Lake Como, in northern Italy, conjures images of glistening blue water, opulent villas and villages where celebrities like Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and Amal and George Clooney try to dodge the paparazzi. But you don’t have to be Hollywood royalty, or a billionaire, to enjoy the famous, mountain-ringed lake. In the decade that my family has been visiting Lake Como in the summers, we’ve discovered a range of ways to save money: Stay farther away from the water, for example, and take advantage of free or low-cost activities like hiking, visiting museums and riding bikes.
Here’s how to sample the sparkle of Lake Como without breaking the bank. Lake Como, a one- to two-hour drive north of Milan, is shaped like an upside-down Y. To get a sense of distance, consider that the drive from the town of Como, at the southern end of the western branch, to Colico, at the northern end of the lake, takes a little over an hour.
Prime lakeside destinations include Lecco, a small city at the southern end of the eastern branch; the town of Bellagio, in the fork of the Y; and Varenna, a village on the eastern shore. These towns tend to have the priciest accommodations and restaurants, so you’ll get more bang for your buck if you look to other villages and towns instead. Guesthouses, a less expensive option than hotels, may lack certain amenities, but make up the difference with authenticity and welcoming hosts.
About an hour’s drive north of Como, Le Radici Agriturismo offers comfortable accommodations on a hillside farm that grows much of the food served by its on-site restaurant. Rooms, available April through October, start at 90 euros, about $98, a night with breakfast. A funicular that ascends about 1,600 vertical feet from the town of Como to Brunate for Û6.
60 round-trip in Italy in July 2024. The funicular is just one of many inexpensive ways to see stunning lake views. (Andrea Wyner/The New York Times) In the mountains between the branches of the lake, a 40-minute drive from Como or Lecco, you’ll find Da Mara, Lago di Como, where an apartment with a living room, bedroom and kitchen, breakfast included, starts at 40 euros a night.
Agriturismo La Vecchia Chioderia, a property that raises its own pork and trout near the midlake town of Menaggio, also offers double rooms, with breakfast included, starting at 60 euros. It’s also near Parco Val Sanagra, a local park where you can take an easy, scenic hike and return for a lunch of freshly caught fish. In Colico, a cozy double room with a water view at Rosina House e Chalet starts at about 98 euros, and rooms at the chic bed-and-breakfast Foresteria Ca Di Nadin start at 110 euros.
Both are within walking distance of Spiaggia Ontano and Spiaggia di Piona, two public beaches. Avoid the crowds in Como, Lecco, Varenna and Bellagio by hopping on a ferry to a postcard-worthy destination like Tremezzina. An adult ticket for a ferry will cost 6 euros to 13 euros, depending on distance.
Remember, the lake, mountains and piazzas look just as beautiful from a ferry as they do from a yacht — and there’s sometimes a bar on board, too. The Villa del Balbianello in Tremezzina, Italy, in July 2024. Originally built for a cardinal, the Villa del Balbianello became the property of Guido Monzino, a noble who led an expedition to Mount Everest as well as reached the North Pole.
(Andrea Wyner/The New York Times) Once you’re there, walk along the Greenway, a 6-mile path that winds from the village of Colonno, around farms and over creeks, past gelaterias, cafes and cobblestone alleys, to the village of Griante. Alternatively, rent a regular or an electric bike from the many shops nearby and pedal at your own leisure. You don’t need to stay at a five-star hotel to get access to a five-star beach.
Many towns, including Belaggio, Lenno and Lecco, have their own municipal beaches — just ask locals to direct you to a spiaggia libera, or free beach. Spiaggia di Lierna, in Lierna, among the top public beaches on the lake, is a 30-minute train ride from Lecco. There, you can enjoy the cool, crystal clear water or rent a catamaran.
A nearby cafe, Riva Bianca Bar Pizzeria, serves pizzas for as little as 6 euros. In Colico, you’ll find the bucolic Spiaggia di Piona, a grassy beach on a secluded bay. Nearby are hiking paths of varying difficulty with views of the lake, the 1,000-year-old Piona Abbey and the Del Risti winery, which offers tours and tastings paired with local cheeses and cold cuts.
Book your tour online for 48 euros per person; the winery has a minibus that picks up visitors near the beach. Though the lake is the region’s main attraction, the surrounding mountains offer hikes of varying difficulty, altitude and length. Sentiero Spirito del Bosco, or Spirit of the Woods Trail, in Canzo, near Lecco, is an easy, entertaining trail that takes about an hour and is lined with quirky wooden sculptures of animals and mythical characters, like elves and gnomes.
Along the trail, two farms, Agriturismo in Valentina and Rifugio Terz’Alpe, offer hikers a chance to refuel with a rustic meal of homemade cheese and salami, polenta and a flat local buckwheat pasta called pizzoccheri. Two main courses and a cheese plate at either place will set you back a total of 25 to 30 euros. The lakeside promenade in Menaggio, Italy, a town on the western shore of Lake Como, in July 2024.
To save money, stay farther away from the water and take advantage of free or low-cost activities like hiking, visiting museums and riding bikes. (Andrea Wyner/The New York Times) For those who would rather skip the sweaty walk and cut straight to the views, the lake abounds with funiculars and cable cars, including one that ascends about 1,600 vertical feet from the town of Como to Brunate every 30 minutes until midnight and costs about 7 euros round-trip. In Lecco, the Piani d’Erna Funivia cable car takes visitors about 2,600 feet up to a grassy mountaintop with panoramic views of the water.
Nearby, the adventure park Parco Avventura tempts thrill seekers with ropes courses, zip lines and more. Tickets for the cable car start at 12 euros round-trip, and entry to the park starts at 12 euros (depending on how many adventure routes you want to try). The Villa del Balbianello and its surrounding gardens, in Tremezzina, have a rich history going back hundreds of years.
Built for a cardinal in the 18th century, the villa was once owned by Guido Monzino, a count who led the first Italian expedition to the summit of Mount Everest. A pavilion with a view of Lake Como at the Gardens of Villa Melzi in Bellagio, Italy, in July 2024. Stars like George Clooney frequent this scenic corner of northern Italy, but you might be surprised by how affordable it can be.
(Andrea Wyner/The New York Times) Art and objects that he collected on his travels adorn the glamorous neoclassical building, including an 18th-century Venetian globe, a collection of Inuit ivory carvings and the sled in which the count reached the North Pole in 1971. Now run by the National Trust of Italy, it has been a setting for movies like “Casino Royale” and “Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones.” Entry includes a 45-minute tour and costs 24 euros for adults.
You must book online — and well ahead of time. The villa is one of Lake Como’s most popular attractions. In Bellagio, wander the peaceful 19th-century Gardens of Villa Melzi, which feature a photogenic lily pond and a blue-and-white pavilion with views of the lake, as well as 250 different types of camellias and a large tulip tree.
Entry is 10 euros..
