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Table of Contents:
How to get to Como City from Milan
How to get to Como City from Bergamo
When to travel to Como City
The town of Como is an amazingly picturesque resort, located on the shores of Lake Como and surrounded by the mountains. Among the towns of Lake Como, this resort is the most visited by tourists. Travelers choose the town of Como because of the inspiring natural landscapes and the preserved historical monuments; in addition, there is a developed tourist infrastructure, including hotels, restaurants, cafes, shopping, etc.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Como City. I figured out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to see there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Como City.
The most visited time of the year on Lake Como is summer. Tourists come to Como town for beach relaxing and swimming, excursions, gastronomy, shopping, sightseeing, etc. All these opportunities, except swimming, are available all year round. The swimming period lasts from June until September inclusively. Winters are rather mild here; springs are pretty blossoming and autumns are warm, sunny and colorful, but with a few rainy days.
How to get to Como City
Where do you fly into to get to Como City? The town of Como is connected to the nearest major cities – Milan and Bergamo – by rail and by road. Both Milan and Bergamo have international airports to fly into. The current flight timetable to these cities can be checked via specialized online services such as Aviasales and other similar ones. I often use this service as it helps me to compare different flight options and to choose the optimal one. Then you can use public transport, transfer services or a rented car to get to Como town from Milan or Bergamo.
How to get to Como City from Milan
I examined a map and figured out that the distance between Milan and Como is about 50 km. You can get from one city to another by train or by taxi. Alternatively, you can rent a car in Milan and drive to Como on your own.
By train: Trains are a fairly convenient and inexpensive way to get from Milan to Como town. Regional trains of type R run between the cities on a direct route. The travel time is 1 hour. Trains start running from 5.30 am at intervals of once every half an hour throughout the day. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance, for example, at the Raileurope booking service, or directly at the Milan Central Station. I really like Raileurope as it has a very convenient search and helps me to compare different parameters such as duration of a trip, number of changes, departure and arrival points, prices and so on.
By taxi: At night, when there is no public transport available, you can get to Como town by taxi. A trip from Milan Malpensa Airport directly to Como town takes about 50 minutes. You can order a taxi at the information desk in the arrival terminal, or in advance via various transfer services such as, for instance, Kiwitaxi and others. I read the reviews of this service and most of them are positive.
By rented car: You can get to the town of Como on your own by using a car. Car rental in Italy is extremely popular. You can rent a car directly at Milan airport, or at any rental office in the city. There is a wide variety of them, including Hertz, Avis, InterRent, Alamo, Budget, Thrifty, Enterprise, national supplier Maggiore and others. You can also book a car in advance via international online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. Milan and Como town are connected with #A9/E35 motorway. The approximate travel time is 1 hour (see on the map). Based on my experience, both online services are good and I can definitely recommend them.
How to get to Como City from Bergamo
After some map research I can confirm that the distance between Bergamo and Como is about 90 km. However, there is no direct train connection between the cities. You can get to Como town by train with a change along the route. As an option you can also rent a car for travelling around Lake Como.
By train: You can get from Bergamo to Como with a short change in the town of Monza. The total travel time is about 1 hour 45 minutes. Trains leave every half an hour. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. In my opinion, Raileurope is a very convenient railway service with a decent search and a lot of filters to sort the results as you may need.
By rented car: In Bergamo tourists can find a lot of car rental offices. Rental points are located at the airport as well as at the city center. To rent a car, travellers need to have a passport, a driver`s license and a bank card. As an option, you can also book a car in advance via various international services, for example, via Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. Bergamo and Como town are connected by A4/E64 motorway. The travel time is approximately 1,5 hours (see on the map). I often use both of the online services as it helps me to compare the results and choose the best available option.
Where to stay in Como City
According to my research, Como has a developed hotel infrastructure; here you can find hotels of various star categories, as well as guest houses, vacation homes, B&B hotels, etc. But the most common accommodation option in Como is still considered to be renting an apartment. Moreover, in the town you can find both fairly budget options (cheaper than hotels) and luxury options (even renting entire villas). The most popular area for staying is considered to be the town center, but there are also interesting options which can be found on the shore of the lake. Como also has a wide variety of hotels to suit every taste – located in historical buildings and, on the contrary, ultra-modern ones with swimming pools and tennis courts.
