How To Spend A Weekend In Lake Como
Where to stay, and play this summer around Italy’s most iconic lake.
Contributing editor Lauren Taylor indulges in a weekend of grand hotels, historic lakeside villas, charming villages, and spritzy orange cocktails.
Where to Stay
Passalacqua, Moltrasio
Originally born in the 18th-century Rococo period, Passalacqua was envisioned as a grand ode to Italian pastimes – friendship, love, leisure, and the enduring culture of Northern Italy. This unique hotel, now magnificently transformed by the De Santis family, generations-long stewards of Lake Como's shores, offers 24 characterful guest accommodations. These are distributed across beautifully restored edifices and seven acres of lush, landscaped gardens that gently lead to a private jetty.
An abundance of delights awaits: a breathtaking panoramic swimming pool, an open-air gym set within an olive grove, lakeside tennis courts, and magical movie nights beneath the stars. Every amenity is thoughtfully integrated among the terraced gardens, charming fountains, and ancient trees, inviting guests to fully indulge in villa life.
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Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Tremezzina
An Art Nouveau masterpiece gracefully positioned on the shores of Lake Como, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo effortlessly delivers on style and luxury. Its exquisite interiors, featuring velvet and marble with an understated elegance, are complemented by magnificent gardens and one of the most celebrated pools in our collection—seemingly floating upon the very lake itself. Rich in history, elegantly old-school, and boasting service that perfectly complements its outstanding restaurant and bar menus, this is a place where resisting the cliché of "la dolce vita" is delightfully impossible.
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Villa d’Este, Cernobbio
Perhaps the most iconic hotel in Northern Italy, Villa d’Este traces its opulent roots back to the 18th century, serving as a regal abode for generations of aristocracy. Opened as a luxury hotel in 1873, it continues its legacy as a cherished sanctuary for modern royalty and discerning travelers. Though privacy is paramount, the hotel's timeless charm often draws loyal patrons, including luminaries like Queen Beatrix of Holland, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and local resident George Clooney, who are frequently seen enjoying the magnificent gardens and the stunning floating pool on Lake Como.
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Villa Lario, Pognana Lario
Villa Làrio, an exclusive property on Lake Como, spans over 2 acres of private gardens with direct lake access. Guests can choose from suites across four distinct buildings: Villa Bianca (housing suites, reception, restaurant), Pavilion (an independent villa with two en-suite bedrooms and panoramic terrace), the secluded Garden Suite, and the 19th-century Il Palazzo (a lakeside villa with a loggia and terrace).
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What to Do
Beyond waterskiing, boat rides, and swimming, Lake Como offers thrilling ways to experience its beauty. For an extraordinary adventure, rent a seaplane and discover the lake's stunning scenery from above.
What to See
Take a boat trip to Varenna - the most picturesque village on the lake. Have an aperitivo (one of those spritzy orange cocktails you’ll see everywhere around the lake) at Bar Il Molo, right by the water.
A visit to Villa La Cassinella, a stunning lakeside property with an impressive garden on the western shores of the lake, is essential. And, of course, no Lake Como experience is complete without a glimpse of George & Amal Clooney's Villa Oleandra in Laglio.
When to Go
The season typically begins around Easter and extends through September. For optimal temperatures, with daytime highs reaching the high 20s and warm waters perfect for swimming, we recommend visiting in June, July, or September.
How to Get There and Navigate the Lake
The nearest airport is Milan Malpensa, roughly an hour by (rental) car. Most of the hotels can organize a shuttle.
Getting around the lake can be stressful by car. Water taxis are often best and quickest, however many usually only operate during daytime hours unless privately arranged.
84 Rooms recommends: A Guide to Milan, and How To Spend A Weekend In Lake Garda.