Day Trips from Milan: Where to Go, How to Get There and How Long It Takes

Bergamo is the quickest escape, about 50 minutes by train, while the lakes of Como and Maggiore fill a full day with boats, villas and island villages. The lake days depend on the boat schedule, and the historic train to Colico leaves Milano Centrale at 9:25 a.m., so an early start matters.

At a glance

• Shortest trip: Bergamo, about 50 minutes by train
• Colico by historic train: departs Milano Centrale at 9:25 a.m., arrives at 11:38 a.m.
• Without a car: Trenord trains reach Como, Lecco, Varenna, Stresa and Laveno Mombello Lago from any station in Lombardy
• By boat: Varenna to Bellagio, Luino to the Castles of Cannero, Stresa to the Borromean Islands
• By road: A4 for Bergamo, A9 for Como, A8 for Varese

Which day trip from Milan should you choose?

For half a day, take the train to Bergamo. It’s about 50 minutes each way, so a morning or afternoon there still leaves time in Milan. For a full day on the water, go to Lake Como: Varenna and Bellagio are linked by a frequent boat, and both are worth the early start. Whichever lake you pick, leave in the morning, because the boats are what shape the day.

• Bergamo: about 50 minutes by train · half a day · for a short, easy outing
• Como: train from Lombardy, boats to Cernobbio, Moltrasio and Torno · full day · for villas and lake views
• Varenna and Bellagio: train to Varenna, then a frequent boat · full day · for a fishing village and a lake crossing
• Colico: historic train, 9:25 a.m. to 11:38 a.m. · full day · for beaches and trails at the top of the lake
• Stresa and the Borromean Islands: train to Stresa, then boat · full day · for gardens and island villages

What are the best day trips from Milan?

Bergamo

Bergamo has a funicular, which you reach by ATB bus Line 1a from the train station, running every ten minutes to the lower funicular station. The city sits 25 miles (40 km) from Milan and is linked directly by train to Lecco and Brescia too.

The train from Milan takes about 50 minutes. Buses from Milan Lampugnano and Milan San Donato also reach Bergamo Bus Station: Flixbus, Itabus and Nord Est Trasporti (line Z301). By car, take the A4 Milan-Venice freeway to the Bergamo exit. It fits easily in half a day or a full one.

Como

Como is where the scenic boat route of the villas on the water begins, and where boats run to Torno with stops at Cernobbio, Blevio and Moltrasio. Villa d’Este and Villa Carlotta are elegant historic residences on Lake Como, and Villa Bernasconi Museum in Cernobbio can be added as a self-guided visit.

Trenord trains reach Como from anywhere in Lombardy. By car, the A9 passes through Como on its way to the Swiss border. Boat hopping along the shore fills a day, so pick one or two stops.

Bellagio

Bellagio is the end of the scenic route that runs from Como past the villas on the water.

From Varenna, a frequent boat service crosses to Bellagio. Take the train to Varenna, which Trenord serves from any station in Lombardy, then cross by boat. The two together fit in one day, so do Varenna first and Bellagio after.

Varenna

Varenna is a fishing village on the rail network. Vezio Castle has stood for over a thousand years above the village and the lake. The Wayfarer’s Path (Sentiero del Viandante) connects Varenna with Lecco, Abbadia and Mandello for walkers.

Reach Varenna by train from any station in Lombardy. Boats run between Varenna and Lenno with unlimited trips on the central lake itinerary, and the Bellagio boat is frequent. The historic train from Milano Centrale also stops here, so the village works as a day on its own.

Lecco and Colico

Colico, at the top of the lake, offers wide beaches, nature trails and the Forte Montecchio Nord. Lecco is where the Wayfarer’s Path begins, and boats link Lecco and Colico with a single interchange in Bellagio.

The historic train leaves Milano Centrale at 9:25 a.m. and reaches Colico at 11:38 a.m., stopping at Lecco, Varenna and Bellano along the eastern shore. Trenord trains also serve Lecco from any station in Lombardy.

Stresa and the Borromean Islands

Isola Bella is known for Palazzo Borromeo and its Italian-style garden. Isola Madre is the largest of the Borromean Islands and is known for its exotic vegetation. Isola Superiore dei Pescatori, 100 meters wide by 350 meters long (328 by 1,148 feet), is the only Borromean island inhabited all year, with a village of fifty inhabitants. The Alpinia Botanical Garden, in the hamlet of Alpino above Stresa at 2,625 feet (800 meters), has more than 700 plant species.

Reach Stresa by train from any station in Lombardy. Boats of Navigazione Lago Maggiore leave from Stresa, Baveno, Verbania Intra and Verbania Pallanza, and Isola Superiore cannot be reached by car.

Luino and the Castles of Cannero

The Castles of Cannero stand on two rocky islets near the Swiss border.

Take a Trenord train to Luino, then walk to the harbor for the boat to the castles. Laveno Mombello Lago is another station on Lake Maggiore, also served from any station in Lombardy.

Can you do day trips from Milan without a car?

Trenord trains reach Como, Lecco, Varenna, Stresa and Laveno Mombello Lago from any station in Lombardy, and Luino too, with a short walk to the harbor for the Cannero boat. Bergamo is directly connected by train, about 50 minutes from Milan, with buses from Lampugnano and San Donato as another option. On Lake Garda, a ferry runs from Desenzano del Garda or Peschiera del Garda to Sirmione.

For a lake day, leave in the morning. Without a car, Bergamo, Como, Varenna with Bellagio, and Stresa with the islands all work by train and boat.

With a car, the A4 takes you to Bergamo, the A9 to Como and the A8 toward Varese.