April on Lake Como suits walkers and villa-goers who can live with cool afternoons of 62°F (17°C) and a fair number of showers. Bellagio, Varenna, Tremezzina and Como all have something to see on dry days and wet ones.
The stake is the villas. Villa del Balbianello can’t be reached by car, and the closest free parking is in Lenno, so the day has to be planned around getting there.
At a glance
- Afternoon high in Bellagio: 62°F (17°C)
- Night low in Bellagio: 47°F (9°C)
- Rainy days: 10 in the month
- Rain: 5 inches (138 mm)
- Sunshine: 6 hours a day
- Daylight on April 15: 13 hours 28 minutes
What is the weather like on Lake Como in April?
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rain | Rainy days | Sunshine per day | Daylight (15th) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 56°F (14°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 3.0 in (76 mm) | 6 | 6.2 h | 11 h 50 |
| April | 62°F (17°C) | 47°F (9°C) | 5.4 in (138 mm) | 10 | 6.1 h | 13 h 28 |
| May | 69°F (21°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 7.0 in (178 mm) | 12 | 6.4 h | 14 h 52 |
*Long-term monthly averages.*
April is cool and mild at the same time. Afternoons reach 62°F (17°C) in Bellagio, enough for a walk along the water in a light jacket. Nights drop to 47°F (9°C), so evenings on the lakefront call for a warm layer.
Rain falls on 10 days of the month, and the sun shines about 6 hours a day on average. Daylight lasts more than 13 hours by mid-April, so a gray morning can give way to an afternoon outdoors. Keep the long walks and the garden visits for the brightest hours, and use the showers for a museum in Como or a ferry ride.
March is cooler, with highs near 56°F (14°C) and fewer rainy days, about 6. May is warmer, with highs of 69°F (21°C), but it brings more rain, 12 rainy days. April sits in between: you gain a few degrees over March and give up a little dryness.
Where to go on Lake Como in April
Bellagio
Bellagio is known as “La Perla del Lago”. The park of Villa Serbelloni opens on a 2-hour guided tour, in the morning or the afternoon, from Tuesday to Sunday. Plan it for a day when the rain is holding off.
Varenna
Varenna sits on the Lecco branch of the lake. Villa Monastero is here too, with the botanical garden of Villa Cipressi next to it. Varenna is also a stop on the Sentiero del Viandante trekking route.
Villa del Balbianello
The complex includes the villa on 6 levels, the Loggia Durini, the Loggia Segrè with its historic park, and the Dosso di Lavedo. The closest free parking is Mercato Parking in Via Comoedia, Lenno, and there is also paid parking on the same street. Lenno holds its weekly lakeside market on Tuesdays, which makes a Tuesday visit easy to combine.
Villa Carlotta
Villa Carlotta is in Tremezzo, in the Tremezzina area, and has an original Italian garden. The villa also offers themed tours and workshops. With gardens as the main attraction, an April visit works best on one of the days with sun.
Como and Brunate
Como has the Duomo, the last Gothic cathedral in Lombardy, along with the Broletto, the city tower and the Basilica of Sant’Abbondio. The funicular to Brunate starts in Piazza Alcide De Gasperi, a stone’s throw from the lake, and stops at Carescione on the way. Brunate stands at 2,300 feet (700 meters), so it’s cooler up there than on the waterfront.
What to do on Lake Como in April
Greenway del Lago di Como, Colonno to Cadenabbia di Griante
The Greenway is a walk of 6 miles (10 km) from Colonno to Cadenabbia di Griante. In April, with highs near 62°F (17°C), the walking is comfortable and the days are long enough to take it slowly.
You can cover the Greenway with the C110 bus or by boat, which lets you walk one stretch and ride back. Wear shoes that handle damp paths, since showers fall on about 10 days of the month.
The three villas by boat
A tour of Villa del Balbianello, Villa Carlotta and the gardens of Villa Melzi in Bellagio includes a 2-hour boat navigation to Bellagio. It is available every day, weekends included, by reservation.
