HI all,

We will be spending a few hours in Bellagio as part of our Lake Como tour.

Does anyone know where the public parking lots are?

Do we just park on the street?

Thanks.

Hmmm ! Not too much to be had. There is a small lot in town but is always full. How do plan to get there? If from the west shore I would park in Menaggio and not mess with the car. If inland from Como, that road used to be really bad--may have improved lately.

Hi Bob,

Coming up the 583 along the Western shore of Lake Lecco.

It must depend on when you are there. There are public carparks with reasonable capacity, and not too expensive.

We visited in April, for a week, and had no problems any day. Even on market day, when the main carpark was used, there was no problem with street parking further away from the town centre / ferry wharf.

Hi; We stayed three days in Bellagio in late April and parking was not a problem. We parked on the street in front of our hotel and that was right in front of the 'lake'. There may have been a parking lot at the end of the street parking. I think the later in the year your tour is, parking will be a problem. Getting into town as early in the day as possible will help. We drove both sides of the 'crotch, as Italians call it' and you have probibly been on many similar narrow roads. Great scenery ENJOY Iris

There are metered spaces near the Ferry and numerous choices as you climb upwards. Some of the public parking areas for residents in higher locations are meterless. Finding a space depends on time of day and time of year. I'm sure you know the deal.

Thanks folks.

Am I correct, that I can find parking at the Ferry Wharf and walk around the town from there?

If so, do I have to feed the meter every hour, or can I pay for 3-4 hrs at once?

What time of year will you be visiting, Ira?

You can always park outside the main part of town and walk to the center. Also, there is more than one ferry dock.

<i><font color=blue>&quot;there is more than one ferry dock&quot;</font></i>

They're all next to each other, ending with the car ferry.

<i><font color=blue>&quot;I can find parking at the Ferry Wharf and walk around the town from there&quot;</font></i>

If you're lucky to find a space, yes. The proximity is no different from exiting a ferry and walking through the town. Just keep in mind the town of Bellagio goes up. Bellagio is not huge, either, but it is a mountain-side town. Many people walk the whole place in a day. But if you park further up the mountain and park in a residential neighborhood, you have to be prepared for the up-and-down hike as you discover the place. (I wore white New Balance walkers with white linen slacks. I was in heaven.)

<i><font color=blue>&quot;do I have to feed the meter every hour, or can I pay for 3-4 hrs at once&quot;</font></i>

There are many single meter machines that cover specific parking areas. You purchase a ticket by paying for the hours that you selected on the meter. You place the ticket on your dash board for easy viewing. Many parking places are color-coded, indicating the time-of-day you are permitted to park there. Some spaces are marked for residents only.

Some parking sections don't have meters but they'll have a sign indicating which cafe nearby will sell you a ticket. The tickets are nothing more than adding machine white paper with the expiration time and the amount you paid.

Parking around the Lake Como hot spots is very civilized, a happy discovery. Nothing to fear or stress over.

Thank you, NYCT.

Just what I needed.

The ferry docks are next to each other?!! I have to laugh when I remember how I rushed from one dock to another and back again, looking for my friends who were arriving on a ferry from Menaggio! &quot;Next to each&quot; other can cover a lot of ground! There is one dock at the end of town on the road to Villa Melzi and a central dock in the center of town..

<i><font color=blue>&quot;The ferry docks are next to each other?!! I have to laugh when I remember how I rushed from one dock to another and back again&quot;</font></i>

Catch your breath, dear. Ira has a ton of travel experience and he can imagine the size of the ferry boats and the real estate required to dock them. Plus, there's all kinds of other docks for the many boats that visit this special place. Bellagio's Ferry Station (<i>Navigazione Laghi</i is a busy, popular port, with every ferry on the lake making a stop at Bellagio.

Bellagio's main dock, in front of Hotel Du Lac, is pictured on Google Satellite view. The car ferry dock, which is huge and often unloads people who aren't in cars, is a little further south, but in the same &quot;dock&quot; vicinity.

By merely saying &quot;there is more than one ferry dock&quot; to someone who doesn't know the area, suggests there might be ferry docks scattered about land's edge, and that simply is not the case. Bellagio has one port-of-call for Lake Como's <i>Navigazione Laghi</i> fleet and I felt clarification of this detail was needed to help Ira and others.

As a travel researcher, I look for specifics. The devil is always in the details.

ps It should be noted, not all of Bellagio is on hill. The waterfront holds much to see and is fairly flat walking, from Villa Serbelloni at the north to Villa Melzi down south. Bellagio is special and filled with charm. It's not to be missed.

leave your car in the City of Como and take the ferries, that's the best way to enjoy the lake and all the towns.
We took ferries and buses and left the driving to the pros...wonderful place to view the scenery instead of the roads

Yes, I had to stop and catch my breath several times when rushing from dock to dock!

Thanks for the further clarification, NYCT.

I can picture the whole town, now.

(With the help of google.)

There is a parking lot near the que and ramp area for the car ferry. There are a few parking spaces along the lake edge in front of the shops [This area is one-way, flow from the North going south]. There is a parking lot at the top of the hill by the chruch. There is parking on both sides of the street at the top of the ridge where that road runs south, out of Bellagio.

There is a big parking lot in the area of the Bellagio Lido (on the 583). You should be able to find a space there and the walk is really too far.

There is also parking in Mennagio.

Thanks for the detailed info, BR

<i><font color=blue>&quot;leave your car in the City of Como and take the ferries, that's the best way to enjoy the lake and all the towns.&quot;</font></i>

I disagree.

I've celebrated my birthday, a three-week visit/three years in a row, in Lake Como and I've done it with and without a car. There is no question, Lake Como is a perfectly enjoyable experience without a car. If you don't want the hassle and expense of a car rental, Lake Como remains idyllic.

However, if you love adventure, if driving in Italy does not intimidate you, if you love watching the sun rise and set from a mountain top, and if you love exploring life (and food) above the main drag, there is no luxury quite like the luxury of having a car in Lake Como. Frankly, the best food in Lake Como is higher up. Yes, you can taxi and/or car service to these hidden jewels but it's so much more enjoyable to drive yourself.

Ira's only spending a few hours in Bellagio. Depending on where he's coming from and heading to after Bellagio, leaving the car in Como (or Menaggio) isn't a bad idea. I'd still drive all the way to Bellagio, but the ferry does let you see the lakeside towns from the water.

<i><font color=blue>&quot;the ferry does let you see the lakeside towns from the water&quot;</font></i>

The views from the water are such a lovely sight. They must not be missed. The car ferry offers these views as well. Driving on and off is such a treat. And, if you rent a convertible, you can lunge your seat back, hike up your Tuleh skirt, stretch your bare naked, tan legs and feel completely decadent as you soak those views in. (I better be careful. I think there's a photo of me floating around the internet. Maybe it's a good thing you can't post pictures here.)

I doubt Ira shaves his legs but, hey, you never know.