Blevio, Lake Como: The Villa Shore of the Opera Divas
Blevio sits on Lake Como’s eastern shore near Como — a quiet string of villas and coves once beloved of nineteenth-century opera divas like Giuditta Pasta.
The Lake Como Blog
Everything below is organised the way people actually plan a trip here: start with the essentials, pick what interests you, then browse the villages or dig into the latest articles further down.
Start planning Lake Como
The essentials, in the order most first-time visitors need them.
- Lake Como Travel GuideWhere to start if this is your first trip.
- Ferry GuideTimetables, routes and how tickets actually work.
- From Milan & AirportsMalpensa, Linate and Bergamo to the lake.
- Where to StayWhich town to base yourself in, and why.
- Best Time to VisitSeason by season, what to expect.
- Parking GuideDriving in, ZTLs and where to leave the car.
Choose what interests you
Jump straight to the kind of trip you’re planning.
- Villages & TownsAll 50, mapped and filterable.
- Villas & LandmarksThe grand houses and gardens worth the detour.
- Walking & HikingTrails, viewpoints and how strenuous they really are.
- FamiliesFerries, strollers, heat and what actually works with kids.
- Solo TravelIndependent planning without overplanning.
- Rainy-Day PlanningA practical backup plan when the weather turns.
- Film LocationsStar Wars, Casino Royale and other screen sites.
- Culture & FoodHistory, tradition and the character behind the postcard.
Explore the villages
A small selection to start with — the full map covers all 50.
- ComoFirst-time visitors and day-trippers from Milan wanting a city base with shops, restaurants and transport.
- CernobbioVilla and garden lovers after old-world glamour on the western shore, without the crowds.
- VarennaCouples and garden lovers wanting a calmer base than Bellagio once the day boats leave.
- NessoPhotographers and walkers hunting the quieter, dramatic side of the eastern shore.
- GravedonaRomanesque architecture and open-water swimming on the upper lake, without the crowds.
- LeccoA genuine Italian city over a resort — literature, mountains and lower prices.
Practical planning
Transport, timing and getting around without stress.
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Lezzeno, Lake Como: The Village of the Blue Grotto
Lezzeno on Lake Como’s eastern shore is known for its boat caves and blue grotto, quiet pebble beaches, and open views toward Bellagio and the central lake.
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Dervio, Lake Como: A Windswept Shore and a Medieval Borgo
Dervio on Lake Como’s eastern shore pairs a wind-favoured bay for watersports with Corenno Plinio, a fortified medieval hamlet and castle above the water.
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Mandello del Lario, Lake Como: The Home of Moto Guzzi
Discover Mandello del Lario on Lake Como’s quiet Lecco arm: the home of Moto Guzzi, a medieval hilltop tower, calm beaches and trails into the Grigne massif.
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Lierna, Lake Como: A Guide to the Lake’s Swimming Village
Lierna is Lake Como’s swimming village: the turquoise crescent of Riva Bianca, a medieval fishing borgo on a headland, quiet coves, and footpaths up to the Grigne.
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Bellano, Lake Como: Inside the Orrido and the Mill Town
Bellano sits on Lake Como’s eastern shore, north of Varenna: a textile-mill town wrapped around the Orrido gorge, a devil’s tower and a striped medieval church.
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Colico: Lake Como’s Windswept Northern Frontier
Discover Colico, Lake Como’s breezy northern town: windsurfing and kitesurfing, two historic forts, birdwatching wetlands and the medieval Abbey of Piona.
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Dongo, Lake Como: The Village Where the War Ended
Dongo sits on Lake Como’s quiet upper shore: an old ironworking town of arcades and a Romanesque church, and the place where the war in Italy ended in 1945.
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Domaso, Lake Como: The Windsurfing Capital of the Lake
A warm, practical guide to Domaso on Lake Como’s upper western shore — windsurfing and the Breva wind, beaches and lidos, San Bartolomeo, and Domasino wine.
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Gravedona, Lake Como: The Quiet Capital of the Upper Lake
Gravedona, the main town of Lake Como’s upper shore, rewards a slow visit: a Romanesque masterpiece, a cardinal’s palace, an old town and quiet beaches.
