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Lake Como

Practical know-how for Lake Como: when to go, getting around, money, tipping and the small things that make a trip easier.

Plan your Lake Como trip

Best time to go
April–October for warm days and full ferry timetables; spring and early autumn are the quietest and prettiest.
Currency
Euro (€)
Tipping
Tipping is optional. Many restaurants add a “coperto” (cover charge) per person, and rounding up is enough.
Language
Italian. English is common in hotels and tourist areas, less so in small towns.
Plugs
Type C/F/L (two or three round pins), 230V. UK visitors need an adapter.
Emergency
112
Getting there and around

Airport: Milan Malpensa (MXP). About 1 hour from Como by train. Bergamo (BGY) and Linate (LIN) are also used. Direct flights from London take about 1h 58m.

Public transport: a single ticket is typically £1.3–£2.2. A day pass or a travel card is usually better value if you ride several times a day.

The lake is long and ferries are the best way to travel between villages. Allow extra time and check the timetable.

Search flights to Lake Como

Money and tipping

Currency: Euro (€).

Tipping: Tipping is optional. Many restaurants add a “coperto” (cover charge) per person, and rounding up is enough.

Take a debit or credit card with no foreign transaction fees if you can, carry a little cash for markets and small cafés, and when a machine offers to charge you in pounds, choose the local currency.

Typical daily spend: see the Lake Como cost guide.

Language, culture and daily rhythm

Language: Italian. English is common in hotels and tourist areas, less so in small towns.

Rhythm of the day: Lunch is 12:30 to 2:30pm and dinner from 7:30 to 8pm. Many shops and some restaurants close in the afternoon, and in mid-August.

  • Coffee drunk standing at the bar costs much less than a seat at a table.
  • Book the Colosseum, Vatican, Uffizi and similar icons ahead; walk-up queues can be very long.
  • Validate paper train tickets in the machine before boarding regional trains.
Booking ahead and saving money

Book ahead: Villa del Balbianello. These are best reserved in advance.

Free things to do: 4 of the 9 places in our Lake Como guide are free. See them.

Book timed-entry sights, popular restaurants and weekend trains ahead. Flights and hotels are usually cheapest booked 6 to 12 weeks out for city breaks, and earlier for summer beach holidays.

Safety, health and watch-outs

Emergency number: 112.

  • Driving into many historic centres (ZTL zones) brings automatic fines: ask your hotel before you drive.
  • Cover shoulders and knees to enter churches.

A UK GHIC gives you access to state healthcare in the EU on the same terms as locals, but it is not a substitute for travel insurance. Take out insurance that covers medical care, cancellation and your activities.

Practical details

Plugs and voltage: Type C/F/L (two or three round pins), 230V. UK visitors need an adapter.

Tap water: Tap water is safe to drink; ask for “acqua del rubinetto”.

Entry and documents: Entry rules, passport validity and any pre-travel registrations change. Always check the GOV.UK foreign travel advice page for your destination before you book and again before you travel.

General guidance for Italy, written for UK travellers. Rules, prices and opening hours change: check official sources (GOV.UK foreign travel advice, venue websites) before you travel.