Bellagio Lake Como: what to see and how to get there by boat
The tip of the headland where the lake splits in two. Lario Water Taxi's captain on Bellagio seen from the water: the villas, the gardens and the best time to arrive.
Bellagio, on Lake Como, sits right at the tip of the headland where the lake splits into its two southern arms, the Como branch and the Lecco branch. I pass it almost every day in my Venetian water taxi, and I still think the best way to understand it is to arrive from the water, slowly, and let it reveal itself bit by bit.
Bellagio from the lake: getting there by boat
Coming in from the central lake, it unfolds in layers. First the wooded hill, which is almost entirely the park of Villa Serbelloni. Then the bell tower, then the waterfront with its arcades and café tables. When I throttle back to come alongside, you start to hear the square, and that's usually the moment guests put their phones down and just look.
Bellagio is also served by Navigazione Laghi ferries, with links to Varenna, Cadenabbia and Menaggio. A private boat changes the pace, though: no timetables to chase, and you cruise past villas you'll never see from the road. Bellagio is on the route of our Classic Lake Tour and our Central Lake Tour, both leaving from Varenna, right across the water: a few minutes and it's in front of you.
A short history of Bellagio
The name already appears in medieval records in 835, spelled Belagio. There are several theories about where it comes from, and many tie it to the setting: high ground surrounded by water, between two arms of the lake. Tradition has it that Pliny the Younger owned a villa up here, called Tragoedia.
Villa Serbelloni dates back to the 1400s, built for Marchesino Stanga, the local feudal lord. In 1788 it passed to Count Alessandro Serbelloni, who poured himself into the park, and today it belongs to the Rockefeller Foundation. A little further south, towards Como, Villa Melzi d'Eril was built between 1808 and 1810 for Francesco Melzi d'Eril, vice-president of Napoleon's Italian Republic.
What to see in Bellagio, Lake Como
- 01The Gardens of Villa Melzi
On the lakefront heading towards Como. You can visit the garden, the chapel and the museum; the villa itself is private and closed. From the water, its pale façade is easy to spot. More in our guide to Villa Melzi.
- 02The park of Villa Serbelloni
About 21 hectares covering most of the headland. Entry is by guided tour only, booked in advance, in Italian or English, meeting at the medieval tower on Piazza della Chiesa. It's a proper uphill walk, so wear good shoes. See our page on Villa Serbelloni.
- 03The Basilica of San Giacomo
A Romanesque church in the heart of the old town, a few steps from the medieval tower. Worth stepping inside, if only to cool off on a hot afternoon.
- 04Liszt's house and the stepped lanes
On Salita Serbelloni stands the house where Franz Liszt and Marie d'Agoult stayed for three months in 1837. The stepped lanes climbing up from the lake are the best way to explore the village on foot.
- 05Pescallo
On the other side of the headland lies this small hamlet right on the water, with the Torre Sfondrati, built in 1493. It's the quiet side of Bellagio.
When to visit Bellagio
The village is lovely all year, but the gardens are seasonal. Villa Melzi opens in spring and closes around the end of October, and the Serbelloni park tours follow a calendar that changes every year. Always check opening times on the official websites before you set off.
If you ask me, the best months are April, May, September and October. In spring the gardens are at their peak; in autumn the crowds thin out and the light on the lake turns low and warm. In high summer, come early in the morning or towards evening, when the ferries are less packed and the waterfront can breathe again.
Places near Bellagio
Straight across on the eastern shore is Varenna, home to Villa Monastero. On the western shore you'll find Tremezzo and Villa Carlotta, with Menaggio a little further north. Heading down towards Como, you'll skirt Lezzeno. By boat, they're all just minutes apart.
