well. Try the link above. Or maybe try via altavista. That's how I came upon them the first time. They are really beautiful. J.

I would like to find some bicycle or pedestrian tracks around the lake for our September visit to the Belvedere in Bellagio.

We stayed in Varenna for four days in early May! What a wonderful treat. Albergo Milano is a gem of a hotel. The view of lake Como from our room was a dream come true. Also the food at the hotel was truly gourmet. We took the ferry to Bellagio and enjoyed it but I liked the quiet setting of Varenna better.
www.varenna.net

OK, I just looked at some of those richard conroy shots. Dang, that's some top-notch stuff.

Look at this one in the mountains:
http://www.richardconroy.org/Pics/It...la%20Vista.jpg

If I live to be 100, I'll never take a shot that nice.

Aren't they incredible?