Certainly, one of the most beautiful and charming villages of Italy, Bellagio is a place to immerse yourself in the romantic and tranquil atmosphere of Lake Como. The picturesque small village is popular for its beautiful setting on the peninsula of the lake Como which offers magnificent views of the lake and distant mountains from every corner. Bellagio is full of colourful houses, picturesque alleyways, boutique shops, restaurants, luxurious hotels, and beautiful gardens, all of which make it a unique location to spend a tranquil day in the lakeside Italian village. Bellagio is also well known as a luxurious travel destination and a popular vacation getaway for jet sets worldwide. Bellagio is the most visited place of Lake Como and is also known as the “pearl of Lake Como”.
Bellagio is also a popular weekend getaway for locals in nearby big cities, so the village is often crowded with locals and international tourists. Bellagio is located 70 Kilometers north of the Italian fashion capital city Milan and can be easily reachable by car or train from Milan in one and a half hours. Bellagio is an ideal destination to spend a tranquil weekend from the busy work week or a beautiful day from your leisure trip of Italy.
In this article, we have mentioned everything you need to know on how to take a perfect self-guided day trip to Bellagio from Milan including the best options on how to reach Bellagio from Milan, the best places to see in Bellagio in a day, the best restaurants in Bellagio and best places to stay in Bellagio.
So let’s start exploring Bellagio!
How to reach Bellagio from Milan
Bellagio from Milan can be reached by car, train or Private Guided tours. We have mentioned the best ways to reach Bellagio from Milan for each mode of transportation.
By car:
Bellagio from Milan can be easily reached by car in 1 hour and 30 minutes via highway SS 36. The road passes through the lake town of Lecco. As soon as you reach Lecco, you will enjoy driving through the scenic views of Lake Como.
During the weekend and the peak summer months, parking in Bellagio can be a challenge due to the increasing number of visitors. Therefore, reach Bellagio as early as possible to get to the car park close to the village. There are several free and paid parking available at the entrance of the village. Pay attention to the colour of the parking display on the road, the white colour represents free parking, and blue represents paid parking. For paid parking, you need to pay a 2 Euros fee per hour. The payment can be made at the ticket machines near each parking lot. Once the payments are made, make sure to keep the receipt in the car dashboard visible from outside for checks.
By Train:
Bellagio does not have a train station. However, Bellagio from Milan can be reached by train until the nearest train stations Varenna and Como with further connections to Bellagio by Ferry or Bus. The nearest and most convenient train station to Bellagio is Varenna which has continuous ferry connections to Bellagio.
Trains from Milan to Varenna depart every hour starting from 6.20 AM. To have a comfortable day trip to Bellagio from Milan, it is recommended to catch the train at 8.20 or 9.20 AM from Milan. The one-way train ticket costs 7.40 Euros per person.
As soon as you arrive in Varenna, walk towards the ferry terminal from the train station and buy a return ferry ticket to Bellagio. Return ticket per person costs between 9 to 10 Euros. Usually, there is a queue at the ticket counters during the peak summer months and weekends. Therefore, it is better to book the ferry tickets online in advance at Navigazione Langhi.
The ferry timetable differs depending on the season and months. Typically, you will find a ferry every 30 to 40 Minutes during summer. You can check the ferry timetable at Navigazione Langhi and book the train tickets accordingly. The ferry takes around 30 minutes or less to reach Bellagio from Varenna.
Overall time to reach Bellagio from Milan by the combination of train and Ferry is somewhere between 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the waiting time for the ferry.
If you don’t want to have a hustle of public transport and parking, it is always recommended to travel with a guided day trip to Bellagio from Milan. On the guided trips, everything is managed by tour agencies to offer the best experience. Several tour agencies operate day trips to Bellagio from Milan. However, it is recommended to book the most popular guided tour which includes a visit to Bellagio village and a private boat tour in the Lake Como.
