Holiday Villa Rentals in Italy
Lake Como, Italy is situated close to the city of Milan in the northern part of this country. The lake measures 50km in length and at the southern end the town of Bellagio is located situated on the land where the lake forks. This is certainly not the largest of the lakes to be found in Italy, but is one of the deepest, both Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore are much larger in size.
The area surrounding Lake Como has for many centuries (since the Roman Empire) been favored as a tourist resort. Today it is not just Italians but tourists from around the world who enjoy all that this part of Italy has to offer and many cyclists, walkers and swimmers are enjoying the facilities available.
Getting to Lake Como is not that difficult as it is part of Italy’s main railway network. Train leave frequently from Milan and the overall journey from the city to the lake takes around 40 minutes. Trains leave from Milan’s Central Station or Porta Garibaldi Station and arrive at the main station San Giovanni in Lake Como.
Once you are at Lake Como there are a number of ways that you can travel around its shores. You can drive; take a local bus or cycle. However, one of the quickest and best ways to get good views of the lake itself is by using the many boats and steamers that travel across it. The services are very frequent and connect all the major resorts and towns around the lakes shores such as Bellagio, Menaggio, Tremezzo, Lenno, Varenna and Villa Carlotta.
The town of Commo, which is named after the lake, is a very lively and pleasant one to visit. Located at the southern end of the lake it has some amazing gothic and renaissance architecture to be viewed and enjoyed. Plus a ride on the funicular to the top of the hill on the outskirts of the town offers some spectacular views over the town and lake as well.
However, the town of Menaggio which is found on the lake’s western shore is one of the more popular tourist resorts here. As well as some superb hotels the resort actually has a beach as well, where one can relax and watch the world sail by.
As mentioned at the southern end of the lake along with the town of Commo there is the town of Bellagio. This is a picture perfect Italian town and has some of the stateliest hotels in the whole area as well as beautiful gardens that are open to the public to enjoy.
However, if you want a resort where you can get away from it all the town of Varenna is just perfect for this. Much smaller than many of the other town’s lining the lake’s shores but has some really beautiful architecture like the town of Bellagio has. Plus take time and visit the Castello de Vezio where you can admire the views over Lake Como that it offers.
Ideally if you do intend to visit Lake Como, Italy try and arrange your time for staying during the week as at weekends the resorts become very busy as many people from Milan like to spend their free time around its shores. Also July and August should be avoided if at all possible as this is the height of the Italian holiday season and if you want to avoid the crowds you are better off visiting the area in either the spring or autumn. As well as being a lot quieter the resort accommodation prices are cheaper and yet you are still going to get great weather.
