I am traveling by car to Lake como in early July. Is traffic to Bellagio very heavy? Which town should I stay in?
apart from Como, would you choose Lake Garda or Lake Maggiore. We're looking to relax and not interested in any particular sport
Thanks!

There is no need to travel by car to Bellagio, but if you do, you should park it at your hotel and not use it. You can easily get around the small village on foot, and travel to nearby towns and villages is most enjoyable by boat.

All of the lakes are lovely and relaxing. Lake Como is one of my favorite places in the world, and IMO, one of the most beautiful. Bellagio is a lovely little town, so is Varenna, and if you're not looking for much to do, either would fit the bill.

There are also a couple of nice hotels in Menaggio. i agree with not needing the car once you get there and I would also advise as to the real possibility of driving to either Varenna or Menaggio and ferrying yourself and the car over from there.

We always book hotels months in advance.
However, we have been told that Lake Como hotels often book up during peak season.

Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio are probably the mosr popular destinations. All three towns have frequent ferry and boat service. Varenna is much like an ideal small Italian town. Bellagio is mostly about tourism (there is a Bellagio hotel and casino in Las Vegas), Mennagio is a market town (and the turn for road traffic to Switzerland). The best town for you depends on what you are looking for.

We drove to Bellagio from Malpensa airport with no problem. Traffic wasn't bad. You catch a car ferry to Bellagio and once there we only used the car once to drive the dreaded inland road to Como, it was an experience! We had a car since we were traveling to SML and other parts of Italy. If you are only visiting the lake region and will not need a car afterwards, consider a driver or other transportation to the region. You won't need a car.

Big_Red, it's not Bellagio's fault that somebody in Las Vegas decided to name a hotel after it. Do not confuse the LV hotel/casino with the town in Italy. Bellagio is a pretty little town, a bit on the expensive side compared with other towns on Lake Como, but ideally situated for visiting the mid-Lake Como area. Bellagio and Lake Como, nestled in the Alps and studded with villas, are beautiful places, a long shot from the Nevada desert.

If you drive to Bellagio, pick a hotel with parking (like the Belvedere). However, I think the more popular hotels would already be booked for July...you'd have to hope for a cancellation.
*If* the Italian lake hotels you're interested in are all booked, consider going just over the border to the Lugano area in Switzerland. You might more options there. Or Locarno, which is on Maggiore (although we prefer Lugano). As an example, this is one hotel we like in Lugano: http://www.delfinolugano.ch/hoteleservizi/index.cfm
you could travel to Lake Como from Lugano by train or post bus if you don't want to drive. Just a suggestion in case you can't find what you want in the Italian lakes.

Mimar,

Thanks for trying to put me on the right path.
We have been to Lake Como twice and will go back with our next trip to Europe. Bellagio is a fine town, one of our favorites ( I have lots of photos of Bellagio).