Why the Italian Lakes
Como brings villa glamour, Garda offers family fun and windsurfing, and Maggiore charms with Borromean island palaces, all linked by scenic ferries.
Key Facts
Top things to do
What you'll spend
The lakes suit a range of budgets, with prices climbing through July and August. Hotels, ferry passes, and villa tickets make up the big three, and shoulder-season dates keep the totals reasonable.
Hotel rooms
€130–€450 a night
Ferry passes
€15–€40 per day
Villa tickets
€10–€20 per person
The lakes' villas and ferries run reduced schedules outside peak season. Travel insurance helps you recover costs if changes or cancellations disrupt your itinerary.
When to go
June and September bring warm water and calmer crowds, while May blooms with gardens in full flower. August stays busy with Italian holidays and ferry queues, and winter keeps the lakes quiet and atmospheric.
How to arrive
Fly into Milan Malpensa (MXP) or Bergamo (BGY), then ride regional trains to the lake towns: Como for Lake Como, Stresa for Lake Maggiore, and Desenzano for Lake Garda. From each station, short boat rides or local buses carry you the rest of the way to the lakeside villages.
- Fly into Milan Malpensa (MXP) or Bergamo (BGY)
- Take regional trains from Milan to Como, Stresa, or Desenzano
- Finish with short boats or buses from the stations to the lakefront
Moving between the lakes
Ferries are the best way between towns on each lake, and day passes save money when you hop more than twice. Regional trains link the lakes themselves, while basing in one town per lake keeps packing and moving simple.
- Ride ferries between towns on each lake
- Buy day passes to save on multi-stop trips
- Use regional trains to move between the lakes
Plan your visit
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Buy ferry day passes on each lake; the boats are the best way between towns
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Skip August; book villas like Balbianello and the Borromean Islands ahead
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Base in one town per lake, like Varenna, Stresa, or Sirmione, and explore by water
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Take the train from Milan to Como, Stresa, or Desenzano and leave the car behind
Where to base yourself
Base in one lakeside town per lake and explore the rest by ferry.
Where to eat
Lakeside trattorias, garden terraces, and a Michelin star on the water.
Dress for the lakes
Layers handle lake breezes and mountain air, even in summer, when evenings turn cool. Pack smart casual for villa visits and dinner, plus water-resistant shoes for wet ferry decks. Comfortable walking shoes cover the steep lanes of hillside towns like Bellagio and Sirmione.
Capturing your trip
Catch Villa del Balbianello's loggia in the still morning, before tour boats arrive, and shoot Bellagio from the ferry for its signature skyline. The Borromean palaces photograph best at sunset from Stresa's waterfront, while Sirmione's Scaliger Castle glows at dusk across the moat.
Getting around with ease
Ferry docks in some towns involve steps, and villa gardens like Balbianello are terraced and steep. Hillside towns such as Varenna climb sharply from the water, so pick level seafront hotels. Ferries offer smoother connections, and flat promenades in Stresa and Desenzano are easy walking.
The honest take
Gorgeous lakes, big summer crowds, and villas that need advance planning.
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August packs ferries and villages wall-to-wall with Italian and foreign holidaymakers
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Popular villas like Balbianello and the Borromean palaces require booked entry slots
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Outside summer, ferry schedules thin out and some island stops go quiet