When in Milan, take a day trip to Lake Como.

There are many reasons one should visit Milan (I’ve outlined some of them in my last post), but the accessibility to Lake Como should be pretty high up on the list. Lake Como is a beautiful deep-blue lake set at the foothills of the Alps in northern Italy. Its namesake region is known for stunning scenery and upscale holidaying. But most importantly, it’s where George Clooney lives (and now you know why it rings a bell). No, we didn’t run into him. 

You can take several trains from Milan to various cities dotting Lake Como. We were told the town of Como is quite lacklustre and uninteresting, so we decided to take a train to Varenna from Milano Central. Varenna is a good launchpad for exploring the middle Lake Como circuit.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t spend any time in Varenna at all. It’s beautiful, charming, relaxed and less touristy than Bellagio, which is where we headed next.

Simply put, Bellagio is stunning (albeit overrun with tourists). It’s stunning when you approach it on the ferry. It’s stunning when you look out towards the Alps from the town. The colourful waterfront is lined with hotels, restaurants and cafes. Behind them, equally charming alleys lead up to hidden gems comprising on more restaurants and cafes.

After spending a bulk of the afternoon poolside at the Bellagio Sporting Club, we spent the evening strolling around town until it was time to take the train back to Milan.