Bellagio and Surroundings

Location

This spa town, the “Pearl” of the lake, enchants visitors with its idyllic location at the apex of the triangle formed by Como and Lecco (the Larian Triangle), as well as its mild, balanced climate.

Bellagio

Bellagio is home to approximately 3,700 inhabitants and is the main town and the vibrant tourist center of Lake Como. Founded by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago, Bellagio is today a beautiful spa town (“Pearl” of Lake Como) with a stunning location at the apex of the triangle formed by Como and Lecco (the Larian Triangle). Bellagio enjoys a mild and balanced climate, ensuring pleasant temperatures even during the peak summer months.

A magnificent lakeside promenade with its palazzi, cozy cafes, and boat dock invites visitors to linger. Bellagio’s parish church, St. James (Basilica San Giacomo), is of Romanesque origin and always worth a visit. Furthermore, the town is home to the villas Serbelloni (built in the 15th/17th centuries) and Melzi (1802) with their admirable parks. Here you will find medieval streets with inviting restaurants, pizzerias, charming boutiques, and small shops.

Punta di Spartivento, the place where the winds part, offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views of Lake Como.

Bellagio is easily accessible from all directions: by ferry from Cadenabbia and Varenna, by excursion boat from almost every town on Lake Como, and by road from Lecco or Como.

The districts of Suira and San Giovanni are particularly idyllic and authentically Italian. Neighboring towns include:

Lezzeno
Nesso
Careno
Pognana Lario
Faggeto Lario

Excursions near Bellagio:

Basilica San Giacomo
Basilica San Giorgio
Grotta Azzurra
Monte San Primo with its stunning panoramic views and diverse hiking trails.
Museum of Navigation and Maritime Instruments in San Giovanni (Piazza Don Miotti)

Lezzeno

Lezzeno is one of Bellagio’s neighboring towns and is considered a paradise for boating enthusiasts and water sports lovers. The many small boatyards, where fishing boats, sports boats, and wooden craft are maintained, exude a unique charm. Boats from the Marche region, such as Molinari, Marks, and Riva, moor at the harbor’s docks. Many traditional Lake Como boats, called “Lucia,” can also be found here. Several ladders provide access to the lake from the steep shoreline, which is partially reinforced with stone walls.

Nesso

Nesso is a picturesque village and always worth a visit, as a beautifully situated panoramic trail invites you to hike. Nesso is divided in two by a gorge, giving this small town a unique character. It is home to traditional fish restaurants, trattorias, pizzerias, as well as small grocery stores and other food shops.

Activities and Highlights in and around San Siro

Transportation from Bellagio

By Boat

Good car ferry connections from Bellagio to Menaggio/Cadenabbia and Varenna, and excursion boats to almost all the towns on the lake. It’s often worthwhile to visit these towns without a car.

By train:

To Lecco or Varenna, then by bus, taxi, or boat to Bellagio

Swimming opportunities, beaches & pools

Bellagio Sporting Club at the southern end of Bellagio with a pool and Turkish bath
Public beach “Lido di Bellagio” with swimming pool, tennis courts, and a bar to the right of the ferry dock along the lakeside promenade
South of Bellagio, both east and west (St. Giovanni), several small beaches with stunning views of the mountains and the villages opposite.
Even though the shores towards Como and Lecco are sometimes steeper, there are small, sometimes idyllic spots for swimming and sunbathing scattered throughout the various towns:
- Faggeto Lario: free sandy beach with a kiosk and sun lounger rentals, restaurants nearby, and boat slips for private boats
- Careno: pretty little beach with a fish restaurant near a boat dock
- Nesso: popular for swimming are the riverbed, various stone slabs by the lake, and steps leading into the lake
- Lezzeno: several gently sloping pebble beaches

Boat Rentals in Bellagio

Canoe and boat rentals in Lezzeno

Sports

Golfing in Bellagio:

Several golf courses around Como, above Menaggio (accessible by ferry from Bellagio) and towards Lecco/Bergamo

Cycling in Bellagio

Numerous mountain biking trails in the surrounding mountains of the Lariano Triangle
Beautiful cycling routes along the lakeside road between Como and Bellagio, all the way to Lecco
Tip: Take the winding road up to Civenna to see the Madonna del Ghisallo (the small pilgrimage church is dedicated to the patron saint of cyclists)
Mountain bike rentals in Lezzeno

Horseback riding in Bellagio

Horseback riding in Bellagio: Popular riding stables in Pian del Tivano and Bellagio
“Gli Indomabili” offers the option of a horseback riding excursion

Tennis

In Bellagio: Bellagio Sporting Club
In Nesso: Sports center with clay tennis courts and other sports facilities

Hiking, walking, mountaineering & climbing:

Numerous mountain hikes with magnificent panoramic views of the surrounding mountains
High-altitude trail with springs and restaurants from Lezzeno to… Blevio/Como
Hike to the Nesso Gorge
Monte San Primo with its stunning panoramic views and diverse hiking trails.

Water skiing & wakeboarding

Lezzeno: Two well-organized water skiing schools (including barefoot water skiing) with wakeboarding courses

Markets in Bellagio

Weekly market in Nesso every Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Weekly market in Lezzeno every first Wednesday of the month from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., every third Wednesday of the month from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in summer, and from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in winter.

Shopping & Dining

There are many restaurants and shops in Bellagio itself.
neighboring towns, you can find lakeside restaurants or restaurants with panoramic views.

Winterattraktionen in Bellagio

Ski touring and snowshoeing on Lake Como
Christmas markets and nativity scene exhibitions