Which lake should you visit on a day trip from Milan? For most first-time visitors it is Lake Como: it is closest, and Bellagio, Varenna and the villas of the western shore fill a day easily. If you want islands and palaces, choose Lake Maggiore; for something small and quiet, Lake Orta or Lake Iseo. Every option below is a private, door-to-door day with your own driver in a Mercedes E-Class (up to 2 guests) or V-Class (up to 6), priced per car, not per person.
The lakes at a glance
| Lake | Best for | Drive from Milan | Tour length | Price from (per car) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Como: Como city | Shortest drive, culture, the funicular | 45–60 min | 8 hours | €600 |
| Lake Como: Bellagio, Varenna, villas | Classic lake villages and gardens | 1 h 15 min–1 h 40 min | 8 hours | €600 |
| Lake Maggiore | Borromean Islands, palaces and gardens | about 1 h 15 min | 8 hours | €650 |
| Lake Orta | A quiet village, a small island, slow pace | about 1 h 15 min | 8 hours | €600 |
| Lake Iseo | Car-free island, few crowds, Franciacorta wine | about 1 h 15 min | 8 hours | €675 |
| Varese and Lake Varese | Sacro Monte, contemporary art, short drive | 50–60 min | 8 hours | €600 |
| Lake Garda | Sirmione, castle and Roman ruins | around 1 h 30 min | 8 hours | €765 |
Prices are for the E-Class; the V-Class starts at €680 for most lakes. Saturdays and Sundays are +20%, major holidays +50%.
Lake Como: six ways to spend the day
Lake Como is shaped like an upside-down Y, with Bellagio where the branches meet. Its shore roads are slow, so no single day sees all of it: the real question is which part.
Como city: the shortest drive
At about 50 km, Como is the closest lake day from Milan. On a private Como day trip from Milan you walk the walled old town, see the marble Duomo and the striped Broletto beside it, ride the funicular (running since 1894) up to Brunate for the view, and finish along the lakefront at the Tempio Voltiano and the park of Villa Olmo. It suits people who want culture and a relaxed pace with the least time in the car, or who are fitting the lake around a busy Milan schedule.
Como and Bellagio: no ferries to plan around
The Como and Bellagio day trip by car starts in Como, then follows the narrow eastern shore road through Torno and Nesso to Bellagio, with the car beside you all day. You return by a different road. Pick this if you want Como and Bellagio with the fewest connections.
Bellagio via the western shore
The classic version, and the Lake Como most first-timers picture: our Bellagio day trip from Milan runs up the western shore through Cernobbio and Tremezzo, then crosses by ferry to Bellagio.
The Grand Tour with the car ferry
Car ferries cross the middle of the lake all day, and that turns the day into a loop. On the Lake Como Grand Tour with the car ferry you drive the western shore to Menaggio, cross with the car to Bellagio and come home along the Lecco branch, about 170 km in all. It sees the most of the lake in one day, with more time on the road. The ferry ticket is paid on the day.
Varenna, or Varenna and Bellagio
Varenna is a small village of coloured houses above a tiny harbour on the eastern shore, reached via Lecco in about 1 h 15 min. A full day in Varenna gives you time for the Castello di Vezio on the hill (your driver takes you up so you only walk down), the Lovers' Walk over the water, the gardens of Villa Monastero and a long lunch. It suits couples and families who want the lake without a long programme. If you would like two villages, the Varenna and Bellagio day trip adds a 15–20 minute passenger ferry across to Bellagio while your driver brings the car round to meet you.
Villas and gardens
For garden lovers, the Lake Como villas and gardens day trip is built around Villa del Balbianello near Lenno, whose terraces appeared in Star Wars: Episode II and Casino Royale, and Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo, with works by Canova and about eight hectares of gardens, at their best in April and May. Balbianello must be booked in advance on the FAI website, is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays, and is reached on foot (about 20–25 minutes, partly uphill) or by taxi boat. Villa tickets are not included.
Lake Maggiore: the Borromean Islands
Stresa is about 90 km from Milan, around 1 h 15 min by motorway. On a private Lake Maggiore day trip your driver drops you at the Stresa landing and you spend the day hopping between three islands by public ferry: Isola Bella, with its palace and Baroque garden of ten terraces; Isola Madre, with English-style gardens; and Isola dei Pescatori, a fishing village with lake-fish restaurants.
Go between roughly late March and early November, when the palaces and gardens of Isola Bella and Isola Madre are open; dates change each year, so check before you go. Malpensa is about 45 minutes from Stresa, so this day works well on an arrival or departure day with luggage in the car. Best for: first-timers who want something grand, and anyone who loves gardens.
