Bellagio

April to June and September to October are the best months. In April and May the azaleas and rhododendrons bloom in the villa gardens. July and August are warm and humid, with afternoon storms and crowded ferries. From November to March many hotels and restaurants close, the villa gardens are shut, and boats run less often.

For cycling fans, the Il Lombardia race in October often climbs the Ghisallo pass in the hills above the village, and crowds gather along the road to watch.

Villa Melzi d'Eril Gardens line the lakeshore a 15-minute walk south of the centre. The neoclassical villa was built in 1808–1810, and its English-style park has old trees, statues, a small chapel and a museum. The house itself is private. The gardens are open from late March to autumn.

Parco di Villa Serbelloni covers the wooded hill above the village. The villa belongs to the Rockefeller Foundation, and you can visit the park only on a guided tour of about two hours. Paths climb to viewpoints over two branches of the lake. Book ahead, and note the walk is steep and not suitable for wheelchairs.

Basilica di San Giacomo stands at the top of the old village. This Romanesque church dates from the 11th and 12th centuries, and its carved stone apse is the best part.

Chiesa di San Giorgio is a small Romanesque church near the basilica, from around 1100. Its bell tower stands over the lane.

Punta di Spartivento is the northern tip of the promontory. Here the lake divides, and you look north towards the high mountains at its far end.

Much of a stay in Bellagio happens on the water or on the hills behind it.

• Hop between villages by ferry: Cross to Varenna, Menaggio and Cadenabbia in one day, with lunch on a different shore. The short crossings give you the best views of the mountains around the lake.
• Take a boat out at sunset: Hire a small motorboat, or book a boat with a driver, from the lakefront. Late afternoon is a good time to go.
• Ride up to the Ghisallo pass: Cycle, or drive, the road that famous racers climb to Santuario della Madonna del Ghisallo, about 10 km south of the village. This small chapel is dedicated to the patroness of cyclists and is full of jerseys and bicycles left by racers. Next door, Museo del Ciclismo Madonna Del Ghisallo tells the story of Italian cycling.
• Hike to a summit: Monte San Primo is the highest peak in the hills between the two branches of the lake. On a clear day you see the Alps and the plain towards Milan. From the trailheads in the hills above Civenna, allow a half day. On foot from the village it is a full-day hike. Go in dry weather.
• Swim in the lake: In summer, the Lido di Bellagio, a short walk south of the centre, has a small beach and a lakeside bar.

The best day trips start at the ferry pier. The villages on the other shores are only 10–15 minutes away by boat.

• Varenna — about 15 minutes by ferry. A small village of colourful houses on the east shore, with a lakeside walkway and a ruined castle on the hill above.
• Tremezzina — about 10 minutes by ferry to Cadenabbia. Visit the gardens and art collection of Villa Carlotta, or take a boat to Villa del Balbianello on its wooded point near Lenno.
• Menaggio — about 15 minutes by ferry. A town on the west shore with a lakeside promenade, a small old centre and marked paths into the hills above.
• Como — under an hour by fast boat, or about 2 hours by slow boat with many stops. The city has a fine cathedral, a lakeside centre and a funicular up to Brunate.
• Milan — about 1 hour 15 minutes by car, or about 2 hours by ferry and train via Varenna. Go for the cathedral, Leonardo's Last Supper (book weeks ahead) and the shops.

Lake Como has its own guide, covering the whole lake and all its shores.

Across the water, Varenna, Menaggio and Tremezzina are each a short ferry ride away. Towards the southern end of the lake are Laglio, Cernobbio and Como, with Brunate on the hill above the city. Milan is the nearest big city.

