Bellagio - Lake Como
The idyllic town of Bellagio, combined with the picturesque beauty of Lake Como, is truly “a dream within a dream” (to borrow a phrase from the classic “Princess Bride”).
We have driven around the entire shoreline of the lake and stopped in many towns, but our favorite place to stay is Bellagio. Yes, it is a popular spot for tourists, but you just can’t beat its location right in the center of the lake, where everything else is so accessible. Plus, I really think it is the prettiest of all the villages. The waterfront area is simply divine, and most days, late in the afternoon, you would find us there under the shade of the wisteria trees, with a glass of Prosecco in hand while we decided where to eat dinner that night.
The old part of Bellagio is pedestrian only, so if you drive there, you will need to find parking on the edge of town and then walk in (unless you stay at one of the more expensive hotels with parking). Fortunately, the accommodation we stayed in each time included a parking spot, with just a short walk to the apartment from there.
We have stayed in the same apartment three times now, because of its fantastic location on Salita Serbelloni – the first staircase “street” you come to when entering Bellagio. The apartment is right above the shops which makes the balcony a perfect spot for people-watching! The bathroom is very small (not unusual for Italy) but the bed was comfy and living area/kitchen had all we needed. Here is a link to the 1-bedroom apartment we stayed in (www.booking.com/Share-Dvhrgn) and they also have a 2-bedroom on the same street. The owner, Georgio, is a lovely older man who has been a real estate agent in the area for a long time and has an office just a few doors up. He does not speak much English so his son, Roberto, handles all of the correspondence and is very responsive.
I love exploring the labyrinth of staircases, streets and alleys that make up Bellagio. While there is some great shopping to be found, my favorite finds are the “hidden” restaurants and wine bars! Some of them are built into the side of the hill, so that it’s like a cave inside; others are on the level above the “street”, with beautiful arbors covering an outdoor terrazza; and still others spill out onto the cobblestones, with their tables hugging the restaurant’s outer walls for an authentic al fresco dining experience.
Alternatively, if you want a bit of a view when you’re dining, there are some hotels in Bellagio with water views, but our favorite was a short walk out of the town to the beautiful Hotel Belvedere. http://www.belvederebellagio.com/en/la-terrazza-restaurant Their location on the top of the hill offers views in a different direction to what you’ll see from the village, and the combination of their 5-star service, stunning vistas and some of the best seafood we have ever eaten (I have never had calamari that tender!), made it one of the most memorable meals ever!
Getting There
If you are comfortable driving on the right side of the road, renting a car is a great way to go, especially if visiting other towns around the lake is on your itinerary. There are many different route options from MXP to get to Bellagio, which are all between roughly 1hr 30 mins and 1hr 50 mins (Milan Linate airport is even shorter), so taking different routes each way will enable you to see more of the area. If you choose to go up the west side of the lake to get there, you will take the car ferry from Cadenabbia directly to Bellagio.
One thing to keep in mind when renting a car is that the roads are very narrow and parking spaces very small, so you will want to think like an Italian when choosing the vehicle size! We made the rookie mistake of choosing an Audi Q2 (small SUV) our first time and it made things quite difficult.
I also recommend that you arrange parking for your vehicle while in Bellagio ahead of time, as the public parking lots can get quite full. The owner of our B&B had a small garage for us to use on the edge of town the first year but the second year it wasn’t available so, instead, he parked his own car in a space in the free public parking lot to save the space for us until we arrived which was super helpful!
If you don’t rent a car, Bellagio is still relatively easy to get to by public transport. If you are coming from the airport, take the train to Milan Central and then transfer to a train going to Varenna. Once in Varenna, you can take the ferry directly to Bellagio.
Alternatively, if you want a private transfer, the cheapest option I found is at https://airportstaxitransfers.com where a one way trip from MXP to Bellagio for up to 3 passengers is 115 Euro.
Things to Do & See
Bellagio easy ferry access to both sides of the lake. The car ferry goes to Varenna and Cadenabbia while passenger ferries offer many more options, and for those wanting personal service, you can always take a water taxi (http://barindellitaxiboats.it). In this blog I focus more on the things to do around Bellagio, however, for a more comprehensive list of places to go and things to do around the lake, please check out my Lake Como blog.
Rent a Scooter
Bellagio has a car rental agency in town (www.barindellitaxi.it/services/rent-car-scooter), and they also have Vespa/scooter rentals for those who are feeling a little more adventurous. We rented one and took a ride up the SP41 road into the mountains just behind Bellagio and found some spectacular views at Bellavista Park in Civenna! We also rode along the SP583 on the waterfront towards Onno and found some lovely quiet beaches.
Take a Day Trip to Lugano, Switzerland
If you choose to rent a car you could also take a day trip over to Switzerland. Lugano is only just over an hour away (via Menaggio) and Lake Lugano is another masterpiece of nature. (In truth, while it is Switzerland, it didn’t feel all that Swiss because they speak Italian!) We chose to take the Cassarate/tram (www.montebre.ch/eng) from downtown Lugano, up the side of Mount Bre and ate at the restaurant at the top with some glorious views. We took a different route home, crossing over the south end of the lake at Melide and stopped at a fantastic outlet mall (with lots of designer brands!) in Mendrisio called FoxTown Factory Stores. Definitely worth the stop!
Rent a Boat and Choose Your Own Lake Adventure
Back in Bellagio, at the end of the long lakefront promenade, just in front of Lido di Bellagio, you will find Bellagio Rent a Boat (www.bellagiorentaboat.com), where you can rent a speedboat and choose your own adventure on the lake. They do not require boat licenses and the boats have plenty of power to get around. You can take up to 6 people with you to see some of the gorgeous villas from the water and then, if you go around the other side of Bellagio towards Limonta, you will most likely find some beautifully calm water in the middle of the lake (with very few other boats) where you can “park” the boat and go swimming.
Of course, there are plenty of other more rigorous things to do, such as hiking, cycling or kayaking (www.bellagiowatersports.com), if you prefer to be more active. Alternatively, can find a tour to go on, such as wine tasting, cooking classes, visiting one of the famous villas, or hop aboard the Bellagio tourist train for a short 30 minute tour! But regardless of how you spend your day, the joy of staying in Bellagio is being able to come back to this gorgeous town for late afternoon drinks under the trees by the water (Bar Sanremo or Bar Splendide), then a short “riposo” (Italy’s “siesta”) followed by an unforgettable dinner.
Saluti!
