Where to Enjoy Aperitivo in Como: Bars with a Lake View

The aperitivo ritual: what time and how it works

The Italian aperitivo usually happens between 6 and 8 pm, in the shift from afternoon to evening. The idea is simple: a slightly bitter drink that “opens” the stomach, served with a few nibbles — olives, crisps, focaccia, cured meats. It is not dinner; it is a prelude. In Como it works this way almost everywhere: you sit, you order, and something to snack on almost always arrives alongside the glass.

A common-sense tip for weekends and high season: the tables with the best view fill up early. If you are aiming for the lakefront at sunset, arrive a little ahead or be ready to wait. There is no rush: aperitivo is sipped slowly, and that is part of why it is so pleasant.

Piazza Cavour and the lakefront: the sunset aperitivo

If you want the view, this is it. Piazza Cavour opens straight onto the lake and the café terraces face the water; from there, walking along the lakefront toward the public gardens and the war memorial, you find a run of spots where you can sit with the lake in front of you. It is the most scenic zone for the sunset, when the mountains turn pink and the lights come on over the water.

Expect prices a little higher than inland: you are paying for the panorama too. Is it worth it? For one evening, yes, absolutely. What to look for: a table facing the lake, service that doesn’t rush you, and a well-made glass. Check recent reviews to see which terraces, right now, have the best service.

The old-town piazzas: atmosphere and gentler prices

A few steps from the lake, inside the walls, the walled town changes pace. Around Piazza San Fedele — with its Romanesque basilica and medieval arcades — and in the pedestrian lanes around it, you find smaller places, more popular with locals, with a more neighbourhood feel. Here aperitivo is less “postcard” and more everyday city life: little tables under the porticoes, chatter, a glass of wine from a regional cellar.

It is the right choice if you want to spend a bit less and be where the locals are. What to look for: wine bars (enoteche) pouring wines by the glass, small spots with boards of cured meats and cheese, and those corner places where, at aperitivo hour, every outdoor table is taken — usually a good sign.

Brunate: aperitivo with the view from above

For something different, take the funicular that climbs from central Como up to Brunate in a few minutes. From up there the lake opens beneath you and, on a clear day, the view reaches far. An aperitivo in Brunate in the late afternoon, with the sun dropping over the town and the water, is one of the finest views in the area.

A practical note: the funicular runs on schedules that shift with the season, so check the last return run before you go up, so you are not left walking down. Look up the current official timetable. The places up there are few and simple: the star is the panorama, not the cocktail list.

What to order for aperitivo in Como

Three safe classics, from the mellowest to the boldest:

• Spritz — the king of the Italian aperitivo: Aperol (sweeter and orange) or Campari (more bitter and red), with prosecco, soda and a slice of orange. Cool, light, perfect at sunset.
• Negroni — for those who love the bitter side: gin, Campari and red vermouth in equal parts. Stronger, more serious, a drink for the initiated.
• Local wines — Lombardy has excellent sparkling wines (Franciacorta above all) plus regional whites and reds. A glass of local wine makes an elegant, all-Italian aperitivo.

To grasp the difference between the two spritzes before you order, we have written up the story of Aperol and the story of Campari. And for the ritual itself — when, how and with whom — see our guide to the aperitivo tradition in Como.

Learn to make your own spritz: the cooking-class lesson

The most fun way to take Como’s aperitivo home is to learn to make it. Our cooking class in Como includes a spritz lesson: you build your own, Aperol or Campari, and then enjoy it as your aperitivo before you get to rolling the sfoglia. So next time, at the lakefront or back home, you know exactly how to mix it. Curious how the evening unfolds? The full run-down is on our how it works page.

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Pair aperitivo and cooking in one evening

If aperitivo leaves you wanting more, our class turns it into a whole evening: a spritz lesson, then hand-rolled pasta, and finally gelato topped with a few drops of Traditional Balsamic of Modena DOP. Choose the pasta you fancy from the Tagliatelle Masterclass – Fresh Tomato, the Tagliatelle Masterclass – Ragù Bolognese, the Ravioloni Verdi Masterclass – Ricotta or the Farfalle e Garganelli Masterclass – Ragù. It also makes a lovely present: there is a gift voucher too.