Lake Como is glacial lake in origin that is located in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. It is the third largest lake in Italy, behind Grada and Maggiore, and has a depth of over 400 meters, which makes it one of the deepest in all of Europe. It has been a popular destination since Roman times and today is a very popular tourist attraction. The rich and famous love this lake and the likes of Madonna, George Clooney, Gianni Versace, Sly Stallone and Ronaldinho have or have had villas on its shoreline.
The lake itself is shaped like a Y, the town of Colico is at its northern branch, Lecco is based at its southeastern end and Como is at its southwestern end. The towns of Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna are all situated within the intersection of the three branches of the lake and a boat service operates between them. The lake is fed by the River Adda, which comes in at the Colico branch and goes out at the Lecco branch, the Como end is a dead-end and as a result the town is often flooded.
The climate here is mild, with December seeing an average of around 13 degrees and July seeing something around the 30-degree mark. The water can reach temperatures of around 24 degrees in July, so swimming is made very easy and comfortable. Apart from the famous shoreline villas, such as Richard Branson’s pink one, which can only be reached by the water, there are a number of impressive villas here that do not necessarily house the rich and famous.
The Villa Carlotta was built back in 1690 for Giorgio Clerici and encompasses an area of over 70,000 square meters. The Villa del Balbianello is famous for its terraced gardens and lies on the western shore; it was built in 1787 on the site of the Franciscan monastery and today is home to a museum that is devoted to the works of Guido Monzino.
There is also the Castello di Vezio that is at a half-day excursion, the hike from Bellano will take around 2 hours and is not easy, but definitely worth it. There is also the Jungle Raider Park, which is great fun for kids and adult, the Funicular Railway is a must do experience and if you fancy a spot of golf why not head to the Menaggio & Cadenabbia Golf Club. All in all a great place to do absolutely nothing or everything the hours in the day allow, and if you’re lucky you may just snap a picture of a famous star.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Lake Como? Then below is a selection of Apartments in Lake Como and villas in Lake Como that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
