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Dolce vita on lake como: walking from Lenno
    • Italy - Lake region
    • 5 days
    • Walking
    • Self-guided
      • From March to November
    • 2 - 10 travellers
      • Simple
      • Confort
      • Charming
      • Superior
      • Trip code : R1101
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About the Dolce vita on lake como: walking from Lenno trip

About the Italy lake region walking stay

Your walking holiday in the Italy lake region:  The romantic landscape of Lake Como has seduced artists and travellers for many years. The lake is known worldwide for its magnificent villas and sumptuous gardens, its wonderful microclimate and stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.   

During this Italy walking trip: you will stay in the delightful and peaceful village of Lenno, located in a creek by the lake and renowned for the Villa Balbianello.  You will discover the villages of Bellagio and Varenna as you follow the panoramic walking paths lined with olive trees and palm trees and subtrobical vegetation. You walk past pretty churches and chapels and picture postcard stone house hamlets as well as visiting the gardens of Villa Carlotta, Villa Balbianello and Villa Melzi.
An ideal stay that combines a gentle way of life with hiking between the lake and the mountains: the real dolce vita! 

Highlights of the trip

  • Panoramic walking paths between the lake and the mountains
  • 4 nights in Lenno, a pretty & peaceful little village
  • Boat cruise nearly every day to the start of the walk
  • The famous "must-see" villas & gardens : Villa Carlotta, Balbianello, Melzi ....
  • La dolce vita including swimming in the lake 


    Go Private or go guided ! Customize your holidays with a local specialist here 

From the blog

Dolce vita on Lake Como, walking from Lenno: Day By Day

- Give yourself a treat and stay extra nights in Brunate - Como !

best walk in italy on lake como

  • Give yourself a treat and stay 1 or 2 extra nights in the perched hamlet of Brunate ! 
    . Located at 750m above sea level, high above Lake Como at the summit of the historic cable car, Brunate boasts spectacular views over the lake. This charming hamlet  is a maze of small alleyways and stairs, famous for its beautiful baroque church, magnificent "Art Nouveau" style villas and the Volta lighthouse with its sprial staircase. By staying the night, you can really appreciate Brunate once the crowds have left. The amazing sunset over the lake is yours to enjoy! The following day, you go against the crowd and take the cable car down and exlore Lake Como while the rest of the tourists head up from the lake to explore Brunate!
    . Extra walk : Loop walk from Brunate to the Volta lighthouse, famous for its spiral staircase and 143 steps. Along the way, you can admire the magnificent "Art Nouveau" style villas : A unique experience ! 
  • Comfort to Charming accommodation in Brunate
  • Contact us 

Day 1 - Arrival on Lake Como

Short holidays in Italy lake region

  • Como city > Lenno
  • Boat transfer from Como city to the picturesque little village of Lenno (1 hour). 
    Upon arrival, have a stroll through the peaceful village of Lenno. We recommend starting your walking holiday in Italy with a visit of the gardens of the Villa Balbianello, an elegant and romantic XVIII century residence and one of the settings chosen for the the Star Wars and Casino Royal films !
    If you have the time, head to the small pebble beach by the lake and jump in for a swim.
  • Night in Lenno.

  • We recommend : 
    . Having an extra night in Lenno
    You can enjoy some extra relaxation time and use your flexible 6 day boat pass to visit the neighbouring villages. 
    You can take the time to complete one of the 2  walks from Lenno suggested on Day 2. 

  • Access: 
    . Flight : Regular flights and low cost airline to Milan : Milano Malpensa Airport (click here ) and Milan Linate Airport (click here )
    . Train : Regular train lines from Milan city / Milan airport > Como city on trenitalia. Access information here  
    . Boat : Regular boat from Como city > Lenno (the station is 10/15 mn walk from the boat). Schedule here 
    . Car rental : you can also rent a car in Milan or Como city. Contact us for the hotel parking information

  • Market on Tuesday, Thursday morning  & Saturday all day in Como city

Day 2 - Panoramic & historic walk from Lenno

  • Best time to visit the famous Villa Carlotta in the Italy lake regionToday you have a choice of 2 walks :
  • Option 1 - Easy - Walk - Lenno > Villa Carlotta
    2 hours 30 - 5km / 3.0 miles - Ascent: +200 m / Descent: -200 m
    From Lenno, you climb above the lake and enjoy stunning panoramic views of the mountains.  Your walk takes you through a small medieval village with narrow streets, past churches and chapels on paths lined with olive tress and lush vegetation. 
    Boat back to Lenno
  • Option 2 - Moderate - Walk - Lenno > San Benedetto Abbey - Madonna del Soccorso +  > Lenno
    4 hours  - 9km / 5.6 miles - Ascent: +600 m / Descent: -600 m
    A steady climb takes you above Lenno on a panoramic trail that passes through a lush forest. You arrive at the San Benedetto Abbey dating back to the 11th century. This magnificent building of Romanesque architechture  is perched at 800m in the heart of the countryside at the confluence of two valleys where the Perlana stream flows.  It's a steep descent, plunging on the other side leading to Osuccio. You arrive at the Sanctuaire de la Madonna del Soccorso and the Mont Sacré d'Ossuccio dating back to the 17th century. Famous for its 14 chapels and 230 life size statues, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.  You then head back to Lenno via the lake. 
  • You end this first walking day at Villa Carlotta: a "must see villa" on Lake Como ! You can visit the beautiful botanical garden where camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons bloom (April -May) .
  • Night in Lenno
  • MEALS included: Breakfast

