Walking Lake Como

6 Days & 5 Nights 4.8 Read 5 reviews

Relaxed walking and exploration of stunning Lake Como
Riding ferries between pretty and pastel-hued villages
People-watching with a chilled spritzer cocktail on an outdoor terrace
Villa del Balbianello, set of Casino Royale the James Bond film
Chic Bellagio’s stylish promenade and vineyards near Varenna

Stylish Lake Como offers the perfect setting for relaxed walking with stunning views 100% of the time. Picture yourself gazing out onto the shimmering lake from waterside paths and pastel-hued villages, all with impressive panoramas. As well as it’s natural beauty, Lake Como is world-famous for its neoclassical villas and immaculate gardens, not forgetting über-chic Bellagio with its flower-filled lakeside promenade and cafés, where you can pause for a chilled spritzer cocktail and watch the world go by. The accommodations will offer you a warm Italian welcome and there is also time on the itinerary to explore the local towns and villages. Why not stop for a lunch in a lakeside restaurant and indulge in a midday glass of local wine.

What To Expect

Travel restrictions and resources, to and from any destination

Whisk yourself away to stylish Lake Como on a relaxing trip with easy to moderate walking. Spend your overnights in Cadenabbia and Menaggio and expect a warm welcome at your authentic family-run hotels, which are great bases from which to explore on foot, or jump on a ferry and wander around Como’s elegant villas and gardens.

Tour Type:

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Activity:

Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveler this tour would be suitable for is: 12 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Foodie
Wine

Activity Level & Terrain

This tour is graded easy to moderate. The walks are all fairly short and very manageable. You will walk on footpaths, ancient mule trails and some quiet minor roads. None of the routes are technically difficult. The nature of the environment means that the trails right by the lake itself are relatively flat, but once you begin to move inland it becomes steeper as surrounding Lake Como are hills and mountains. On this tour this is very limited and you do not venture far away from the lake. The walk up to the San Martino Chapel is short but quite steep, but you can just take your time. The Dervio to Varenna walk has about 500m loss and gain elevation wise, but again you can just take your time and enjoy the surrounding countryside. A couple of the walks even have options to shorten. From Pigra to Cadenabbia you can take a bus from Colonno to shorten the walk by about 5km and on the latter walk you can take a train from Bellano if you wish back to Varenna and that also shortens the walk by about 6km. However you may not wish to miss any of the walking!

Navigation

This route is easy to follow with the assistance of the Macs Adventure Smartphone App, which we highly recommend using as you cannot get lost if you just follow the blue dot. We also provide route notes.

Accommodations

You will spend 5 nights in hand-picked accommodations. They are all authentic and family-run. Get ready for a warm Italian welcome.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

This trip is available to solo walkers and a supplement is payable as some of the costs (such as transfers) are not shared. Single rooms are on request and a supplement is payable.

Meals

The lovingly prepared cuisine of the Italian Lakes and wine from Lombardy is a highlight of this trip. In order to keep things flexible, dinners and lunches are not included, as you will be spoilt for choice! You will always be close to somewhere you can buy a packed lunch or eat a traditional dinner.

Included

Overnights in carefully selected accommodations
Breakfast included
Baggage transfer
Information Pack
Route Notes
Access to maps and GPX tracks in the Macs Adventure Smartphone App
24-7 Emergency telephone support

Excluded

Travel insurance (required)
Travel to Cadenabbia and from Menaggio
Entrance fees (eg. Villa Carlotta)
Public transport (eg. buses and ferries)
Cable Car from Argegno to Pigra
Local hotel tax (up to EUR2 per person per night)
Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
Personal equipment

Extras

Additional nights before, during or after the walk
Transfers from Milan or Como

When To Go

You can start this walking tour anytime between April and mid-October. Lake Como is very popular so it’s best to book as far in advance as you are able to. Please bear in mind that July and August can be hot for walking, however there is often an afternoon breeze.

Getting to the Start

We recommend flying to Milan, which is the closest international airport and then you can catch a train from the airport to Milan City Centre on the Malpensa Express. Most trains or buses to Como are via Milan. From Milan you can take a train to Como and the journey takes about 40 minutes. Train timetables are available at Trenitalia.

The easiest and fastest way to get from Como to the start of your tour in Cadenabbia is by ferry, which generally takes between 40 minutes and 1 hour, depending on the time of day and type of boat. You will find ferry timetables here. You can also catch a bus but this will involve changes and is a more complicated journey. We can also provide a transfer for you at a supplement which you and you will need to give us advance notice that you require this.

If you are staying in Tremezzo on your first night then from Como you can either get the C10 bus, which normally runs hourly or the ferry, which runs around every two hours. There are some indirect services where you would need to change boat. Details can be found here.

Getting from the End

To return to Milan from Menaggio you can simply take a bus to Como and then a train back to Milan centre and then the Malpensa Express to the airport. Or, if you prefer you can hop on a ferry to Varenna and take a train from here, direct to Milan.

Luggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight stay. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Equipment

Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes and a day pack.

How far in advance do I need to book?

What personal equipment do I need?

When is the best time of year?

What happens if I don't want to walk?