Albergo Firenze 3* is located on a pedestrian street in the historical center of the town. The lake is within walking distance. There is a bar and a restaurant on site. Cafes, restaurants, boutiques are can also be found nearby. Free Wi-Fi is available to guests. The hotel offers rooms of various categories, some of which include breakfast. Tourists can find a minibar, a safe, air conditioning, TV, etc in the room. Baggage storage is also available at the reception desk;
B&B Hotel Como 3* is located near the train station; the central square and the lake can be reached in 10 minutes. The hotel provides its guests with private parking and free Wi-Fi. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that the bar and restaurant are also available on site. The hotel has rooms of various categories. Breakfast is provided for an additional fee. All rooms are equipped with a safe, TV and air conditioning. A registration desk offers baggage storage and bicycle rental;
ComoLoft apartments are located within walking distance of Lake Como. Free Wi-Fi is available to the guests. Paid public parking is provided nearby. Vacationers can choose apartments for different numbers of people (from 2 to 7 people). Loft apartments with a garden or terrace are available. All apartments are equipped with air conditioning, a fridge, a kitchenette, a microwave, a kettle, a hair dryer, etc;
Bello! Lake Como Suites guest house has an excellent location and is equipped with everything tourists need. Free Wi-Fi is available to the guests. A parking area can be found nearby in a paid public car park (reservation is required). Guests can choose from rooms of various categories; some have lake views. A terrace and hydromassage are also available;
Chic and Freak Como apartments are located in a quiet green area, 6 km from the town center. The apartment is surrounded with a garden and has a swimming pool in the courtyard. Free parking and free Wi-Fi are provided. The apartment is equipped with a kitchenette, a fridge, a microwave, a kettle, a hair dryer, a washing machine, etc.
What to see in Como City
Como is a fairly large town, but its main attractions are located in the historical center, so you can easily get around them on foot. The town has preserved many architectural sights from different historical periods. The mountains that surround the town on three sides and the lake give Como a special charm. Lake Como is the third largest lake in Italy and the first in depth. In the summer, so-called “water taxis” operate on the lake. You can explore the towns on the opposite shore and see numerous lake villas from the water by such boat trips.
According to my research, the main historical attractions of the town of Como include the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, built at the end of the 14th century in the late Gothic style. The facade is decorated with bas-reliefs and sculptures, and inside it is decorated with tapestries, paintings, stained glass windows and marble sculptures. Entrance to the cathedral is free. In addition to the Cathedral, there are several other important religious buildings in the town, including the basilica of San Carpoforo built in the 4th century, the basilica of San Fidele built in the 12th century and the basilica of San Abbondio built in the 9th century.
There are also many palazzos in the town that once belonged to noble Italian families. Now most of them are open to tourists or used as administrative buildings. Palazzo Cernetti, palazzo Lambertagni, villa Olmo, villa del Grumello, villa Gallia, villa La Rotonda, villa Sucota are particularly interesting. Most of them are surrounded with magnificent, well-kept gardens, which become an attraction on their own. Most of the palaces are made in a festive baroque style or strict neoclassical style, and date back to the 17th-18th century. The good news is that entry to most sites is free.
To my mind, an absolutely special attraction in Como town is a funicular, which takes tourists to the so-called “Alpine balcony”, where stunning views of the surrounding area are available. The funicular was opened at the end of the 19th century. You can also go the same way on foot – along a 143-step spiral staircase, from where equally breathtaking views open up.
Boat trips are also quite common in Como. As a rule, the excursion boat makes stops in the towns of Cernobbio, Moltrasio, Torno and Blevio. During such boat trips, you can explore beautiful mansions and park areas, including Villa Erba, Villa D’Este, Villa Pizzo, Villa Fontanelle, Villa Passalacqua, as well as the Trubetskoy villas. As I see it, any of them has great architecture to observe.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Jocelyn Erskine-Kellie
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…