Things to see in Bellagio:
Bellagio has a lot to spend a perfect day in a tranquil Italian village. To manage your time well during a day trip to Bellagio from Milan, it is recommended to start your trip by exploring the Gardens of Villa Melzi which are just 15 minutes walk away from the ferry terminal.
Villa Melzi
Villa Melzi is a luxurious Villa built by Francesco Melzi who was the first vice president of the Italian Republic in early 1800. The Villa was built as a summer residence of the vice president. Presently the property is owned by the wealthy Gallarati Scotti family. Since the property is private, visitors are not allowed to enter the property. However, the beautiful botanical gardens of Villa Melzi and its Museum are open to visitors. The Gardens of Villa Melzi is one of the most beautiful places in Lake Como and a must-visit if you are in Bellagio.
Presently, the current Owner (Gallarati Family) is maintaining the gardens of the Villa Melzi. The Gardens are full of a wide range of floras including some of the rearrest and exotic trees and plants on the planet. In addition to the variety of floras, the garden is also an open-air archaeological Museum since it houses open-air archaeological sculptures from the Roman and Egyptian eras. In the gardens, you will also find the Museum of Villa Melzi which houses the artefacts and traces of Villa Melzi and the surrounding area of Lake Como.
The gardens of Villa Melzi are located on the shores of the lake and offer one of the best views of Lake Como, which makes it a perfect place to take some souvenir pictures.
The entry ticket to the garden and museum costs 10 Euros per adult and is free for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased directly at the ticket counters near the gates of the Villa.
The gardens are open for visitors typically from the beginning of April to the end of October every year and closed during the winter season.
You can easily spend 2 to 3 peaceful hours in Villa Melzi and its Museum. As soon as you explore the Villa Melzi, head back to Bellagio and explore the beautiful little village.
Bellagio Village
Bellagio is a lovely picture-perfect village where each corner and alleyway uncovers beautiful views of a village and Lake Como. The village is full of cobblestone streets and staircases surrounded by typical Italian restaurants, souvenir shops, clothing, coffee, wines and many more. Every shop in Bellagio is nicely decorated to attract visitors and has more than enough to do some serious shopping.
Bellagio village has 2 parts separated by main street, the upper Bellagio and lower Bellagio. The lower Bellagio is the most beautiful and touristic part of Bellagio which is an area around the lake shores. The most picturesque part of Bellagio is Salita Serbelloni which is a staircase connecting the lake and upper Bellagio. Most of the photos of Bellagio you may have seen on Instagram are taken from the Salita Serbelloni (Google map location for viewpoint).
Consider that Bellagio is situated on a small hill and the village has a lot of stairs. Therefore, exploring the village may not be a good option for people with mobility issues.
You will also find a lot of restaurants to eat at in Bellagio, however, we recommend eating in any one of the following authentic Italian restaurants which serve delicious local food. Avoid eating at the lakeside restaurants since they charge a lot of money for the food which is not worth: -
Antico Pozzo Ristorante (Google Map Location): Serves delicious Italian Cuisine and lake fish.
Ristoro Forma E Gusto (Google Map Location): Popular for pizza and traditional pastas.
Ristorante Pizzeria Carillon (Google Map Location): Popular for Pizza, lake fish and traditional cuisines.
Bistrot Antichi Sapori (Google Map Location): popular for its traditional Italian cousin.
You will also find several wine bars if you want to taste delicious Italian wines. You can try the Italian wine with traditional pairing in Wine Bar Aperitivo Et Al (Google Map Location) at Salita Serbelloni.
Bellagio is also home to the 11th-century church “Basilica di San Giacomo” built during the Roman and Lombards era which deserves a visit if you are in Bellagio.
Basilica di San Giacomo
Basilica di San Giacomo is a beautiful Roman-style church built between 1075 and 1125 and a good example of Roman-Lombard architecture. It is located in the upper part of Bellagio adjacent to Via Roma and can be reached from the lake shores in just 5 minutes.
Basilica di San Giacomo is popular for its beautiful frescos, the most popular one is the fresco of Madonna of the Grace and Saints which is said to be painted in the 14th Century.
