Where to stay in Lake Como
You sleep in Como town: on the waterfront, by one of the two stations or in a hostel, because the boats and the train from Milan run from there.
- Base
- Como town
- Hostel
- €13–33 per dorm bed
- 3* hotel
- €42–51 per person in a double room
For a Lake Como trip you sleep in the town itself, in one of three zones: on the waterfront, by San Giovanni station or by Nord Lago station. A hostel and a 3-star hotel each have their prices, given below.
On the waterfront, around Piazza Cavour
Piazza Cavour is right on the shore, so this is the part of town where the water is reached without a ride. It suits anyone who leaves by boat in the morning and comes back for a stroll along the lake in the evening. Anyone arriving late from the airport gets off at San Giovanni station, where the shuttle stops, so the waterfront is farther away.
By Como San Giovanni station
San Giovanni station lies on the Milan–Zürich line, so EuroCity and Intercity international trains stop there. The Malpensa shuttle also runs to it, €9.99 and about 50 min. Anyone flying in and staying in town gets off here first. From there the waterfront is reached by city transport or on foot.
By Como Nord Lago station
Nord Lago is the station the train from Milan Cadorna arrives at, ticket €4.80. San Giovanni, unlike it, lies on the line that continues to Zürich.
Hostel or hotel, and what they cost
A dorm bed in a hostel costs €13–33, and a room in a 3-star hotel €42–51 per person, counted for a double room. An example of a hostel in town is New Generation Hostel Como Lake.
Why the base is not in Bellagio or Varenna
The train from Milan ends in Como, and the Navigazione Laghi boats to Bellagio sail from Como. Bellagio and Varenna are therefore done as days from the shore. Anyone who still wants to sleep on the lake counts on the same sailing in both directions.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Where is the best place to stay for Lake Como?
In Como town: the train from Milan and the boats to Bellagio run from there, and lodging is €13–33 in a hostel and €42–51 per person in a hotel.
Which station is closer to the lake?
The train from Cadorna arrives at Nord Lago, while San Giovanni is on the Milan–Zürich line and is where the Malpensa airport shuttle stops.
Ready for Lake Como?
Where to next
The best time to visit Lake Como
→The boats, the villas and the funicular each keep their own calendar, and a full timetable and open villas…
Milan · 39 km
→The Italian city that lives off next season rather than its own past
How well does Lake Como suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
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