Things to do in Lake Como by boat

Lake Como was built to be seen from the water. The villas face the lake, not the road; their gates, staircases and boathouses were designed for guests arriving by boat. That is why a first visit spent entirely on land, in traffic and in queues for the ferry, often ends with the feeling of having missed something.

Start with the villa shoreline. Villa Olmo, Villa Erba and Villa Pizzo stand within minutes of Como, and from the lake you see the full façades and gardens instead of a wall. Further out, Villa del Balbianello sits on its own wooded promontory and is one of the most photographed places in Italy — and unmistakably better from the water.

Then the villages. Bellagio, at the point where the lake splits, has stepped alleys that climb from the harbour. Varenna is quieter, with the walk along the water and a castle above. Nesso hides the Orrido, a gorge with a waterfall and a stone bridge you can only really see from a boat. Isola Comacina, the lake's only island, is history, lunch and a swim in one stop.

There are also things that are simply better at a certain hour. A morning cruise is still and clear, the best light for photographs. A mid-afternoon run can include a swim stop away from the crowds. And a sunset cruise with an aperitivo on board, with Como lit from behind and the western shore turning gold, is the single experience guests ask us to repeat the following evening.

You do not have to fit all of it into one trip. Pick a duration, tell us what matters most — photographs, gardens, villages, swimming, a quiet hour together — and the route is built around that instead of a timetable.