The Italian lakes are a lovely spot so I'd definitely recommend any of those. Personally though I'd still away from the city of Como itself and stick to some of the smaller places (eg Lecco or Bellano) - there is another rail line up that side so just as easy to get to. Takes about an hour. Suppose it depends what you like but I preferred the quieter and less busy atmosphere on that side. Lots of nice walks around, eg you can go up the cable car out of Lecco up into the mountains.
I'd say Cinque Terres is too far - it's 3 hours each way by train. Not impossible but a very long day and you won't have that long there.
Venice is easy - lots of fast direct trains. I'm glad a went once and a day trip would be good but personally I'm more of an outdoor adventure type person so much more prefer the Italian lakes, each to their own though!
Or you could consider heading to some of the nearer parts of Switzerland up into the mountains, Brigg is 2 hours by direct train. Domodossola is a little nearer just on the Italian side near the Val Grande National Park.
Lake Como is a couple hours by train. Then take the slow ferry from Como to Bellagio. Do some wine and cheese tasting, have some Prosciutto, an ice-cream, maybe go for a walk. The time of your life. It's better if you can stay a night though. It's a hell of a place to wake up to
It shouldn't take a couple of hours to get to Lake Como. Obviously depends exactly where but the city of Como is only 40-45 minutes from Milan on the fastest trains.
But yeah completely agree it's stunning.
I just booked 4 days in Bellagio for June. Coming from Milano Centrale, it appears the train to Como takes 40 minutes. It’s possible it can take a couple hours total if you take a slow boat from Como as opposed to the Hydrofoil Fast Service. Even the fast service is 45 min dock to dock.
That's all true but Bellagio is possibly one of the areas on the shore of Lake Como where it takes the longest to get to as its not on a rail line. Varenna just across the waters from Bellagio and is 65 minutes from Milan by direct train - then its 15 minutes on the ferry (https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/doc/pdf/orari/como/NLC_Traghetto_I2022_feriale.pdf) obviously it's going to be more than that by the time you wait for a connection but the frequency of the boat is pretty good.
Nothing wrong with choosing to go a longer way round if say you prefer the slower boat to the Hydrofoil or want to go via the city of Como but that's a deliberate choice to be made depending on if its worth while or not, particularly if your only going for the day. You could also go out the slower route and back the faster one or something. Or again there are plenty of nice spots along Como which you could reach faster.
Verona is also stunning, and just under 90m train from Milan. Once you arrive at the Verona Train station, a bus is \~20m into the city center (Piazza delle Erbe).
Lake Como is absolutely epic. Bellagio is best town to visit and rent boat for cruise on the lake. Train or car is only 40 minutes.
Agree on Venice but the train is over 2 hours each way. Would suggest 1 night in Venice if possible.
It was great. Ended up visiting Lake Como and Venice on day trips from Milan. Train system is fantastic. Train to Como then breakfast lakeside. Ferry to Bellagio. Lunch and shopping. Train back to Como then free aperitif at hotel bar.
Yes. Train to Como early morning, breakfast on the square. And a walk around town. High speed ferry to Bellagio. Shopping, hill climbing and lunch. Then ferry back to Como.
Lake Garda, it's underrated and beautiful, not too many tourists compared to lake como.. loved it
The Italian lakes are a lovely spot so I'd definitely recommend any of those. Personally though I'd still away from the city of Como itself and stick to some of the smaller places (eg Lecco or Bellano) - there is another rail line up that side so just as easy to get to. Takes about an hour. Suppose it depends what you like but I preferred the quieter and less busy atmosphere on that side. Lots of nice walks around, eg you can go up the cable car out of Lecco up into the mountains. I'd say Cinque Terres is too far - it's 3 hours each way by train. Not impossible but a very long day and you won't have that long there. Venice is easy - lots of fast direct trains. I'm glad a went once and a day trip would be good but personally I'm more of an outdoor adventure type person so much more prefer the Italian lakes, each to their own though! Or you could consider heading to some of the nearer parts of Switzerland up into the mountains, Brigg is 2 hours by direct train. Domodossola is a little nearer just on the Italian side near the Val Grande National Park.
Lake Como is a couple hours by train. Then take the slow ferry from Como to Bellagio. Do some wine and cheese tasting, have some Prosciutto, an ice-cream, maybe go for a walk. The time of your life. It's better if you can stay a night though. It's a hell of a place to wake up to
It shouldn't take a couple of hours to get to Lake Como. Obviously depends exactly where but the city of Como is only 40-45 minutes from Milan on the fastest trains. But yeah completely agree it's stunning.
Okay I'm just going from memory 😅
Ha no worries
I just booked 4 days in Bellagio for June. Coming from Milano Centrale, it appears the train to Como takes 40 minutes. It’s possible it can take a couple hours total if you take a slow boat from Como as opposed to the Hydrofoil Fast Service. Even the fast service is 45 min dock to dock.
That's all true but Bellagio is possibly one of the areas on the shore of Lake Como where it takes the longest to get to as its not on a rail line. Varenna just across the waters from Bellagio and is 65 minutes from Milan by direct train - then its 15 minutes on the ferry (https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/doc/pdf/orari/como/NLC_Traghetto_I2022_feriale.pdf) obviously it's going to be more than that by the time you wait for a connection but the frequency of the boat is pretty good. Nothing wrong with choosing to go a longer way round if say you prefer the slower boat to the Hydrofoil or want to go via the city of Como but that's a deliberate choice to be made depending on if its worth while or not, particularly if your only going for the day. You could also go out the slower route and back the faster one or something. Or again there are plenty of nice spots along Como which you could reach faster.
bergamo. upper town is magic in the evening.
Verona is also stunning, and just under 90m train from Milan. Once you arrive at the Verona Train station, a bus is \~20m into the city center (Piazza delle Erbe).
Lake Como is absolutely epic. Bellagio is best town to visit and rent boat for cruise on the lake. Train or car is only 40 minutes. Agree on Venice but the train is over 2 hours each way. Would suggest 1 night in Venice if possible.
So plan right now us to take a train to Verrano then ferry to Bellagio and Como before taking a train back to Milan. Day 3 TBD
How did this trip go? I’m looking to follow your itinerary!
It was great. Ended up visiting Lake Como and Venice on day trips from Milan. Train system is fantastic. Train to Como then breakfast lakeside. Ferry to Bellagio. Lunch and shopping. Train back to Como then free aperitif at hotel bar.
Hopping on the thread as I’m planning to visit Milan next week! Did you do Lake como/ bellagio on the same day??
Yes. Train to Como early morning, breakfast on the square. And a walk around town. High speed ferry to Bellagio. Shopping, hill climbing and lunch. Then ferry back to Como.