Lombardy · Italy · Italian Lakes
Lakeside villas, terraced gardens and colourful villages at the foot of the Alpine foothills. We drive you from Nice to your hotel on the lake, plan your days between ferry and car, then take you back to Nice or on to a Milan airport.
Why go
Between the Alpine foothills and the Lombard plain, Lake Como forms an inverted Y whose three arms meet at the tip of Bellagio. Its shores are lined with aristocratic villas, terraced gardens and ochre-fronted villages sitting at the foot of mountains that drop straight into the water. Travellers, writers and composers have stayed here since the nineteenth century, and it remains one of the most elegant landscapes in Italy, a stone's throw from Switzerland.
It is also a proper journey: around 360 km separate Nice from Como, and Bellagio lies further still, in the heart of the lake. The lakeside roads are narrow and slow, and the historic centres are often closed to cars. The most enjoyable way is to stay at least one night and move between the villages by ferry. We drive you to your hotel and arrange the rest with you.
Five stops on the lake
Two days let you enjoy them without rushing, combining car and ferry.
01 · GATEWAY TO THE LAKE
The town that gives the lake its name: a marble cathedral built from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century, blending Gothic and Renaissance, an old town of pedestrian lanes and a lakeside promenade. The funicular climbs to Brunate for the view.
02 · PEARL OF THE LAKE
At the tip of the promontory where the lake's three arms meet: stepped lanes, pastel facades, cafés on the quay and the gardens of Villa Melzi by the water. The ideal base for exploring by ferry.
03 · MOST CHARMING
On the eastern shore, a former fishing village of colourful houses clustered around a small harbour, a walkway suspended above the water, the gardens of Villa Monastero and Vezio Castle on the hillside. Also served by train.
04 · MOST CINEMATIC
On the Lavedo headland near Lenno, an eighteenth-century villa with terraced gardens, owned by FAI, the Italian heritage trust. A setting for Casino Royale and Star Wars, it is reached on foot or by boat from the village.
05 · IN FULL BLOOM
In Tremezzo, facing Bellagio, a late seventeenth-century villa with a terraced botanical garden famous for its azaleas and rhododendrons in spring. Inside are nineteenth-century sculptures and paintings, including a frieze by Thorvaldsen.
A typical two-day trip
An example two-day programme, adjusted to each request: times, hotel and stops are agreed with you before departure.
Day 1 · 07:30 · NICE
Saloon or van depending on your group, water on board, motorway via Ventimiglia, Genoa and the Milan bypass. A break is planned on the way, wherever suits you.
Day 1 · 11:45 · COMO
The cathedral, the lanes of the old town and lunch by the water. The Brunate funicular offers a first view over the lake if you feel like it.
Day 1 · 16:00 · BELLAGIO OR TREMEZZINA
Along the lakeside road to your hotel, with a possible stop at Villa Carlotta depending on opening days. Drop-off with your luggage at the nearest point.
Day 2 · 09:30 – 16:30 · BELLAGIO · VARENNA · LENNO
Bellagio in the morning, a crossing to Varenna for lunch, then Villa del Balbianello. Your driver meets you at the agreed landing stage for the journey home.
Day 2 · 21:15 · NICE
Back along the same motorway, with no train to catch. Alternatively, we drop you at Milan Malpensa or Linate airport so you can continue your trip.
The road from Nice
Nice
Departure
Ventimiglia
Italian border
Genoa
North towards the Po plain
Milan
Western bypass
Lake Como
Como · Bellagio · Tremezzina
Practical information
The centres of Como and Bellagio are restricted traffic zones and the lakeside roads are narrow. Your driver drops you at the closest permitted point, or outside your hotel where access is allowed.
Public ferries link the villages all year round, more frequently in season. Between Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Cadenabbia, a car ferry also carries vehicles.
April to June for the gardens in bloom, September and October for soft light and calm. The villas mainly open from spring to autumn: we check opening days with you.
Let us know your hotel address: some lakeside hotels can only be reached via a lane or a flight of steps. We plan the nearest drop-off and the last stretch with your suitcases.
Malpensa and Linate are close to the lake. You can travel from Nice with us and fly home from Milan, or the other way round: a one-way transfer avoids a long return drive.
Italy is in the Schengen area, but bring a valid identity document for each passenger. The Swiss border is also very close to Como.
Our options
TRANSFER
From Nice or Nice Côte d'Azur airport to your hotel on the lake, luggage included. Also possible to a Milan airport.
Price per vehicle, on quotation
OUR RECOMMENDATION
Outbound and return with your driver, nights on the lake, and days planned between ferry and car to see Como, Bellagio and the villas.
Price per vehicle, on quotation
DAY TRIP
Possible, but very long: more than 8 hours of driving in total for only a few hours on the lake. We suggest it only when your dates are tight.
Price per vehicle, on quotation
Frequently asked questions
Another question? Message us on WhatsApp and we will reply with a programme and a quotation.
Allow about 4 h 15 for the 360 km to Como, depending on traffic. Bellagio, in the heart of the lake, is about 390 km and 4 h 45 away.
It is possible, but the day is very long: more than 8 hours of driving in total for little time on the lake. We recommend at least one night on the lake, or a one-way transfer.
The historic centres are restricted traffic zones and partly pedestrian. We drop you at the closest permitted point, or outside your hotel where road access is allowed.
The ferry is the most pleasant option, linking Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and the Tremezzina. Depending on your programme, your driver can also follow by road and meet you at the landing stage.
Yes. We can drive you from Nice to the lake, then to Malpensa or Linate at the end of your stay, or do the journey the other way round.
The price is set per vehicle, not per person, depending on the option, the number of passengers and the stops. Send us your dates on WhatsApp for a quotation.
Guest experiences
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Combine with
Your stay on Lake Como
Number of passengers, your hotel in Nice, your hotel on the lake, return to Nice or on to a Milan airport: we come back to you with a clear programme and a price per vehicle.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, published by their authors under free licences.
