Book
  • From 610€ /pers
    • Self-guided
    • Walking
    • Easy
      • 5 days
      • From March to October
      • Confort -
      • Charming -
      • Superior

About the Dolce vita on Lake Como: walking from Bellagio trip

About the Italy lake region walking stay

Your walking holiday in the Italy lake region:  The romantic landscape of Lake Como has seduced artists and travellers for many years. The lake is known worldwide for its magnificent villas and sumptuous gardens, its wonderful microclimate and stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. 

During this Italy walking trip, you will stay in one of the prettiest Italian villages, Bellagio, known affectionately as "the pearl of the Lario".  This former fishing village -  perched on a hill - is very popular with the Milanese people: picture postcard pretty with its alleyways and streets, red roof houses, terrace cafés and camelia and rhododendron gardens. 
You follow panoramic walking paths lined with olive trees and palm trees and subtrobical vegetation. You walk past pretty churches and chapels and picture postcard stone house hamlets as well as visiting the gardens of the Villa Carlotta, Villa Balbianello and Villa Melzi.
An ideal stay that combines a gentle way of life with hiking between the lake and the mountains: the real dolce vita! 

Highlights of the trip

  • Panoramic walking trails between lake and mountains
  • 4 nights in Bellagio, "the pearl of the Lario"
  • Boat cruise nearly every day to the start of the walk
  • The famous must see villas & gardens : Villa Carlotta, Balbianello, Melzi ....
  • La dolce vita and swimming in the lake: a real Italian way of life !


    Go Private or go guided ! Customize your holidays with a local specialist here 

Dolce vita on Lake Como, walking from Bellagio: Day By Day

- Give you a treat and stay extra nights in Brunate - Como !

best walk in italy on lake como

  • Give yourself a treat and stay 1 or 2 extra nights in the perched hamlet of Brunate ! 
    . Located at 750m above sea level, high above Lake Como at the summit of the historic cable car, Brunate boasts spectacular views over the lake. This charming hamlet  is a maze of small alleyways and stairs, famous for its beautiful baroque church, magnificent "Art Nouveau" style villas and the Volta lighthouse with its sprial staircase. By staying the night, you can really appreciate Brunate once the crowds have left. The amazing sunset over the lake is yours to enjoy! The following day, you go against the crowd and take the cable car down and exlore Lake Como while the rest of the tourists head up from the lake to explore Brunate!
    . Extra walk : Loop walk from Brunate to the Volta lighthouse, famous for its spiral staircase and 143 steps. Along the way, you can admire the magnificent "Art Nouveau" style villas : A unique experience ! 
  • Comfort to Charming accommodation in Brunate
  • Contact us 

Day 1 - Arrival on lake Como in Bellagio

Short holidays in Italy lake region

  • Como city > Bellagio
  • Boat transfer from Como city to the picturesque and traditional little village of Bellagio (1 hour). Have a stroll through the village of Bellagio, one of the most beautiful villages in Northern Italy. This former small fishing village - perched on a hill - is very popular with Milanese people: a real picture postcard with its narrow streets and alleyways, red roof houses, its terraced cafés and camellia and rhododendron gardens. 
    You will stay 5 days in true Italian style with terraced cafés & small restaurants: The real "dolce vita"!
    You will enjoy diving into the blue waters from Bellagio's lido
  • Night in Bellagio

  • We recommend : 
    . Having an extra night in Bellagio. 
    You can enjoy some extra relaxation time and use your flexible 6 day boat pass to visit the neighbouring villages. 
    You can take the time to complete one of the 2  walks from Lenno suggested on Day 2. 

  • Access: 
    . Flight : Regular flights and low cost airline to Milan : Milano Malpensa Airport (click here ) and Milan Linate Airport (click here )
    . Train : Regular train lines from Milan city / Milan airport > Como city on trenitalia. Access information here  
    . Boat : Regular boat from Como city > Bellagio. Schedule here 
    . Car rental : you can also rent a car in Milan or Como city. Contact us for the hotel parking information

  • All day Market on the third Wednesday of the month in Bellagio

Day 2 - Walking around Bellagio: pearl of lake Como

  • Best time to visit the famous Villa Carlotta in the Italy lake regionWalk - Loop Bellagio 
    4 hours - 8km / 4.9 miles - Ascent: +300 m / Descent: -300 m
  • The start of your walk is in the village of Bellagio, one of the prettiest Italian villages, affectionately known as the "pearl of the lake" with its narrow streets lined with flowers, its church and cafés. You pass through the picturesque village of Pescallo and walk through the Villa Giulia park and then climb up to Perlo. Retour to Bellagio via the Villa Melzi gardens that greatly inspired Stendhal, Flaubert and Wagner : a wonderful example of an English garden with trees and flowers from around the world. 
    . Option : Vous can enjoy a guided tour of the Villa Serbelloni gardens: a former palace of the last century belonging to the Rockfeller foundation, where Léonard de Vinci and Reine Victoria stayed. The visit of the gardens leads to the top of the promontory, revealing very beautiful views of the three arms of Lake Como (depart from Bellagio tourist office)
  • Night in Bellagio
  • MEALS included: Breakfast

  • All day Market on the third Wednesday of the month in Bellagio

Day 3 - Panoramic & historic walk from Lenno

Walking day during a self guided tour in Lake Como

  • Boat transfer to Lenno (30 mn)
    Today you have the choice of 2 walks :

  • Option 1 - Easy - Walk - Lenno > Villa Carlotta
    2 hours 30 - 5km / 3.0 miles - Ascent: +200 m / Descent: -200 m
    From Lenno, you climb above the lake and enjoy stunning panoramic views of the mountains.  Your walk takes you through a small medieval village with narrow streets, past churches and chapels on paths lined with olive tress and lush vegetation.   

