FAQ Como city and Lake Como tour Frequently Asked Questions

While most tours highlight a city’s main attractions like loose pieces of a puzzle or fragmented, my tours present the city’s story, its people and its evolution as a complete picture, a work of art, from our geologic origins and Roman foundations to modern times. You will discover the consistent theme that has shaped the city for three thousands of years.

My specialized Como city tours such as the Architect’s Tour, Natural Scientist’s Tour, Economist’s Tour and Castle or fortifications Tour give us time to focus on topics of most interest to you. 

Yes, I lead tailor-made excursions across Lake Como including the famous villa museums and gardens of Carlotta, Balbianello, Monastero and Melzi and of towns such as Bellagio, Varenna, Torno and Cernobbio. It depends on your interests and how much time you have.

I also lead tours to other cities: Milan, Duomo of Milan, Florence, Rome, Modena, Pisa, Sienna, Bologna, etc. and wine regions across Italy, where I have experience and expertise.

Yes, I frequently do tours from Como to Bellagio and Varenna. They are at least one hour from Como, so it’s often a full day trip. Bellagio can be over crowded, so it’s better to plan well!

Yes, the Lake Como public ferry system (navigazione lago) can be complex. Part of my service is ensuring we use the most efficient transport—whether that’s the “free-circulation” ferry tickets, private water taxis, or public hydrofoils—to maximize our time, reduce costs and avoid long queues.

No problem! When it rains in Como, we try to schedule around the rain. We can walk under porticos and spend time indoors in the two basilicas of Como such as the Duomo of Como. We can focus on other indoor museums such as the art, Volta and silk museums.

We can always reschedule or adapt the itinerary as you like.

Como’s historic center is flat and pedestrian-friendly, but some lake towns have steep stairs and roads. I customize the pace and route for every group. For example, in Como I avoid traffic and crowds of tourist by taking local-only back streets.

If you have mobility concerns, please let me know in advance as I will adapt your tour for your comfort, convenience and more public benches.

Como city and Lake Como’s high season is late April through October. It’s totally crowded with long lines for the ferry boats and a frenzy of private “pirate-styled” tour boats at high prices with skippers, who give boat rides, but not tours.

Weekends and Italian public holidays are the most crazy busy days.

In the winter, Lake Como and Bellagio are effectively ‘closed’. Many villas and hotels such as Villa d’Este are closed in January and February. During this low period, there’s no more ‘tour boat ride’ feeding frenzy like during the high-season.

However, in the low-season Como city is open and full of life! I fully recommend the winter and low-season from November to March to visit less expensively (not get ripped off) Lake Como and to stay in Como city as a base to visit the cultural capital city, sites, towns, villas and day trips such as to Milan and Luzern without the crowds of tourists.

Contact me to make a detailed tour plan and avoid the crowds in any season!

All the “boat tours” that you find online are simply “boat rides” with a local captain. The captain has a boat driving license, but has no formal training nor license as a tour guide nor as a tour leader. As such the captain points out a few attractions on the lake, maybe speaks a little English and perhaps offers you a bottle of sparkling wine.

A tour leader and tour guide has a specific education and license and provides a “tour by boat” experience. For example, by boat I tell the story of Lake Como, its origin and evolution, the story behind all the villas and their unique architectural secret and much more.

As a tour leader, I take you ashore and tour local towns such as Bellagio, Varenna, Torno, Cernobbio, their history, culture, sightseeing attractions and photographic lookout points. Often we touch local cuisine and food specialities. Then we go back to Como on the boat seeing villas and their history on the way.

By contrast, the boat captain or driver will stay on the boat the whole time and doesn’t give you a guided tour of towns, villas, gardens or sites.

Discover these and many other answers to good questions on a tour with me.
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Absolutely! As a sommelier, I can easily organize a quick Lake Como wine tasting-tour with a taste-through presentation of the local wines of Lake Como (Lariana).

I also organize a Regional day trip wine tasting-tour of wines from Lombardy from the sparking white wines of Franciacorta through to the reds of the Valtellina, which can also be done in combination with a multi-course lunch or dinner.

A tasting of local cheeses can include: Taleggio, Gorgonzola and tome from the Valtellina.

Yes, as I am the only native-English speaking translator and interpreter at the Courthouse and Chamber of Commerce of Como, so I can assist with navigating / simplifying Italian bureaucracy and support with immigration and relocating to Italy.
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