sobster

My husband and I are traveling to the lake region of Italy in September and want to know whether we should stay around Lake Como or Lake Maggiore. Also, whether Belaggio is a good choice for a town to stay in. Thanks, K

Big_Red

Bellagio is a good choice for a town to stay in. There is frequent (and convenient) boat service to the east and west sides of the lake.

We stay in Varenna (nearby) when we go, so I can't make any specific Bellagio recommendations for you.

Do you plan to have a car?
Do want a fast paced or slow paced vacation?
How many days are you thinking about?
How much do typically spend on a hotel room?

Wayne

You really couldn't go wrong staying on either lake. You probably know that Bellagio is a rather heavily touristed town, but it is certainly still a lovely place. At least some of your decision needs to be based on whether you want to stay in one spot or take lots of side trips.

Bellagio is great for side trips to other parts of Lake Como via boat, but it's not such a great location if you want to travel by car to other places.

bookchick

Last year, I stayed in Baveno on Lake Maggiore and really loved it. It did not seem terrifically "touristy", and there was very regular ferry service to the islands on the lake. However, having driven over to Como, I can't say you could go wrong in the Lake District. I personally didn't find Bellagio very auto-friendly, and also found a LOT of tourists there last June.

Buon Viaggio,
BC

nessundorma

Lago Maggiore and Lago di Como are very different lakes. Lago di Como has a legendarily beautiful view (justly so) and historic villas and gardens, and is a destination for wealthy Italians and romantics as well as hordes of (understandably) gawking tourists. Lago Maggiore is the largeest of the Italian lakes and its main attraction is three quite nice islands, with gardens and villas, hikes in the mountains above its shores (reachable by cable car) and a long waterfront promenade overseen by some very grand 19th century hotels with enormous crystal chandeliers and sweeping staircases: It was once a favored destination of the British and others to enjoy a month on the lake in grand style. There is a international music festival there every year.

If you stay in Stresa or Baveno with a car, you can also easily visit Lago di Orta and also Milano if you feel like it. If you stay on Como, you can visit other towns on that particular lake, but not much else.

classiqueP29

Its worth noting that both lakes have v. different feels to them. Lago di Maggiore is largely frequented by British and American tourists. And you can most definitely get by without speaking Italian at almost all public places. Lake Como is much more Italian and the atmosphere depends on where you are staying. I stay in Como typically right off the water, b/c there's access to water taxis and there's always the funiculor to the view offered by Brunate. Bellagio is at the center of the lake and therefore offers an ideal vantage point for further travel, but it is rather ritzy. Hope this helps!

classiqueP29

Here are some excellent websites to look into: www.stresa.net and www.bellagiolakecomo.com and some articles at www.initaly.com! I stayed in Stresa at Maggiore and overall, LOVED my stay. Visiting the Borromeo Islands is a must, they're gorgeous (palazzo & gardens on Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori for the quaint/intimate feel of a fishing village)! Walking by the lake during both night and day is lovely and for a better view of the area, you can always take the cable car up Mount Mottarone for a glimps of the Alps. In my personal opinion, Maggiore was much more laid back and relaxing while Como had a bustling city feel and decent nightlife.

nessundorma

classique,

Are your referring to the town of Como? Most of the other places on the lake, such as Bellagio, Varenna, etc. -- are not very bustling or urban. Menaggio has more going on in it, but it's still a lakeside resort.

classiqueP29

Yes, sorry I did not specify! And I would recommend the Hotel Metropole & Suisse off the Piazza Cavour.

JeanneB

May I piggyback a related Lakes region question?

We are going to Florence, Tuscany Rome in mid April and can squeeze in 2 more nights at the beginning of the trip. Thinking about flying into Milan early a.m. and spending those 2 nights at the Lakes. Then on to Florence.

Would 2 nights at the Lakes be worth it by the time we transfer from Milan? Is there any direct bus from MXP to the Lakes--maybe Como?

bobthenavigator

The lakes are always worth it--except in bad weather. I would suggest staying at Varenna--that means a bus into Milano Centrale and then a train to Varenna--each is about an hour.

nessundorma

Personally, I'd rather spend the two nights in Milano or Stresa/Baveno, just because it is easier travel-wise. Something to consider is how you handle jet lag, or how much money you are willing to spend to get to the lake.

Are you arriving on an overnight flight from the US? To get to Lago di Como when you are jet-lagged, the fastest way is a car service, which will cost you between 100-120 euros and take an hour minimum. Otherwise, you have to either take a bus to Milano Centrale and then catch a train to Varenna (nearly 3.5 hours usually), or take a complicted route using the Malpensa Xpress and switching to a train for Como (the town), where you catch a ferry to wherever it is on the lake you want to be. That's also several hours.

And then you don't know if the weather is going to be nice when you get there! Lago di Como, socked in fog or rain, is not the same as seeing it on a clearer day.

When you leave Lago di Como, you will have to go back to Milano to get to Firenze.

The views from Bellagio on Lago di Como are among the most beautiful views in the world, so if you want to risk it, by all means do.

If you'd like to relax after your flight and play it by ear, book yourselves into Milano and take a day trip to Bellagio if the weather is nice. If the weather is lousy, go see the Last Supper and a great museum (Milano has a few, large and small).

If you want to recover from your jetlag by a lake and enjoy some easy sightseeing, consider take the 50-minute bus ride from Malpensa to Stresa or Baveno on Lago Maggiore. Tour the Borromean Islands or take the cable car into the mountains for lovely views and hikes.

nessundorma

PS: I think the discrepancy between Bob's estimate of the travel time from Malpensa to Lago di Como and my estimate is that I am assuming that when you get to Milano Centrale, you will need time to buy a ticket and then will likely end up spending at least 45 minutes waiting for your train to depart the station.

JeanneB

We aren't usually too bothered by jet lag. Varenna sounds best with its train access. Sounds like we should allow about 4 hrs after landing. I'll do more research on Varenna. Thanks.

nessundorma

I should have added that there is a direct bus from Malpensa to Menaggio but last time I looked, it only left once a day at around noon. The bus trip takes about an hour.

LucieV

ttt for aelalj

Dayle

JeanneB,

We stayed at Lago Maggiore a few years ago for 2 nights and loved it. We could have used another night to take the ferry up to the Swiss side of the lake.

May, weather was perfect. Hotel Verbano on the tiny Isola dei Pescatore, lovely large room and bath, private terrace with fabulous views. Really enjoyed taking the boat to the other islands, plus up to Villa Taranto to see the gardens. It was 1 hour by train to Milano Centrale from Stresa, which is right across from Isola dei Pescatore.

Buon viaggio!