Italian Lakes Novice- talk to me

[bony_13]

Went to Lake Como and stayed at the Metropole in Bellagio in June'16. Honestly came away with bit of a love/hate relationship with the place. On the plus side Bellgio is great for catching the ferry and being right in the middle of the Lake is perfectly positioned.

However, we found Bellagio itself to be absolutely packed during the day and pretty dead at night. It felt like much more of a day-trippers destination than the best place to stay for a week.

Please take what I'm saying in context and I'm not intending this to be too negative; Lake Como and Bellagio are great and we have an excellent time. It's just my experience and I'd be keen to see if the other posters here felt the same at all?

[PositronicRay]

bony_13 said:

Went to Lake Como and stayed at the Metropole in Bellagio in June'16. Honestly came away with bit of a love/hate relationship with the place. On the plus side Bellgio is great for catching the ferry and being right in the middle of the Lake is perfectly positioned.

However, we found Bellagio itself to be absolutely packed during the day and pretty dead at night. It felt like much more of a day-trippers destination than the best place to stay for a week.

Please take what I'm saying in context and I'm not intending this to be too negative; Lake Como and Bellagio are great and we have an excellent time. It's just my experience and I'd be keen to see if the other posters here felt the same at all?

We stayed @ Argegno, quiet most of the time (in a good way). Visited Bellagio, looking @ the ferries disgorging the crowds I imagine what you experienced is typical. Sometimes I like this though, nice to explore once the hordes have left.

[The Leaper]

Yes, Bellagio is a good base for Lake Como because of the multiple regular ferry routes from there. Get a week's ferry pass and then explore the lake going to a different place each day. And therefore avoid the Bellagio day trippers. Actually, I think Varenna is busier.

A nice thing to do is to take the morning's fast ferry to Como, have a wander around, and get the slow ferry back, especially the one with the bar. A lovely way to spend the afternoon.

R.

[Kewy]

Just come back from a short weekend break down by the lakes. We stayed in Varese and ventured out in the hire car each day, one day we went west and drove a full circle round lake Maggiore, another day we went east and drove a full circle round Como.

Would recommend checking out Lavertezzo which is just north of Maggiore, and if you want an alpine pass that is close to Como then check out the Maloja Pass, not far and great views from the top.

Our trip wasn't really a driving holiday, just managed to squeeze some nice routes in. Going back down in Sept/Oct to do the full alpine tour (Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy), planning it as we speak!

[200Plus Club]

Kewy said:

Just come back from a short weekend break down by the lakes. We stayed in Varese and ventured out in the hire car each day, one day we went west and drove a full circle round lake Maggiore, another day we went east and drove a full circle round Como.

Would recommend checking out Lavertezzo which is just north of Maggiore, and if you want an alpine pass that is close to Como then check out the Maloja Pass, not far and great views from the top.

Our trip wasn't really a driving holiday, just managed to squeeze some nice routes in. Going back down in Sept/Oct to do the full alpine tour (Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy), planning it as we speak!

Thanks that's similar to what we were planning I guess.

[Kewy]

200Plus Club said:

Thanks that's similar to what we were planning I guess.

Enjoy!

I have my own thread labelled 'The best of the North Italian Lakes' – Some good tips on there from when I was asking. I'm hoping to do a little write up of our trip with some photos and routes if I get time this weekend