TO PALEN:

Highest mountains around Lake Hallstatt:
Dachstein 9825 ft
Bischofsmuetze 8070 ft
Krippenstein 6920 m

Highest mountains around Lake Como:
Pizzo Ligoncio 9940 ft
Pizzo Legnone 8560 ft
Pizzo Paglia 8530 ft

Highest lift station around Lake Hallstatt: Krippenstein 6760 ft
Highest lift station around Lake Como: La Bocca 4270 FT
H8ighest railway station around Lake Hallstatt: Koppenbruellerhoehle 1740 ft
Highest railway station around Lake Como: Monte Generoso 5570 ft

There are some serious hikes above Menaggio, especially a lot of ascent. I think here are refugios too for hardcore trekkers who want to go on multi day treks.

I had a car and I drove up and over, towards Lugano. You can also reach the top of the cable car in Argegno by car and then drive onwards to the Balcony of Italy, which looks down on the Swiss side.

Then drive down towards Lake Lugano, towards Porlezza.

scrb11
is right: there are tons of rifugi all along Lake from Como/Chiasso via Sasso Gordona - Monti di Tremezzo - Gazzirola - San Jorio Pass to Pianezza - and then further on along the Swiss border to Lake Truzzo - Spluegen Pass - Lake Acquafraggia - Albigna - Bernina.....

Still think Hallstatt more impressive for close-up mountains. I stayed several days on Lake Como and don't recall snowcapped peaks close to the lake but maybe time of visits made a difference.

Hallstatt:

https://www.google.com/search?q=hall...w=1879&bih=922

Lake Como:

https://www.google.com/search?q=lake...w=1879&bih=922

and yes Lake Como's mountains are more awesome than I recall- anyway Lake Hallstatt is a tiny pond compared to Lake Como - so there is really little comparison between the two - both are very scenic.

There aren't cable cars like Krippenstein at Lake Como.

But as you drive up from Menaggio towards Porlezza, you get some impressive views over the lake, including Bellagio.

" I stayed several days on Lake Como and don't recall snowcapped peaks close to the lake"

There is a obvious reason for that: the climate in the Salzburgerland is colder and more rainy than around Lake Como. End May you will have blooming rhododendron flowers at altitudes of 1600 metres around Lake Como and snow at the same altitudes around Lake Hallstatt.

" There aren't cable cars like Krippenstein at Lake Como"
Of course not. The only good viewpoint of easy access (cog wheel railway) above Lake Como is Monte Generoso, 1700 metres above sea level, with views down to more than half a dozen lakes and a mountain panorama from France up to Austria.
Lake Maggiore has much more lifts into the mountain area: Cardada-Cimetta, Comino, Piana Vigezzo, Rasa, Pila, and a bit farther away: San Carlo - Robiei/Basodino glacier as well as Macugnaga - Monte Moro and Macugnaga - Belvedere Glacier.
There are also some lifts in the lower, not alpine, part of Lake Maggiore:
Mottarone, Sasso del Ferro, Monte Lema, Monteviasco, Alpe Foppa.

How about taking train or bus from Como to Lugano - I took a postal bus from Lugano up into small Alps - not soaring peaks but a real Swiss look and feeling and can see snow-capped Alps in distance.