The guided tour ‘Le bellezze del Lago di Como’ starts from €300, and that price doesn’t include entrance fees or transport. Book ahead and ask what is covered before you pay.
Varenna and the Sentiero del Viandante
From Varenna you can reach Bellano, Lierna and Albiga on routes of increasing difficulty and length. Varenna is a stop on the trekking route along the eastern side of the lake.
Start with the shortest route and see how the weather holds.
Faro Voltiano and the Pigra Argegno cable car
The Faro Voltiano viewpoint tower in San Maurizio has a spiral staircase with 143 steps. It is a short climb, and it rewards a clear day with a view over the water.
The Pigra Argegno cable car lets you look over the southern part of the Como branch of the lake. Choose a day with sun for either one, since a gray sky takes away the reason to go up.
Is Lake Como busy in April?
The area around Villa del Balbianello can have heavy traffic and parking difficulties, especially on weekends and in summer. April comes before summer, so a weekday visit is the easier choice. On the ferries, traffic in summer and on holidays can create queues at the ticket offices.
Guided visits are the part to reserve. The Bellagio and villa tour runs by reservation, and the cellar tour of Révolt da Stazuna is limited to a restricted number of participants. Book these before you travel. Access to the Isola Comacina is subject to a fee.
What to pack for Lake Como in April
April asks for layers. Mornings and evenings are cool, afternoons are mild, and showers come on about 10 days of the month.
- A warm layer for nights that fall to 47°F (9°C).
- A rain jacket or compact umbrella for the showers.
- Walking shoes with good grip for the Greenway, 6 miles (10 km) long, and the Sentiero del Viandante.
- Shoes you can climb in for the 143 steps of the Faro Voltiano.
- A sweater for the 2-hour boat navigation to Bellagio.
What to know before visiting Lake Como in April
The ticket for Villa del Balbianello includes a guided tour of the interiors and a self-guided visit of the garden, the terraces and the Loggia Durini. Ferry stops include Como, Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio, Cadenabbia, Lecco and Colico, 42 stops in all, run by Navigazione Laghi. A car ferry links Cadenabbia to Bellagio and Varenna.
Travelers with pets should know that Hotel Villa Aurora, in Lezzeno, allows them for a supplement of €10 per night.
Is April a good time to visit Lake Como?
Yes, for travelers who want villas, gardens and lakeside walks and can accept a cool, sometimes damp month. April gives afternoons near 62°F (17°C) and days that run past 13 hours of light.
Compared with March, April is a few degrees warmer, with highs near 56°F (14°C) in March, but it has more rainy days, about 10 against 6. May is warmer again, with highs of 69°F (21°C), and wetter, with 12 rainy days.
For walkers, April works well for the Greenway and the Varenna paths. For visitors who want quieter roads, the weekdays are easier than the weekends. For families, the lakeside offers boat trips and excursions, and a ferry ride is a good plan for a day when the weather stays mild.
Sources
- ncei.noaa.gov (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/wmo-climate-normals), checked 2026-10-30
- in-lombardia.it (https://www.in-lombardia.it/index%2Ephp/de/wohin-gehen-lombardei/comer-see), checked 2026-10-30
- in-lombardia.it (https://www.in-lombardia.it/attivita/le-bellezze-del-lago-di-como), checked 2026-10-30
- fondoambiente.it (https://fondoambiente.it/luoghi/villa-del-balbianello/visita), checked 2026-10-30
- hotelauroralezzeno.com (https://www.hotelauroralezzeno.com/), checked 2026-10-30
- in-lombardia.it (https://www.in-lombardia.it/turismo-in-lombardia/lecco-turismo/varenna), checked 2026-10-30
- italia.it (https://www.italia.it/en/lombardy/lake-como), checked 2026-10-25
- in-lombardia.it (https://www.in-lombardia.it/visitare-la-lombardia/vacanza-al-lago/lago-di-como-5-ville), checked 2026-10-30