  • Option 2 - Moderate - Walk - Lenno > San Benedetto Abbey - Madonna del Soccorso +  > Lenno
    4 hours  - 9km / 5.6 miles - Ascent: +600 m / Descent: -600 m
    A steady climb takes you above Lenno on a panoramic trail that passes through a lush forest. You arrive at the San Benedetto Abbey dating back to the 11th century. This magnificent building of Romanesque architechture  is perched at 800m in the heart of the countryside at the confluence of two valleys where the Perlana stream flows.  It's a steep descent, plunging on the other side leading to Osuccio. You arrive at the Sanctuaire de la Madonna del Soccorso and the Mont Sacré d'Ossuccio dating back to the 17th century. Famous for its 14 chapels and 230 life size statues, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.  You then head back to Lenno via the lake. You  can take the boat from Lenno to Villa Carlotta (return journey with the boat pass) 
  • You end this first walking day at Villa Carlotta: a "must see villa" on Lake Como ! You can visit the beautiful botanical garden where camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons bloom (April -May) .
  • Return by boat to Bellagio
  • Night in Bellagio
  • MEALS included: Breakfast

  • Small Market on Tuesday morning in Lenno

Day 4 - Walking trails from the coloured village of Varenna

Dinner in Varenna, in Lake Como during the best independent tours of italy

  • Walk - Bellano > Varenna
    3 hours 30 - 7km / 4.3 miles - Ascent: +300 m / Descent: -300 m
  • Boat transfer to Bellano (30mn)
  • Your walking tour continues on one of the oldest walking paths of the lake. The "sentiero del viandante" was traced by the Roman legionaries who reached the great passes of the Alps. It's a gentle climb past the "Orrido di Bellano" (visit is possible), and natural gorges formed in the antiquity. The path then offers panoramic views, passing through the village of Gittana and the Vézio castle dating back to the 12th century. You end the walk in the pretty village of Varenna, known for its colourful hillside houses.  In Veranna, you must visit the Villa Monastero gardens : the villa is surrounded by a botanical garden home to  rhododendrons, glycines, magnolias and citrus fruit trees.  For the garden enthousiasts you can also visit the Villa Cipressi, dating back to the Renaissance era. 
  • Boat transfer from Varenna to Bellagio (30 minutes)
  • Night in Bellagio
  • MEALS included:  Breakfast

  • Market on Thursday morning in Bellano
  • Market on Saturday morning in Varenna

Day 5 - End of your Italy lake region walking stay

  • lake como italy boat toursBellagio > Como city
  • Boat transfer from Bellagio to Como city (1 hour) : a last lake cruise on lake Como ! 
  • End of your trip in Como city
  • MEALS included:  Breakfast

  • Market on Thursday morning  in Como city

  • We recommend :
    . Have an extra night in Como city, and enjoy the great lively atmosphere of Como, and continue your exploration of the Italy lake region ! (Great market on Thursday morning)

  • Return: 
    . Train : Regular train lines from Como city to Milan city/ Milan airport on trenitalia. Access information here  
    . Flight : Regular flights and low cost airline from Milano Malpensa Airport (click here ) and Milan Linate Airport (click here )

- Continue your trip onwards to Lake maggiore and Lake Orta !

  • From 610€ /pers
    • Self-guided
    • Walking
    • Easy
      • 5 days
      • From March to October
      • Confort -
      • Charming -
      • Superior

Let's book your tour !

TOTAL
1220€
Accommodation details
From the blog

How does it work ?

  • 1 - Select your start date and click « BOOK NOW »
  • 2 - Enter your details on the next page.
  • 3 - Wait for confirmation before booking your flights.

Peace of mind

  • Free cancellation if you need to cancel your booking due to official government travel advice or covid-related restrictions.
  • Your booking is protected by our membership of Rejsegarantifonden (the Danish Travel Guarantee Fund).

Contact us

  • +33 - (0)4 86 65 00 20
  • contact@intura.com

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    Go Private or go guided ! Customize your holidays with a local specialist here 

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    Go Private or go guided ! Customize your holidays with a local specialist here 

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    Go Private or go guided ! Customize your holidays with a local specialist here 

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Trip details
Dolce vita on Lake Como: walking from Bellagio
      • Italy - Lake region
      • 2 adults (2x610€)
      • 0 children (0x0€)
    • 5 days
    • Confort
Total 1220 €
Deposit 400 €
Book now !