My birthday is at the start of February, which in the Northern Hemisphere means options for a celebratory weekend away are pretty much all cold and wintery. Enter Lake Como…dare I say it, the perfect winter getaway destination! We were treated to beautifully sunny 16° days and nowhere near the crowds you would see in the summer months. If you’re looking for the perfect February escape, keep reading for A Guide to Visiting Lake Como in Winter.
Top left: pollarded plane trees in Bellagio / Top right: street view in Lake Como / Bottom left: house overlooking Lake Como / Bottom right: view of Menaggio from the ferry
Getting there
The easiest way to reach Lake Como is via Milan. You can fly into one of Milan’s three airports – Malpensa, Linate or Bergamo. From there, you can either rent a car or catch a train from Milan to Como. Both the drive and the train will take around an hour. I will say that as there are reduced transport options around Lake Como during winter, having a car made getting around much easier so if this is an option for you then I would recommend it!
Left: lakeside in Bellagio / Right: street in Bellagio
Where to stay
For more affordable accommodation options, look to the towns of Como and Lecco for places to stay during your trip. While both towns do have good transport connections around the lake, it is worth keeping in mind that there are reduced ferry services during the winter months (check out the Getting Around section below for more info on ferry services), so having a car will be a huge help if either Como or Lecco are your base.
For easier ferry connections to the popular towns around Lake Como (and especially if you’re not planning to hire a car), staying in Bellagio would be a better option. Bellagio has regular daily ferries between Menaggio and Varenna, and you can get a bus there from either Lecco or Como.
If you’re looking for somewhere a little special, I would highly recommend Le Casette Apartments in Blevio, which is where I stayed during my birthday trip! The apartment has the most amazing views over Lake Como, we loved sitting on the balcony with a wine or aperol, watching the sun set each night. If you do decide to treat yourself and stay at Le Casette, I would definitely recommend also having a car as transport options from Blevio itself were limited (there are however ferry options from the town during the summer).
Top left: view of Varenna from the ferry / Top right: man looking over lake in Menagio / Bottom left: couple in Lecco / Bottom right: ferry terminal in Bellagio
Getting around
Getting around Lake Como in winter does take a bit more effort than in the summer months, but don’t let that put you off!
Public ferries run between a number of towns around the lake during winter months, but you’ll want to check the schedules as they do run on a reduced timetable from around November to March, and these change each year. The local bus service also runs around the lake with routes servicing Como-Menaggio-Colico, Como-Nesso-Bellagio and Lecco-Bellagio. Your other transport option, and by far the most convenient throughout winter, is to hire a car for your stay on Lake Como. My one tip here would be to make sure your accommodation has parking provided as the small towns on Lake Como aren’t known for their parking options!
Things to do
Spend a day (or two!) hopping around the towns of Lake Como. There are so many stunning spots around Lake Como which are just as beautiful in winter as they are in summer. From the well-known towns of Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna to the Lake’s namesake, Como, to the lesser-known Lecco. You can easily spend a day or two soaking up all the lakeside beauty on offer.
Top left: lakeside in Lecco / Top right: diving board in Bellagio / Bottom left: cafe in Menaggio / Bottom right: main street in Bellagio
Take a day trip to Milan. If you have some spare time during your trip, exploring Milan for a day is a great way to spend it. You can easily catch a train to Milano Centrale from either Como or Lecco.
Left: Duomo di Milano / Middle: Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Spend some time hiking around the lake. There are some beautiful hiking trails that run along the edges of Lake Como, most of which are still very accessible in winter. The old mule trails of the Sentiero del Viandante run for 45km along the lake, with the section between Varenna and Bellano taking around 2-3 hours.
Hop on over to the nearby ski resorts. There are actually quite a few good quality ski fields near Lake Como that you can get to within about half an hour, depending on where you’re staying, including Piani Di Bobbio, Monte Sighignola and Valchiavenna.
Relax and unwind QC Terme Spa Hotel in San Pellegrino. If you find yourself driving between Lake Como and Milan, please do yourself a favour and book in the thermal baths at QC Terme Spa Hotel in San Pellegrino. It was the most magical experience, floating in a deliciously warm thermal pool, nestled in the Italian mountains on a clear winter’s day. There are so many different pools to work your way through, with entrance prices starting at €52 for a 5 hour stay.
All: spa pool, interiors and entry of QC Terme Spa Hotel
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