Bellagio Travel Forum

I was planing to stay in Varenna for 5 days at the beginning of june but am now considering Bellagio. Why? I want a bit of buzz and activity - lots of options for dining. I've read wonderful things about Varenna. Any thoughts either way? Thanks for your time and consideration.

This is a no lose situation - these are two lovely villages. If you are using the ferries and hydrofoils to get around lake como, Bellagio is probably more convenient. 5 days is a bit much for Lake Como unless rest and relaxation are an important part of the trip.

Nicolaitan -
Rest and relaxation is definitely an objective while at Lake Como - sitting at a restaurant/cafe with a book, bottle of wine - people watching (though the second week of june - who knows) Bellagio is more dense - more streets to explore. Thanks for your comments.

Also - I know the train goes to Varenna but does a train go to Bellagio? (I'm thinking not) I'll be taking the train from Torino to Lake Como.

the train stations for Lake Como are at Como, Varenna, and Lecco. We had a car and didn't use the trains.

I don't think you realise how small these villages are. Try going to wikimapia and scanning over them - not that many streets at all. But they are indeed lovely. Sunset over the lake - take lots of pictures for us. N.

We visited both Varenna and Bellagio in the summer. I must confess although Bellagio was slightly more stylish than Varenna, when we got off the ferry we took a short walk around and ran to the next ferry out of there. It just had *way* too much bizz and activity. Varenna was just right, great places to sit by the lake and enjoy a great meal (with a shameless plug to my Varenna restaurant tip).

As the previous poster said, why not go to both?

We went to Varenna by taking train to Tirano from Milano Centrale ... got off in Varenna and just followed the road to the lake - there you will find Hotel Oliveido and the restaurant.

We went to Bellagio by boat from Varenna ... can get the tickets right outside the hotel, as you approach the lake.

Como is also a bit interesting, they have a funicular with a great view - when returning to Milan (if this is the case) - you can take a train from Como and it goes straight into the Milan Cadorna station. Not as picturesque as the train to Tirano, actually not picturesque at all, goes thru some "back alleys" - but seems like a straight shot into Milan.

All the best.

thanks for the responses.

any ideas how how late the ferries run from Varenna to Bellagio and back?

Click around this site http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/com/nlc.html

I can't argue for one town over the other, but we stayed in Varenna at Albergo Olivedo and found it wonderful. Nice place and world class dining room. It sits right at the ferry dock and is a short walk from the train station. Even if you don't stay there, I would recommend dinner there one evening.

Good to hear Rex, this is where we had a wonderful lunch - and I added it as a tip.

And a good tip it is Nomad. As far as I know Laura is still running the place. She is a wonderful hostess and a human dynamo who speaks about 6 languages.

There are lots of options for dining wherever you are in Lake Como but not a lot of buzz and activity. The small villages on the lake are all very beautiful but peaceful and you wont need to spend 5 days in any one of them. You can visit one each day, Menaggio, Bellagio, Varenna, Lenno, Rezzonico. Maybe you should try Como or Milan if you want a bit of buzz and activity. Last year I stayed in Rezzonico which is a few miles on from Menaggio and this June I am going to be staying in Varenna for a week. Hopefully it will be warm and I can visit the man made beach at Lenno. You will enjoy your break.