Lake Como, Italy
The view of the lake from our room at Musa Lago Di Como
Lake Como has a “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” reputation for good reason – it ain’t cheap and, yes, George Clooney lives there – but it is gorgeous and relaxing if you plan it correctly. Definitely a bucket-list destination. Verdant hills hug sparkling blue-green waters, while clusters of stunning villas and quaint, picturesque towns line its shores. The lake is shaped like an upside-down Y, with the most frequented areas focusing on the lower west section (the namesake city of Como sits at the southernmost point).
We stayed at the chic, luxuriously relaxed Musa Lago Di Como in the small town of Sala Comacina. Our room had fantastic views (we were even able to watch the sun rise over Isola Comacina one morning). The pool was never crowded, the staff extremely helpful and friendly, and the bartenders were skilled and personable. By the end of our stay, they knew our names and we theirs.
What was most surprising was how large the lake is, which makes traversing it a bit of a challenge. Friends have rented cars, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s a little scary and I’m a fairly confident driver (and have driven in many countries). The road that rings the lake is extremely tight in spots and Italian drivers (who are more familiar with its twists and turns) can be a bit aggressive. We ended up reserving car/driver transport in advance through our hotel for most of our dinners. Private boats are also an option for visiting the area, but their expense can be prohibitive. The easiest (and most economical) way to get around is by ferry, though you’ll be at the mercy of the various ferry schedules.
Because of its size, your trip will really vary depending on where you stay. While we spent an afternoon and had dinner in Como, we weren't able to make it to Bellagio (we chose to mostly remain on the west side of the lake where we were staying).
A splurge on a private, captained boat tour is a wonderful way to tour the lake (and get an up-close view of fabulous villas). Keep in mind that the captains typically will go out in all except the most inclement weather unless its unsafe (and no refunds!).
One morning we spent a couple of hours along the Greenway del Lago di Como. It’s a 10-km hike along the western shore through charming villages and past a number of stunning villas; we ended our hike in the town of Lenno with a lakeside lunch.
You can also tour many of the villas and their gardens. Villa Monastero, Villa Balbianello and Villa Carlotta are a few of the most well-known.
*This was part of a 13-night trip to Zurich, Lucerne and Lake Como that included a ride on the 5-hour Bernina Express Alpine Train. To see our complete Switzerland/Italy trip itinerary click here.
The Gimlet Traveler Rundown:
All ratings are based on our experience and are on a 5-star rating system (see Site Info for more details). For mapped locations and links to the places listed here (and more) visit Google Map at bottom of page.
Gimlets: ****
Our hotel — specifically the Gaia Cocktail Bar in the lobby of our hotel, Musa Lago Di Como, was our cocktail base. Cocktail bars are not plentiful outside of the more upscale hotels, or in the larger city of Como. Luckily, Gaia was the perfect pitstop on our way out to dinner (or sometimes for dinner itself); they made great gimlets and a nice variety of elegant cocktails for my husband (who sometimes wants to try things other than gimlets - go figure). Bartenders were also friendly and fun. We also had gorgeous (and generously poured) cocktails followed by dinner at the lavish Grand Hotel Tremezzo on our last night in town. And in Como we enjoyed the tiny but swanky Spirit Cocktail Bar and the more “locals after work” feel of the Como Bar (with gratis foccacia nibbles). Our hotel recommended Fresco cocktail bar in Como, but unfortunately it wasn’t open the night we were there.Restaurants: ****
We had an amazing dinner at L’Escale Trattoria & Wine Bar at Grand Hotel Tremezzo (one of three restaurants, this one was a steakhouse), with gorgeous lake views and five-star service. In Como, we had an elegant, hushed, old-school dinner at the lovely La Colombetta Ristorante (at the end of the dinner, they treated us to limoncello and meringue cookies). And for an upscale waterfront dinner Ristorante Crotto dei Platani has a series of dining rooms smack on the water (also with their own pier, though we got there via plain old taxi from our hotel). Our hotel had a very well known chef at their Roteo Ristorante, but the menu was a little esoteric for us, so we would either eat at Gaia Bar or go elsewhere (though we did have a lovely and sunny hot breakfast in our dining room at the Musa every morning). There are numerous restaurants in all of the towns scattered around the lake (see map below for just a selection) and your choice will likely depend on your hotel’s location and your own personal itinerary.GT Tip: Be sure to make reservations well in advance, especially during high-season. Popular restaurants book up quickly. You can usually have your hotel make the reservations for you.
Sights: ****
Hiking on the Greenway Di Lago through many of the smaller towns and past a couple of lovely villas on the western shore was a highlight; we started near our hotel and ended two hours later with a lakeside lunch in the town of Lenno. For a different perspective try a private, captained boat tour (our hotel set us up with Boat Service Lake Como). The weather wasn’t great (storms were brewing and skies were overcast), but since it was reserved and paid for in advance (no refunds), my somewhat more adventurous husband still went out on the water. Despite the rain that showed up halfway through the 2-hour trip (not to mention the crackling thunderstorms I was experiencing back at the hotel), he loved it. Huddling for cover up front with (attractive) Captain Flavio was a nice perk, too lol. Also, because of the weather, there were few other boats out, so they basically had the lake to themselves. You can also use the lake’s extensive and inexpensive ferry system to get to Bellagio, Como, and many of the smaller towns along the shores of the lake (you’ll have to study and learn the schedule first!). There are beautiful villas to see (Villa Monastero, Villa Balbianello and Villa Carlotta are popular) and dozens of cute little towns. We spent one afternoon taking a ferry ride down to the city of Como at the Lake’s southernmost point where we spent the day shopping, sightseeing (Como has its own Duomo), drinking and eating.Shopping: **
We are fairly certain that if you chose to spend time in some of the larger towns there would be finds to be had, but we only really found one store that rocked our world: the dep design store — a great and surprisingly large home design shop hidden away in a pretty courtyard in the center of Como. Of course we came home with some textiles and a few knick knacks, because we can’t help ourselves!
Review of Musa Lago Di Como Rating: *****
We were very lucky to discover the (relatively) new property Musa Di Lago late in our research - nothing else had clicked for us until we found this hotel, and it was an amazing choice. Both in advance and upon arrival, attention to detail was superb - the concierge staff helped us with dinner reservations, boat tours, car service to and from where necessary and then followed up upon our arrival with a printed itinerary; any changes we requested (and we had a few) once there were confirmed quickly. Our deluxe room (Marie) had views from every window, including a small balcony with a direct lakefront view, bed was comfy, and bathrooms modern with both a bath and a step-in shower. The pool (while not heated) is lovely, and never too crowded, which is one of the pleasures of an intimate property of this size. Same goes for the Gaia cocktail bar, where we spent a few of our evenings, pre or post dinner. Breakfast is served a la carte in the pretty waterfront dining room, and is reasonably priced and of high quality. We did not try dinner at Ristorante Roteo so we cannot comment on that but we did dine once or twice from the more casual bar menu. Shout outs to Eduardo, Angela, Simona, Giovanni and others I know we're forgetting who helped make our stay special! Highly recommend!
Date of stay: July 2023
Room tip: Get a room that faces the lake!
Other Hotel Choices:
• Villa Mojana Deluxe Lodging is a reasonably priced, still luxurious minimalist-modern B&B, with small pool facing the water.
• Domus Plinii is a cute lakefront option with a tiny private beach and mid-century furnishings.
Below is a map of hotels, restaurants, bars, shopping and sights found during our research. We didn’t have time to visit all of them during our trip, but all were of interest. Click on the icon at top left of the map to view the legend. Or you can click on the full-screen icon at top right to expand, which will also bring up the legend.