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Cadenabbia

Lake Como in Italy’s Lombardy region is the most stylish of the Italian Lakes, lined with elegant villas and formal gardens, and surrounded by a fantastic network of lakeside paths.

Arriving at Como train station (just 1hr by train from Milan or 3h30 from Venice), you can jump on the ferry (2hrs), or take the bus (1hr5) to Cadenabbia (payable locally).

Please note that due to limited suitable accommodation option in Cadenabbia, it may be necessary to stay in neighbouring Tremezzo,which is still on the shores of the lake. If this is the case then it will be necessary to take a short bus journey (around 6 minutes) from the end of todays walk in Cadenabbia to Tremezzo.

Overnight Cadenabbia

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Alberghetto La Marianna | Hotel

Your host at 8-bedroom La Marianna is keen walker Paola. Enjoy the peaceful lakeside terrace with views of Bellagio, and a slice of Paola's home-made cake. There is a restaurant 'La Cucina della Marianna' on the ground floor, where chef Ty uses only seasonal and locally-grown produce in his regional recipes. As this property is located on the main road, we usually request quieter rooms at the back (subject to availability), however if you would prefer to have a view of the lake, please let us know and we can request this (again, subject to availability).

Hotel Villa Mirabella | Hotel

Hotel Villa Mirabella is a prestigious 19^th century villa, restored and opened as a hotel in 2010. There are 11 simply furnished rooms, some with original period pieces and most have balconies with lovely views of the lake and the beautiful garden. There is a restaurant serving traditional Italian dishes using seasonal produce. Guests enjoy free WiFi. There is a pool and beautiful gardens. City tax of 1EUR is payable locally. Check-in: from 2.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

Hotel Bazzoni | Hotel

Hotel Bazzoni is located on Lake Como, on the main street of Tremezzo, coined as one of the most beautiful Borghi (small villages) in Italy. It is situated a few steps from the ferry and bus stop. The hotel offers an outdoor swiming pool, and a jacuzzi, a cocktail bar and a beautiful terrace with views of the lake. There is free WiFi available in the hotel's common areas and in all bedrooms, alongside offering en suite bathrooms, air conditioning and satelite TV.

Day 2 Transfer to Argegno, cable car to Pigra, and walk to Cadenabbia 9 miles / 15 km

Set off and take a scenic cable car from Argegno to Pigra, the start of today's walk. Follow shady forest trails through an abandoned village and down to the lakeshore at Colonno. Here you join the waterside Greenway path. Take a short detour (walk or water taxi, dependent on the day of the week) to Villa del Balbianello, with its immaculate gardens. This spot has cinematic pedigree thanks to the James Bond film ’Casino Royale’ and is one of Como’s most dramatic locations. Take an optional guided tour to see the villa itself. Continue to Cadenabbia, where you will spend the next two nights. You have the option of taking a local bus to shorten the walk today if you wish.

Please Note: the cable car from Argegno to Pigra is currently not operating (as of April 2023) and we are unsure as to when it will be back in action. Not to worry though, if this is the case when you are due to be departing we will arrange for your transfer to take you to the start of the walk in Pigra instead of dropping you at the Argegno cable car base (additional supplement applies for the longer transfer). Your walking route will therefore be unchanged.

Overnight Cadenabbia

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Alberghetto La Marianna | Hotel

Hotel Villa Mirabella | Hotel

Hotel Bazzoni | Hotel

Day 3 Walk Cadenabbia to Menaggio 7 miles / 11 km Day 4 Free day in Menaggio or Lugano

Today is yours to relax and explore this areas sights. If you decide to spend a day in Menaggio itself, you can enjoy a lie in and a later breakfast and then discover this small but lovely town. It is very picturesque and has a elegant lake promenade which you can take a walk on for great views over the lake. There are many small boutiques and craft shops that sell locally-made products. Right in the centre of town you will find Piazza Garibaldi and the Church of Santa Marta which houses paintings dating back to the 17th century.

If you wish to go further afield you can take a bus to Lugano for the day. A direct bus route can get you there in 55 minutes and you will cross the border into Switzerland! Lugano itself lies beside the lake of the same name. Famed for its film festival there are many highlights to explore including the Museum of Contemporary & Modern Art, Parco Ciani, and going to the top of Monte San Salvatore by funicular!

Overnight Menaggio

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel Garni Corona | Hotel

This family-run hotel is located in the pedestrian area of Menaggio's main square, within walking distance of restaurants, shops and cafes. All rooms have WiFi, aircon, mini bar and TV.

Hotel du Lac | Hotel

This is a small family run hotel, situated in the old historic centre of Menaggio, 10 metres from the lake in the central square Garibaldi. Our 10 rooms, elegantly furnished, are equipped with satellite-TV, telephone, minibar, safe and air-condition. Some rooms also have a whirlpool and a balcony. The hotel also has a café with great views of the lake.

Hotel Loveno | Hotel

This family run hotel is proud to rent rooms from a historical building dated 1904 and a building from the 1950s. Every room has wi-fi, USB plug socket, 32 inches flat screen tv, bathroom, a closet with hangers, and hairdryer. Most of the rooms have a balcony, the 2 without have chairs or beach-chairs on the back of the dependence.