Tours » Como Lake
 |
 |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Tours of Como Lake district
Private tours and excursions around the Lake of Como
One of the most beautiful experiences from Milan is a visit to the Como Lake district, also called Lario, the third largest Italian lake after Garda and Maggiore. Lake Como in the Lombardy region of Italy is one of the most beautiful areas in the world and is a favorite destination for tourists.It is one of the most picturesque of the Pre-alpine lakes and the only one of the three large northern lakes to be situated entirely in Lombardy . It lies in a valley scoured out by the ancient Adda glacier and is unusually shaped like an upside-down Y, with three branches running from Colico in the north, Como in the south west and Lecco in the south east. The point where the three branches meet is called the center and is the most interesting part on account of its beautiful panoramic views.
The climate in this area is generally mild, especially in the center, which makes it very suitable for winter holidays. The lakeside vegetation is luxuriant - rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and olive groves flourish, and lemon trees, date palms and other subtropical plants grow in sheltered areas. Leaving Milan, after a 45 minutes ride to the north you'll reach the small road that goes round the Lake. You will see pretty villages like Cernobbio where you can visit one of the most famous Italian hotels, Villa D'Este and other towns like Moltrasio, Laglio where George Clooney owns his villa, and the fishing village of Brienno. The Villa Balbianello, a little gem created by Cardinal Durini at the end of 18th century and the Villa Carlotta which was built at the end of 17th century and surrounded by a spectacular botanical garden can also be visited. Finally you will reach the town of Cadenabbia where you can take the ferry to Bellagio or Varenna.
Obviously if you like your driver will suggest a nice restaurant where you can taste the local specialties such as trout and perch. Polenta is another common dish. On the way back we can make a stop in Como the lake's largest town. Surrounded by hills and mountains. It boasts several artistic monuments from different historical periods. You'll see the medieval walls, the beautiful Romanesque and Baroque churches, piazza Volta and Piazza Duomo with its Town Hall, the Bell Tower and the superb 600 year old cathedral.
In the late afternoon you will be brought comfortably back to your hotel.
Please note:
The proposed itineraries are only examples of possible tours. For different pick up / drop off locations or customized itineraries we invite our clients to contact one of our tour coordinators to help them design their own tour.