Lake Orta: small, quiet and close to Maggiore
Lake Orta sits just west of Maggiore and feels a world away from it. Orta San Giulio has a square open to the water, Piazza Motta, with the island of San Giulio a few hundred metres offshore. On a private Lake Orta day trip from Milan you take a 5–10 minute boat to the island and its Romanesque basilica, have lunch facing the water, then walk about 20 minutes up to the Sacro Monte, twenty chapels begun in 1590 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. The centre is closed to visitors' cars, so the car waits at the edge of the village. It suits couples, repeat visitors and anyone who finds Como too busy.
Lake Iseo and Monte Isola
Lake Iseo lies between Bergamo and Brescia, about 100 km from Milan, and is far less visited than Como or Garda. The day centres on Monte Isola, a car-free island of olive terraces and hamlets, five minutes by ferry from Sulzano with crossings all year. On a Lake Iseo and Monte Isola day trip you explore on foot, by bike or on the island bus, eat lake fish (including Monte Isola's sun-dried sardines), and on the way home stop in Iseo or at a Franciacorta winery, booked in advance. It suits wine lovers and anyone avoiding crowds.
Varese and the Sacro Monte
Varese is under an hour from Milan and rarely on foreign visitors' lists. The Varese and Sacro Monte day trip combines a 2 km cobbled path of fourteen 17th-century chapels up to the hilltop village of Santa Maria del Monte (the car meets you at the top), Villa e Collezione Panza with its contemporary art, including rooms of light by Dan Flavin and James Turrell, and the reed-lined shore of Lake Varese. Villa Panza is closed on Mondays and booking is strongly recommended. It suits art lovers and anyone who has already seen Como.
Lake Garda and Sirmione
Garda is the largest lake in Italy and the furthest from Milan of the options here. The Lake Garda and Sirmione day trip focuses on the southern shore: Sirmione on its narrow peninsula, with the Scaliger castle surrounded by water and the Roman ruins of the Grotte di Catullo at the tip, plus Desenzano. It suits travellers who want a lively resort town with history.
How to choose
- First time, one day only: Lake Como. Pick Como and Bellagio for the easiest logistics, the Grand Tour to see the most, or Bellagio via the western shore for the classic route.
- Least time in the car: Como city or Varese, both under an hour each way.
- Gardens and palaces: Lake Maggiore in season, or the Lake Como villas in spring.
- Quiet and slow: Lake Orta, Varenna, or Lake Iseo.
- Visiting outside the season: Como, Orta, Iseo and Varese work all year; the Borromean Islands' palaces and several villas close in winter.
- Arriving or leaving via Malpensa: Maggiore, Orta and Varese are on the way.
All our day trips are tailor-made: the itineraries above are suggestions, and we adjust them to your interests, pace and dates. You can browse all our day trips from Milan if you are also considering the mountains or Switzerland.
Good to know
- Pricing: per vehicle, for an 8-hour package. Extra hours are €75 (E-Class) or €85 (V-Class). Weekends +20%, major holidays +50%.
- Not included: ferry, boat, villa and museum tickets, which are paid on the day.
- Your driver: drivers speak English. Your driver is not a licensed tour guide, but knows these places well and can recommend viewpoints, restaurants and practical tips. A licensed guide can be booked on request.
- Opening times: villas, gardens and boat timetables change with the season and from year to year. Check before you go, and we plan the day around your bookings.
Frequently asked questions
Which lake is closest to Milan?
Como, about 50 km away and 45–60 minutes by motorway. Varese is similar, at about 60 km and 50–60 minutes.
Is Lake Como or Lake Maggiore better for a day trip?
Choose Como for lake villages such as Bellagio and Varenna and the villas of the western shore. Choose Maggiore if the Borromean Islands appeal, but go between roughly late March and early November, when their palaces and gardens are open.
How much does a private lake day trip from Milan cost?
From €600 per car for most lakes with a Mercedes E-Class (up to 2 guests), and from €680 with a V-Class (up to 6), for 8 hours. Maggiore starts at €650, Iseo at €675 and Garda at €765. Weekends are +20% and major holidays +50%.
Can we see two lakes in one day?
Yes, with sensible pairings: Orta and Stresa on Lake Maggiore are about 30 minutes apart, and Varese is about half an hour from Maggiore's eastern shore. Extra hours are often a good idea.
Are boat and villa tickets included?
No. Ferries, water taxis, the Lake Como car ferry and villa tickets are paid on the day. Villa del Balbianello must be booked in advance.
Can the trip start or end at the airport?
Yes. Many days can start at Malpensa or Linate arrivals with luggage in the car, and Lake Maggiore, Orta and Varese are on the way to Malpensa. Lake Iseo is on the way from Bergamo airport.
