Lake Como walking tour
Lake Como is the most romantic of the Italian lakes and with its excellent hotels and extensive network of ancient paths, is the perfect place for a Hidden Italy walk!
Lake Como is the most sophisticated and interesting of the Italian lakes, it is also the most beautiful. You'll spend the first four days the tour based in a delightful little town on the shores of the lake, with views up towards Switzerland. From here you'll take a ferry ride to spend two nights in Bellagio, the jewel of Lake Como and considered the most beautiful town in Italy.
Each walk reveals a different side of this fascinating area's history and traditions: a beautiful lake side route that follows a stone medieval trading path through forests and villages above the eastern shore; a loop walk that follows an old smugglers' routes above the western side of the lake up through oak forests to open farmlands with breath-taking views into Switzerland; an interesting walk through the villages that surround Bellagio; and, as a grande finale, an extraordinary walk in the mountains above Bellagio with endless views across the lake and surrounding mountains.
Why choose this walk?
- You have private transfers from Como to your accommodation on Day 1 and then a private transfer back to Como at the end of the tour
- You stay in excellent hotels, in rooms with views over the lake
- The ‘grand finale’ of the tour is the walk around Monte San Primo on the last day, with breath-taking views over the whole lake
- You have 24-hour phone support from our Florence-based team
- You have use of the exclusive Hidden Italy app and walking notes
- You will have a curated list of restaurants in each town (from fancy to cheap and cheerful) with booking details and links
The walks
This is a Grade 3 Walk. It follows marked routes along a combination of paved stone paths and unsealed roads. As the paths are above the lakes there are long climbs to get to the start of each one. The walks are 3 to 4 hours (some of them can be shortened by using the very efficient local transport of ferries and buses. Full details on each walk are on the itinerary. Click here.
The self-guided itineraries are rewalked and the notes updated each year.
The accommodation
Hidden Italy uses the best accommodation available. On Lake Como this means excellent centrally located, family-run, romantic hotels, with whom we've been working for years. All rooms have en suite bathrooms, air conditioning and generous breakfasts.
The food
Forget pizzas and tomato-based suaces, lake cuisine specilaises in risotto, polenta, fresh-caught fish and wild mushrooms in butter. The historical emphasis here has been on hearty fare to fuel a day's hard work, making the most of local ingredients, be they corn from the fields; Alpine cheeses from the cattle and goat herds in the mountains; or even frogs from the marshes. However, the key ingredients here are fresh lake fish, which include persico (perch), luccio (pike), lavarello (lavarel) and trout, all best served simply (perhaps fried in butter with sage leaves) to preserve their delicate flavour. There are also some interesting wines produced around the lake.
Generous breakfasts are included each day (you'll need them for your walks). Hidden Italy will provide you with a curated list with descriptions and locations of three to four restaurants for each town/village you visit (from fancy to more relaxed). This information will be on the Hidden Italy walking App and you will be able to book your meals directly through the App.
Support on the walk
To guide you through this wonderful walk, you will receive: the Hidden Italy roadbook (an eighty-page A5 booklet that includes comprehensive daily walking notes accompanied by detailed maps, updated and revised each year); access to the exclusive Hidden Italy App to complement the roadbook (the App is downloadable to Apple and Android devices and features information about the routes: maps, GPS tracks, altimetric profiles, etc; GPS navigation on all the routes; an alert function if you stray off the track; and an emergency function); twenty-four-hour phone support from our Florence-based Operations Manager.
Booking conditions
To confirm the booking, a deposit of 25% of the total booking cost is required within 7 days of the issue of the invoice. Please note that in the event of customer cancellation, deposits are refunded, less a cancellation fee of $500 per person per tour. Click here for full T&C’s
Interested in the 1. Northern Italy: Lake Como, 7 day in Bellagio and the central lake. Self-Guided Walk?
Don't miss out, places are limited. Make your booking now. Book Now › Make an Enquiry ›This 7 day tour based on Lake Como can be personalised to meet your interests and travel dates.
-
Cost
$3,400
per person
- Six nights accommodation in excellent lake-side hotels
- All breakfasts included
- Reading lists and historical and cultural notes
- Maps and detailed walking instructions
- Hidden Italy App with GPS to complement the roadbook
- 24 hour backup from local manager
- City taxes are not included in the cost of the tour
Cost Options
$3400 b&b per person
Single Supplement: $900
** Please note a high season surcharge may apply.
Tour costs quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD)
Map
Testimonials
"The tour most certainly lived up to our expectations. Lake Como is a wonderful part of Italy with absolutely spectacular scenery, great food and very friendly people ... we loved our visit to Lake Como!"
– Richard S, Lake Como walk
View all Testimonials ›1. Northern Italy: Lake Como, 7 day in Bellagio and the central lake. FAQs
Find out a little more about the 1. Northern Italy: Lake Como, 7 day in Bellagio and the central lake. tour by reading some of our most frequently asked questions.
View all FAQs ›
