Como Travel Forum

if the time of year that we are planning to go to lake como is in october and the boats stop running on the lake (as i have read in frommer's guide) will we still be able to get around and is this still a good time to go to the lake como bellagio area.
thanks
stephanie
please respond to redsrc@aol.com
also transportation from airport to hotels difficult? should we have driver? can we get to train easily / or should we rent a car?
we are not experienced travlers and have never traveled on out own.
thanks again for all of your help.

thank you so much for your info. are you familiar with the best western hotel imperiale in moltrasio italy. is that a convenient area. the hotel looks beautiful. and how do we get from airport to hotel. do we hire someone to pick us up? do we rent a car? do we take the train and is it difficult to get transportatiom from the airport and what are costs? so many questions .we are not experienced travelers. we have only gone on tours from cruises this is a first for us.
thanks agin
stephanie
redsrc@aol.com

Where are you flying into? Linate? Malpensa? Como is 30-40 minutes by car

The area around Como is fantastic and the roads to it are both easy to drive and well marked. On the other hand many roads of the main, are a white knuckle thrill ride. The roads to Bellagio are like no other, blind spots, hair pins on the side of cliffs, fun stuff.

If your up to it and want to travel far and wide, I would recommend a car. Otherwise if you feel like you'll be to exhausted from a flight from Logan to Italy then take the train to Como and a taxi or ferry can get you to your hotel.

Anyhow, I've been there in the summer and also in late Sept. There was plenty to do in Sept with many people out and about, I'm not sure about Oct.

Use this site for ferry times.

http://www.bellagio.co.nz/

Also, while you're there, check out Ville Este to see how the other half lives. It also has transportaion info.Its near the hotel you mentioned.

http://www.villadeste.it/

Also the small town of Cernabbio, south of moltrasio has restaurants and cafes on the water with a nice cobble stone promenade with a main boat dock.

Good luck and enjoy!

thanks we appreciate all of your info
stephanie

could you tell me what you mean by the main--is that the highway?
stephanie
also do you have any idea of prices for renting a car for three dayw while we are there. from como we are heading to venice for three days should we drive or take train to venice. what do you think of the roads going to venice vs the train ride.
thanks again stephanie

the vter's above have answered many of your questions. the grand hotel at como is not in the city centre and on a main road to the autostrada and cernobbio. from a brief stop there, it appears to be more of a business hotel with conferences, although modern and new in appearance (as of about 4 yrs ago). if you can drive, i highly recommend getting a car for the freedom to go where and when you want - including Bellagio, Lugano, Tremezzo. If you do stay in hotel above, you are quite near both cernobbio and the villa d'este. And --- if you have the big expense account, there are very few hotels in the world like the villa d"este. As 500-700$ US, this should not be a big surprise.

"could you tell me what you mean by the main--is that the highway?
stephanie
also do you have any idea of prices for renting a car for three dayw while we are there. from como we are heading to venice for three days should we drive or take train to venice. what do you think of the roads going to venice vs the train ride".

Yes, Main means main road. My last few trips to Europe I've checked rates with Orbitz and ended up renting from Hertz. Don't expect budget rates for a Lincoln Town Car in Italy. You'll easily spend $75 per day for a two door Ford Fiesta with a 5 speed tranny. The insurance(mandatory) and tax is almost as much as the rental.

The Autostrata system in the north of Italy is well marked and efficient. However, the A4 from Milan to Brecia is extremely busy and there's often bumper to bumper traffic. If you are just checking out of your hotel in Como and rushing off to Venice, I would take the train.

You could reserve a car to pick up at the airport in Milan and take to Como. You then could drop off the car in Como and take the train to Venice. -Check the Hertz website. Como has all the services you would need.

So unless you have and want to take your time and makes stops along the way to Venice (Bergamo, Lago di Garda, Verona are all along the way) I'd take the train

the hotel we are considering is the best western grande imperiale. it is next to the villa d'este for a fraction of the price. knowing this location what do you feel is our best way of transportation from malapensa airport in milan
thanks for all of your information
stephanie
redsrc@aol.com