Lake Como Circuit: The Perfect 3-Day Drive (Italy)

Lake Como is one of Italy’s most beautiful drives — a circuit of the lake’s three arms, past pastel villages, villa gardens and mountains dropping straight into the water. The lakeside roads are narrow and busy in summer, so start early and take your time.

Day 1 — Como to Bellagio (30 km)

Drive up the east side of the Como branch on the SP583 to Bellagio, the “pearl of the lake” at the point where the three arms meet — a first evening in its stepped lanes and gardens.

Day 2 — Varenna and Villa Carlotta by ferry

The central lake is best crossed by boat. Take the ferry from Bellagio to Varenna for the Villa Monastero gardens, and across to Tremezzo for the gardens of Villa Carlotta.

Day 3 — Menaggio and the western shore (40 km)

Ferry over to Menaggio, then drive the western shore past the film-famous Villa del Balbianello near Lenno and back down to Como.

Tolls and costs

Italy has distance-based motorway tolls, but the lakeside roads themselves are toll-free. Parking in the villages is limited and paid — hop between towns by ferry where you can. Use the cost calculator for your dates.

This trip is also in the free Roadcut trip planner: change the number of days and where you sleep each night, pick your vehicle to see the fuel cost, check the weather on the road, and open each day in Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze.