We'll stay in Milan for two days in late December. We plan to spent one day in Milan and take a day trip to Lake Como. Is it worth it to go to Lake Como during the winter?

Where on Lake Como? Would you still go if the weather is bad? What did you want to do there (or do you just want to "see" the lake)?

Hi JW - Lake Como is just as beautiful in winter as summer (- I once spent a wonderful week there in January).

Weather permitting, I'd certainly go!

Steve

Make your decesion when you are there - it depends on the weather. On a sunny day, the lake makes a good scenery with the snow-covered mountains around. But with rain & fog - forget it.

Thank you for all your replies. We want to go to Varenna and take a ferry to Bellagio. We just want to see some scenery and not spent two days in Milan city. Are any resturant open there during winter? If the weather is not good what is a good option for a day trip from Milan?

Well, lots of Italians live in Bellagio, so I'm guessing you won't go hungry.

"Lots of Italians live in Bellagio." That's true in theory as Bellagio is geographically a much larger place than tourists realize, but the year-round residents don't live in the tourist area near the ferry dock. Depending on the day of the week, there may be a restaurant or two open in the ferry area, but you won't have a problem with choice. Most of the shops near the dock will be closed for the season.

There will probably be more restaurants open in Varenna, but even there the restaurants figure out among themselves which will be open on what day(s) during the off season.

Menaggio, in contrast, is a larger town where many hotels and most restaurants are open year-round.

If you got an early start from Milan, you could easily walk around all three towns and have a nice lunch in Menaggio. When you get to Varenna, check the posted ferry schedule and plot out your day.