• By air: Milan Linate Airport (LIN) is the closest, about 1 hour 15 minutes by car. Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Milan Bergamo (BGY) are each about 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes by car. By public transport from Malpensa, take the Malpensa Express or a train to Milano Centrale, then a regional train to Varenna and the ferry, about 2.5–3 hours in total.
• By train: Bellagio has no station. The easiest route is a regional train from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino, about 1 hour on the Milan–Lecco–Tirano line. Walk down to the pier in Varenna and take the ferry, 15 minutes. You can also take a train to Como and continue by boat or bus. Trenord
• By boat: Public boats link Bellagio with Como, Varenna, Menaggio, Cadenabbia and other lake villages all year. From Como, the fast boat takes under an hour and the slow boat about 2 hours. A car ferry crosses between Bellagio, Cadenabbia, Menaggio and Varenna. Navigazione Laghi
• By bus: ASF line C30 runs between Como and Bellagio along the lake road in just over an hour. You can tap a contactless bank card or phone on the validator when you board. ASF Autolinee
• By car: The roads from Como and from Lecco are narrow and winding along the shore. Allow extra time in summer, and see the driving section for parking.

• On foot: The centre is small, but it is built on a slope. Steep stepped lanes link the lakefront with the upper street and the basilica. Villa Melzi d'Eril Gardens are a 15-minute walk south along the lake road, partly without a pavement.
• Ferries: Boats are the best way to visit the other shores. Buy tickets at the ticket office by the pier before you board, because buying on board can cost more. In summer, arrive early, as queues for the popular ferries can be long. Navigazione Laghi
• Bus: Line C30 stops in the village and in some hamlets on the way to Como. Tap a contactless card on board.
• Cycling: The hills behind the village are steep. The famous climb to the Ghisallo pass is popular with road cyclists, and e-bikes make it easier for everyone else.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for a stay in Bellagio itself. The ferries and buses reach the main lake villages, and the narrow, busy shore roads are slow in summer. A car helps only for the hills behind the village.
• Parking: Spaces are few and paid. Use the pay car parks on the edge of the centre, and expect them to be full by mid-morning on summer weekends. Ask your hotel about parking before you arrive.
• Car ferry: To cross the lake with a car, use the car ferry to Cadenabbia, Menaggio or Varenna instead of driving around the shore.
• Restrictions: The lanes of the old village are steps and are closed to cars.

Look for fish from the lake. Typical dishes are risotto with perch fillets (risotto con filetti di pesce persico), grilled whitefish (lavarello), and missoltini, which are salted and dried shad, served with polenta. In the hills you also find mountain cheeses and hearty polenta dishes.

The lakefront and the stepped lanes are full of restaurants, and prices are high in the busiest spots. For a quieter meal, walk 10 minutes over the promontory to the small fishing hamlet of Pescallo, or eat in the hamlets on the road to the Ghisallo pass. Book a table for dinner in summer.

Bellagio is very safe. Watch for pickpockets in the crowds at the ferry pier and on busy boats in summer.

The stepped lanes are steep and can be slippery after rain, so wear good shoes. The lake road has narrow sections without a pavement, so walk carefully and keep to the side. On the roads in the hills, expect many cyclists on fast descents. The lake water is cold even in summer, and the bed drops quickly near the shore, so swim in a lido or another supervised spot.

The Bellagio promontory has been settled since Roman times. The Roman writer Pliny the Younger owned a villa on the lake, and tradition places one of his homes on the hill that is now Parco di Villa Serbelloni. In the Middle Ages Bellagio was a fortified village, and its two Romanesque churches, Basilica di San Giacomo and Chiesa di San Giorgio, date from around 1100.

The castle on the hill was destroyed in 1375, and a villa was later built on the site. Rich families from Milan made the promontory their summer home. Francesco Melzi d'Eril, a leading politician in Napoleon's Italy, built his villa on the shore in 1808–1810. Today Villa Melzi d'Eril Gardens are open to visitors. Writers, composers and travellers followed, and grand hotels opened along the lakefront.

In 1959 Villa Serbelloni passed to the Rockefeller Foundation, which runs a centre for scholars and artists there. In 2014 Bellagio merged with the hill village of Civenna, so the town now reaches up towards the Ghisallo pass.

Quick practical facts for Italy at a glance: