Three Days in Como: A Long-Weekend Itinerary on Lake Como

Day 1 — Como town: the Duomo, the lakefront, Brunate, and an evening cooking class

Start in the heart of the city. Como’s Duomo is one of the rare buildings that blends Gothic and Renaissance, and the interior is worth a quiet pause before the tour groups arrive. A few steps away stand the marble-striped Broletto and the arcades where locals take their coffee standing up. Then lose yourself in the pedestrian streets of the centre, among silk shops — Como has long been Italy’s silk capital — and pastry counters.

Around midday, head to the lakefront: Piazza Cavour opens onto the water, and the promenade follows the gardens to the war memorial. For the view from above, take the Como–Brunate funicular, running since 1894: in seven minutes it climbs to 700 metres, where a belvedere takes in the first basin of the lake and, on clear days, the Alps. For lunch or coffee, look for places a little off the main square — prices are fairer and the cooking more genuine. Always check current reviews and opening hours, as they shift often in high season.

In the evening, rather than hunting for a crowded restaurant, cook your own dinner. Our class runs about 3 hours, in small groups of up to 12, a few minutes’ walk from the centre: you learn to roll the sfoglia by hand, prepare a full menu, and eat it with wine. There is also a spritz lesson — you build your own Aperol or Campari spritz and enjoy it as your aperitivo — and the evening ends with gelato topped with a few drops of Traditional Balsamic of Modena DOP. It is the perfect way to close a day in town without going anywhere.

Day 2 — On the water: Bellagio, Varenna or Tremezzo

Day two belongs to the lake. Boats of the lake’s public navigation service leave from Como: choose between the ferry (slower, scenic, with many stops) and the hydrofoil (faster and more direct). Check the official timetables the night before, because they vary a great deal between season and weekdays or holidays, and the last boat home leaves earlier than you’d expect.

Three classic destinations are worth the crossing:

• Bellagio — the “pearl of the lake”, with flowered staircases between pastel houses and the lakeside gardens of Villa Melzi.
• Varenna — smaller and more romantic, with a lovers’ walk hugging the water and beautiful afternoon light.
• Tremezzo — on the opposite shore, an ideal base for visiting a grand garden villa.

Give the morning to one villa. Villa Carlotta, in Tremezzo, is famous for its botanical garden and spring azaleas; Villa del Balbianello, on the Lenno promontory, is one of the most cinematic on the lake (famous films were shot there) and is usually reached on foot or by a short water-taxi transfer. For both, check opening days and access details in advance, as they change with the season. Have lunch in the village where you landed, then keep the afternoon for wandering before the boat back. We tell the story of a day like this in more detail in our guide to a day in Bellagio from Como.

Day 3 — A slower pace: market, a walk, and aperitivo

The third day is the one most itineraries forget, and it is often the best. Linger over a long breakfast at a café with outdoor tables, then drift through the market: in Como, the fruit, vegetable and cheese stalls tell the season better than any guidebook — late summer brings figs and grapes, autumn brings squash and mushrooms. Simply watching what the locals buy teaches you a lot about what to eat.

Carry on with a lakeside walk towards Villa Olmo, where the public park runs right down to the water. This is the moment for unhurried photos and one last scoop of artisan gelato. In the late afternoon comes the ritual that closes every good Italian day: aperitivo. Find a spot with a view of the lake, or in the little squares of the centre, order a spritz or a glass of Lombard white, and let the small bites arrive. To do it like a local, read our guide to the best aperitivo in Como.

Practical notes on pacing and ferries

Three rules make these three days far more enjoyable. First: one big thing per day, not five. Second: for Day 2, check the official navigation timetables and note the last boat back to Como before you even set off. Third: wear comfortable shoes — Como and the lake villages are built of staircases and cobblestones.

On the boats, remember the hydrofoil costs more but saves time, while the ferry is an experience in itself; in high season it pays to reach the pier a few minutes early. And keep some slack: if a villa or a village wins you over, it is better to miss one boat and catch a later one than to rush all day.

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Choose your Day 1 evening in the kitchen

For the evening of Day 1 you can choose from four menus, all at €150 per person: the Tagliatelle Masterclass – Fresh Tomato, the Tagliatelle Masterclass – Ragù Bolognese, the Ravioloni Verdi Masterclass – Ricotta and the Farfalle e Garganelli Masterclass – Ragù. Want to know how the evening unfolds first? Read how it works or the FAQ, and if it’s a gift there is the gift voucher.