Basilica di San Giacomo also houses the sculpture of dead Christ which is said to be the Spanish origin. According to the locals, the sculpture of the dead Christ was washed into the lake when the river Adda was flooded due to heavy rainfall and thereafter it was recovered by locals from the lake and donated to the church.
The church is open to visitors free of charge.
You will have enough time to explore the village on your day trip to Bellagio from Milan, therefore, we recommend visiting this gem on your trip to Bellagio.
After Visiting Bellagio village and Basilica di San Giacomo, head towards the very end of the peninsula of Bellagio “Punta Spartivento”.
Punta Spartivento
Punta Spartivento is a scenic location in Bellagio where the peninsula ends and offers magnificent views of Lake Como from 3 sides overlooking distant mountains.
Punta Spartivento is around 1 KM away from the ferry terminal and can be easily reached by walking in 15 to 20 minutes. It is a good spot to spend a slow sunset with a glass of aperitif. The restaurant La Punta is a good spot to spend a beautiful evening and experience the colours of the sunset in the heart of Lake Como. A romantic walk along the lake at Punta Spartivento with your loved ones is also a good idea to spend a magical sunset in Lake Como.
In the warm summer, you can also swim in the lake at Punta Sprtivento.
If you want to experience the sunset at Bellagio in a unique way, we recommend you take the beautiful sunset boat tour at Bellagio.
Return to Milan from Bellagio
By the time you explore the Punta Sprtivento, it will be almost the end of the day and time to end your day trip to Bellagio from Milan. Therefore, head back to the ferry terminal and catch the return ferry back to Varenna from Bellagio.
Note: The ferry timing changes depending on the season every year. Therefore, Always check the ferry timetable at Navigazione Langhi in advance and plan your day accordingly in Bellagio.
From Varenna, you will find the return train back to Milano Centrale and Milano Porta Garibaldi train stations every 30 minutes in the evening hours (Always check the latest train timetable on the Trenitalia site). Since the train is a regional train, it does not need booking. Tickets can be purchased online, at the counter of the train station or at ticket vending machines at train stations. You can sit anywhere you want in the 1st or 2nd class cabins of the train based on the type of ticket you have purchased.
The Train journey back to Milano Centrale train station from Varenna takes 1 hour and 5 mins while the train heading towards Porta Garibaldi train station takes 1 hour and 45 Mins. A one-way train ticket from Varenna to Milano costs 7 Euros and 40 Cents.
If you have more than one day to explore Lake Como, then Bellagio is one of the best places to station at Lake Como and explore the surrounding villages on Lake Como. Check out our article 2 Days in Lake Como for a perfect itinerary to explore Lake Como in 2 days.
There are many good options to stay in Bellagio including budget or mid-range hotels, apartments and world-class luxurious hotels. We have mentioned our top recommendations to stay in Bellagio in every category.
Best Places to Stay in Bellagio
The legendary and oldest luxurious hotel in Bellagio offers world-class luxury and unobstructed lake views. This is the best Hotel in Bellagio and one of the best in the Lake Como region.
A fine and luxurious hotel in Bellagio, Hotel Belvedere offers luxurious hospitality with magnificent lake views.
If you are looking for apartments, then Miagolo apartments are the best picks in Bellagio. It is usually available at affordable prices and offers beautiful distant lake views.
If you are looking for an apartment with views, then the Appartmenti Songo can be the best choice. They are often available at affordable prices.
The beautiful boutique hotel offers unbeatable hospitality and great lake views from your bedroom window. It is a mid-range hotel located in the heart of Bellagio.
Another great mid-range hotel in the heart of Bellagio is located close to the ferry terminal. The hotel is popular for its friendly staff, comfortable rooms and fantastic breakfast.
We hope that you liked this article and it will help you plan a perfect day trip to Bellagio from Milan. Please let us know your thoughts in the comment section. If you have questions about Bellagio or other places in Italy and Europe, please write to us. We will be happy to help you.
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