Where to Stay on Lake Como: Best Areas, Villages and Types of Stays

Bellagio suits a stay without a car, Griante puts Villa Carlotta and the ferry pier a short walk away, and Lezzeno offers lake-view rooms and apartments. Boats connect the shores, and the boat from Como to Tremezzo takes about 45 minutes, so the village you pick sets how much of your day goes to getting around.

At a glance

• First visit, no car: Bellagio, with a bus station and a ferry terminal a few meters from one of its hotels
• Villas and gardens: Griante, with Villa Carlotta 490 feet (150 meters) from the lakefront villa-hotel
• Lake-view rooms and apartments: Lezzeno, in a 3-star hotel with a villa and two apartments
• Getting there from Como: about 45 minutes by boat to the Tremezzo area
• With a pet: €10 per night at the Lezzeno hotel
• Check-in at the Lezzeno hotel: 2:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The best areas to stay on Lake Como

Bellagio: for a stay without a car

One Bellagio hotel sits 33 feet (10 meters) from the lake, in the heart of the village. A bus station and a ferry terminal are a few meters from its door. The Bellagio area is well connected with both shores of the lake, so day trips across the water start right outside. Bellagio has more than one hotel, so you can compare before you book.

Griante: for villas and the ferry pier

Villa La Mirabella stands directly on the lakefront in Griante. The Villa Carlotta museum is 490 feet (150 meters) away, and so is the pier where ferries and other boats depart. Buses to Como, Menaggio and St. Moritz stop nearby. This is a good base if you want villas, boats and buses without a car.

Tremezzo: for an easy visit to Villa Carlotta

Some boat lines stop at Tremezzo – Villa Carlotta, about 1,300 feet (400 meters) from the entrance. The C110 bus (Como – Menaggio – Colico) stops at the same name. Boat service is run by Navigazione Lago di Como.

Lezzeno: for lake-view rooms and apartments

Hotel Villa Aurora is a 3-star hotel in Frazione Sossana, Lezzeno. It offers rooms in the hotel, ten rooms in the villa facing Lake Como, and two apartments, il Molo and il Mulino. The hotel and villa look over the lake, the Isola Comacina and Villa Balbianello. Check-in runs from 2:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and check-out from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pets are welcome for €10 per night.

Torno: for a hotel stay arranged directly

Le Sereno Lago di Como is in Torno.

Where to stay on Lake Como with kids, as a couple or on a budget

• Family without a car: Bellagio · hotel a few meters from the lake · bus station and ferry terminal close by
• Couple or splurge: the villa rooms facing the lake in Lezzeno
• Apartment stay: Lezzeno · il Molo or il Mulino · check-in until 9:30 p.m.
• Budget: Lezzeno · offers and packages on the hotel’s own website · book direct

What is the best area to stay on Lake Como?

Choose by how you’ll move. If boats and buses are your plan, sleep in Bellagio or Griante, where the stop is within a few meters or about 490 feet (150 meters). Before booking in Lezzeno or Torno, ask the hotel how to get there from the pier or bus stop.

Hotel prices and when to book on Lake Como

Booking directly is the clearest way to save. The Lezzeno hotel says its official website guarantees the best price, and special offers and packages are available only there. Torno’s hotel takes availability checks by phone or email.

Boat tickets matter once you’ve picked a base. Single and daily tickets can be bought online on the Navigazione Laghi site. Car ferry and fast service tickets can only be bought at the ticket office, so allow time at the pier. On days when Villa Carlotta is closed, a visit is possible only by booking by email, and groups can book too.