Guide to Traveling Lake Como / Bellagio, Italy

Whenever I think of Lake Como I think of the elite crowd of villa owners, successful businessmen and women from around the globe and of course George Clooney!

I wanted to be a part of this luxury town and see what it was all about so this was on the top of my list for this Italy trip!

Located just below the Southern border of Switzerland, Lake Como is basically as far North as one can go in Italy. If you have time I would also put Switzerland on your list, even if you pop over for a day trip while staying in Lake Como.

The best way to get to Lake Como is by train from Milan and then snag a driver from the train station to your hotel. Or if you want to skip the train, take a driver all the way up.

No matter what you don’t take the bus from the train station. It will take forever and apparently its the public transportation for the school kids as well- you won’t have a seat and these kids don’t move.

I recommend at least 3 days up in this area as there is 3 main areas to see Bellagio, Como and Varenna. I also recommend taking a day to just hang out and relax at your hotel.

Hotels:

GRAND TREMEZZO :

Arriving at the Grand Tremezzo literally took my breath away as I looked up from the street to the left and on the right side was the lake with a bar, beach and floating pool.

You walk into the entrance with large roses greeting you and beautiful flowers throughout the resort. It's location I thought was pretty spectacular being in the heart of Lake Como, with unparalleled views of Bellagio and set away from the crowds of people in Bellagio. If you want to head to the other side, it's only a ten minute ferry ride away.

With it's 100 windows overlooking either the blue waters of the lake or the flowering greenery of the park, the hotel provides 76 rooms and 14 suites, including 8 hyper-exclusive Rooftop Suites, with panoramic views from terraces and outdoor Jacuzzis for the most special experience.

I highly recommend getting a room with a patio overlooking the lake. Waking up in the morning overlooking Bellagio is something I will never forget. It has 3 breathtaking pools (one floating on the lake!) one in the back where it has the BEST pizza - you can eat it while laying by the pool (don’t worry no one will judge!).

Spend one full day at the exclusive luxurious Spa branded by ESPA with hammam, nail bar and sauna that has a window to overlook the lake and a relaxing pool half indoors half outdoors, 2-hectares lush secular park including a flood lit clay tennis court and jogging path, and five different restaurants and bars offering the culinary art of the famous Italian Chef Gualtiero Marchesi.

Breakfast Buffet at The Grand Tremezzo at Lake Como, Italy

The breakfast buffet is out of this world and was absolutely the best one out of all the stays I had in Italy. I was very impressed by the Italian hospitality and highly recommend this resort to enjoy a real vacation.

Additional amenities when booking through Jetset & Travel:

Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Daily buffet breakfast already included in rates
60 Euro SPA credit to be utilized during stay (valid only for treatments and not for retail products, not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)
Complimentary entrance to Villa Carlotta and its Botanical Gardens
Complimentary WiFi for entire stay
Italian wine tasting at L’Escale Fondue & Wine Bar (3 flights of wine)
Free entrance to Villa Carlotta and its Botanical Gardens
With minimum of 5-nights stay, 30 minutes Boat Tour on board the Water Limo RUY, the Grand Hotel's very own period lancia boat to discover the Lake's magic in exclusive style
Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

Other great hotel picks:

Villa D’Este is an expansive property with an Italian feel. It’s also a great property for families with kids.

Il Sereno is fantastic but it’s very modern so not what everyone likes when being in Italy, it’s also on the smaller side, home to 30 hotel rooms.

Dining:

The options on property are great, but also Helvetia down the street from the hotel is a good causal choice. Ask for Peter or Roberto :)

Also Bellagio has some great choices: The Salice Blu restaurant, La Fontana for their great pizzas and cute little outdoor setting.

Views:

The short hike behind The Grand Tremezzo has absolutely beautiful views of Bellagio.

When you're in Como take the 7-minute funicular ride up to the little town of Brunate, for incredible views of Lake Como, and the chance to see another adorable town.

Sights:

You have to go get lost in Bellagio.

Also here is where you'll find the best silk scarves and gelato that is a must have. I would recommend taking a boat ride through the lake and also visiting the Villa Carlotta and its Botanical Gardens gardens.