  • Small Market on Tuesday morning in Lenno

Day 3 - Walking around Bellagio: the pearl of Lake Como

Walking day during a self guided tour in Lake Como

  • Walk - Loop Bellagio 
    4 hours - 8km / 4.9 miles - Ascent: +300 m / Descent: -300 m
  • Boat transfer from Lenno to Bellagio (35 minutes)
  • The start of your walk is in the village of Bellagio, one of the prettiest Italian villages, affectionately known as the "pearl of the lake" with its narrow streets lined with flowers, its church and cafés. You pass through the picturesque village of Pescallo and walk through the Villa Giulia park and then climb up to Perlo. Retour to Bellagio via the Villa Melzi gardens that greatly inspired Stendhal, Flaubert and Wagner : a wonderful example of an English garden with trees and flowers from around the world. 
    . Option : Vous can enjoy a guided tour of the Villa Serbelloni gardens: a former palace of the last century belonging to the Rockfeller foundation, where Léonard de Vinci and Reine Victoria stayed. The visit of the gardens leads to the top of the promontory, revealing very beautiful views of the three arms of Lake Como (depart from Bellagio tourist office)
  • Boat transfer from Bellagio to Lenno (35 minutes)
  • Night in Lenno
  • MEALS included: Breakfast

  • All day Market on the third Wednesday of the month in Bellagio

Day 4 - Panoramic walking trails: the colourful village of Varenna

Dinner in Varenna, in Lake Como during the best independent tours of italy

  • Walk - Bellano > Varenna
    3 hours 30 - 7km / 4.3 miles - Ascent: +300 m / Descent: -300 m
  • Boat transfer from Lenno to Bellano (1 hour)
  • Your walking tour continues on one of the oldest walking paths of the lake. The "sentiero del viandante" was traced by the Roman legionaries who reached the great passes of the Alps. It's a gentle climb past the "Orrido di Bellano" (visit is possible), and natural gorges formed in the antiquity. The path then offers panoramic views, passing through the village of Gittana and the Vézio castle dating back to the 12th century. You end the walk in the pretty village of Varenna, known for its colourful hillside houses.  In Veranna, you must visit the Villa Monastero gardens : the villa is surrounded by a botanical garden home to  rhododendrons, glycines, magnolias and citrus fruit trees.  For the garden enthousiasts you can also visit the Villa Cipressi, dating back to the Renaissance era. 
  • Boat transfer from Varenna to Lenno (45 minutes)
  • Night in Lenno.
  • MEALS included:  Breakfast.

  • Market on Thursday morning in Bellano
  • Market on Saturday morning in Varenna

Day 5 - End of your self guided walking tour in Italy ..

  • lake como italy boat toursLenno > Como city
  • Boat transfer from Lenno to Come city (1 hour) : a last cruise on Lake Como ! 
  • End of your trip in Como city.
  • MEALS included:  Breakfast

  • Market on Thursday morning  in Como city

  • We recommend :
    . Having an extra night in Como city and enjoying the great lively atmosphere of Como and continuing your exploration of the Italy lake region ! (Great market on Thursday morning)

  • Return: 
    . Train : Regular train lines from Como city to Milan city/ Milan airport on trenitalia. Access information here  
    . Flight : Regular flights and low cost airline from Milano Malpensa Airport (click here ) and Milan Linate Airport (click here )

- Continue your trip onwards to Lake maggiore and Lake Orta !

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      • Confort
      • Charming
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    • La dolce vita including swimming in the lake 


      Go Private or go guided ! Customize your holidays with a local specialist here 

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    • Boat cruise nearly every day to the start of the walk
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      Go Private or go guided ! Customize your holidays with a local specialist here 

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      Go Private or go guided ! Customize your holidays with a local specialist here 

    From 920 € / pers
    Trip details
    Dolce vita on lake como: walking from Lenno
        • Italy - Lake region
        • 2 adults (2x490€)
        • 0 children (0x490€)
      • 5 days
      • Simple
    Total 980€
    Deposit 320€
    Book now !