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Lake Garda and/or Lake Como
Posted on 11/16/25 at 6:00 pm
Posted on 11/16/25 at 6:00 pm
Looking for recommendations for 3 nights in Lake Garda or Como. Any towns or hotels you particularly recommend to stay in? We would like to spend some time on the lake but also make a day trip up to the mountains to the north. Will be coming from Venice and likely headed to Florence after. Thanks in advance for any recommendations.
This post was edited on 11/16/25 at 6:05 pm
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Posted on 11/16/25 at 7:06 pm to TD123456
We spent three nights there this summer, going from Milan to Como to Venice and then Florence. We stayed in Varenna. I highly recommend staying there. Train goes right there from Milan. Great little restaurants in the area, easy to get on boats to take you around the lake. We didn't make Garda this time, but will next time.
Posted on 11/16/25 at 7:51 pm to TD123456
I’ve stayed in Varenna and Bellagio. Bellagio has more to do but Varenna is great as well. Varenna is more convenient by train and probably to the mtns but I am not sure of that.
If Bellagio, I can recommend the Hotel Du Lac.
If Bellagio, I can recommend the Hotel Du Lac.
Posted on 11/16/25 at 8:06 pm to TD123456
Go to lake Garda. Specifically the northern side, more specifically Riva del Garda. Stay at the Lido Palace.
Now on the western shore of Lake Garda there are some insanely nice hotels but those were way out of my budget.
Now on the western shore of Lake Garda there are some insanely nice hotels but those were way out of my budget.
Posted on 11/16/25 at 8:11 pm to dirtsandwich
If I had to pick one town to stay in it would probably be Bellagio although both times I have been to the Lake Region we based in Lugano, Switzerland, right across Lake Lugano from the Italian border. Can’t go wrong with that one either.
Posted on 11/16/25 at 9:21 pm to Shotgun Willie
Thanks. Any hotels you recommend in Varenna?
Posted on 11/17/25 at 5:02 am to TD123456
My personal opinion, since we live ca. 3.5 hours from Garda, is to go to the Como area. The lake at Garda is beautiful, but everything on Garda is filled with Germans, the traffic sucks, and you have a bunch of outlet stores that attract lots of people. The surrounding area, however, is indeed very nice. Just my 2 cents...
Posted on 11/17/25 at 7:10 am to TD123456
Just following along for advice as well as we are going in April. Will be staying at the new Lake Como EDITION. Opens officially in March but believe they opened in preview mode in August.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 8:04 am to TD123456
Prefer Garda. Como is exceptional with probably a better option for high-end hotels but I felt like I was visiting an Italian Tahoe at times with all of the old Americans around.
There are Germans and traffic at Garda can be bad as the comment above states, especially in heavy summer months, but driving along the Western shore is a blast. The scenery at the Northern end of the lake is more dramatic.
There are Germans and traffic at Garda can be bad as the comment above states, especially in heavy summer months, but driving along the Western shore is a blast. The scenery at the Northern end of the lake is more dramatic.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 8:23 am to Ham And Glass
We spent 5 days on Lake Como this spring. Stayed in Varenna at the Hotel Royal Victoria. Had a room that overlooked the lake. Right across from Bellagio. Varenna is smaller than Bellagio but much quieter with less tourist traffic. Easy to walk to the ferry shuttle and go anywhere on the lake. Had a great time and will certainly go back.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 8:50 am to Woodsmaster
I'll echo the other comments. Love Lago di Garda but man it is full of Germans.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:42 am to TD123456
Another nearby option is Lake Maggiore. Wife and I, and another couple, stayed three days at the Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees. Five Star luxury!
Posted on 11/17/25 at 11:37 am to blueridgeTiger
A buddy has a place between Lago Maggiore and Lago Varese. If you go there you will likely be the only tourists around. Cool region, good food, affordable.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 3:08 pm to TD123456
That ferry is fun to hop from town to town. Our highlight was getting drinks and meals in each town.
Varenna and Bellagio were the nicest but there are more than a dozen towns. We based in Como and then Lugano. But I wish we were further north on the lake like Bellagio.
Varenna and Bellagio were the nicest but there are more than a dozen towns. We based in Como and then Lugano. But I wish we were further north on the lake like Bellagio.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 3:44 pm to razor55red
The four of us visited Varese - nice area.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 4:15 pm to TD123456
The difference is that Lake Garda is more extreme sports like mountain biking, kite surfing, hiking, parasailing, etc. Lake Como is more a leisure lake. That's why there's a lot of Germans and Austrians etc at Garda is the outdoors.
To me it really depends on what you are looking for.
The mountains and the cable car to the top at Lake Garda was incredible.
FWIW, neither on anywhere close to being on the way to Florence.
To me it really depends on what you are looking for.
The mountains and the cable car to the top at Lake Garda was incredible.
FWIW, neither on anywhere close to being on the way to Florence.
Posted on 11/18/25 at 9:11 am to Woodsmaster
The wife & I spent four nights in Bellagio this past April in an Airbnb on the lake. We loved the town. I would recommend either Bellagio or Varenna as a great home base for exploring the lake.
Posted on 11/18/25 at 10:50 am to blueridgeTiger
If you ever had trouble with roundabouts, that area will cure you.
Posted on 11/18/25 at 2:13 pm to TD123456
I don't know what your taste for adventure is OP, but it would also be very doable to do both lakes in 3 days. It would be busy and you couldn't see it all by any means, but its 3-3.5 hour drive between the two. Maybe less depending on where you wanted to go.
Its all beautiful area.
Its all beautiful area.
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