What to do in Lake Como

For a proper introduction to Como, it’s all about the water. First up, take a Venetian-style wooden motorboat and weave between the lake's grandest villas. Villa del Balbianello of Star Wars and Bond fame is the showstopper but Villa Melzi's lakeside gardens at Bellagio certainly isn’t far behind. Time it right and you'll catch the lake at golden hour, made even better with a glass of prosecco in hand. On land, wander Bellagio's stone alleys, Como's cathedral square, or take the wheel of a vintage Italian sports car and spin along the lakeside roads… Pure dolce vita. Slow things down with a home-cooked meal of lake specialties with a local family, or ramp them back up with canyoning, a kayaking expedition along the shoreline, or a seaplane flight over the shimming water, the Alps rising beyond.

Walking Como's Historic Centre

On foot with a local guide, this is Como's historic centre at walking pace — through sunlit piazzas and narrow cobbled lanes, the kind of streets where Como shows itself in small details rather than grand set-pieces. The walk builds to Como Cathedral, where Gothic and Renaissance sit side by side in a single façade and the spires catch the afternoon light. Private means unhurried. Linger where you like, and let your guide point out what you'd otherwise stroll straight past.