Quick answer
Bellagio sits on the point where Lake Como splits into two branches, and it has no train station. From Milan, take the direct train to Varenna-Esino (about 65 minutes, €7.40) and the ferry across to Bellagio (15 minutes, €5.50). Plan on half a day for the old town and the Villa Melzi gardens, or a full day if you add the guided tour of the Villa Serbelloni park.
Train fares, ferry prices, bus times and villa tickets below were checked on the official sites on 5 October 2026.
Where Bellagio is
Bellagio is on the promontory in the middle of Lake Como, where the Como and Lecco branches meet. The old town is a tangle of narrow lanes and stepped streets above the lakefront arcades, with Varenna and Menaggio facing it across the water.
Because there is no railway, you arrive by boat or by bus from Como. Our Lake Como travel guide shows how Bellagio fits with the other central lake towns. Two piers serve the town: the passenger pier and a separate landing for the car ferry, listed as “Bellagio (Traghetto)” in the Navigazione Laghi fare finder.
How to get to Bellagio from Milan
There are three practical routes without a car. All of them start with a Trenord regional train from Milan.
A ferry at the Bellagio landing, below the lakefront buildings.
| Route | Time from Milan | One way, adult |
|---|---|---|
| Train Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino, then ferry | about 65 min + 15 min | €7.40 + €5.50 |
| Train to Como, then slow boat | 40-60 min + about 2 h | about €5.40 + €12.00 |
| Train to Como, then hydrofoil | 40-60 min + about 45 min | about €5.40 + €12.00 + €5.00 supplement |
| Train to Como San Giovanni, then bus C130 | about 40 min + about 1 h 10 min | about €5.40 + bus fare |
Via Varenna is the fastest. About 16 direct trains a day run from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino, roughly hourly from 6:20am to 9:20pm. In Varenna, walk down to the pier and take any boat to Bellagio. On autumn weekdays the car ferry alone crosses roughly every 30 to 60 minutes from about 6am to 10pm. Our Varenna guide covers the town if you want to stop there first.
Via Como by boat suits you if you want a long ride down the lake. Trains run from Milano Centrale to Como San Giovanni (about 40 minutes) and from Milano Cadorna to Como Nord Lago (about 60 minutes, next to the piers). The slow boat to Bellagio takes about 2 hours. The hydrofoil takes about 45 minutes and costs a €5 supplement on top of the €12 fare.
Via Como by bus. ASF line C130 (formerly C30) runs from Como San Giovanni station along the eastern shore to Bellagio Lido. On weekdays the main departures leave the station at 50 minutes past the hour and arrive about 1 hour 10 minutes later, with a separate Saturday and holiday timetable. You can tap a contactless card on the green validator on board. ASF lists extra-urban fares between €2.70 and €4.90 depending on distance; check the exact Como to Bellagio fare in the ASF app.
Train tickets bought in the Trenord app do not need validating. The full comparison of train routes, Pay&Go contactless and ferry passes is in our Lake Como day trip guide.
Bellagio ferry tickets
| Ferry (adult, 2026) | Single | 1-day pass |
|---|---|---|
| Varenna, Menaggio or Cadenabbia to Bellagio | €5.50 | €17.50 (central lake) |
| Como to Bellagio | €12.00 | €27.00 |
The fast boat supplement is €3.00 on the central lake and €5.00 from Como, and the day pass does not cover it. Buy at the pier office, online on navigazionelaghi.it or with NaviTAP: tap a contactless card when you board a slow boat and again before you get off. If the pier office was open and you buy on board, you pay €1 extra.
Things to do in Bellagio
Villa Melzi gardens
The Villa Melzi gardensMap stretch along the lake south of the centre, on Lungolario Manzoni. The neoclassical villa was built in the early 1800s for Francesco Melzi d’Eril and is still private. Your ticket covers the English-style gardens, the chapel and a small museum.
A gravel path through the Villa Melzi gardens, with plane trees and the villa along the shore.
- Tickets: €10, or €14 for two days. Free up to age 11. No booking: you pay at the entrance.
- Hours in 2026: daily 10am to 7pm, 10am to 6:30pm from 12 to 24 October and 10am to 5pm from 25 October. The gardens close for the season on 1 November.
- Rules: picnics are not allowed (packed lunches only on the benches near the restrooms), there is nowhere to buy food or drinks inside, and dogs are welcome on a leash.
Villa Serbelloni park guided tour
The Villa Serbelloni parkMap covers almost the whole promontory above the town, about 21 hectares. It belongs to the Rockefeller Foundation, and the municipality runs guided visits. You cannot walk in on your own.
- When: Tuesday to Sunday at 11am and 3:30pm, closed Mondays.
- Cost: €13 for adults, €7 for ages 7 to 13, free under 7.
- How: book online on bellagiolakecomo.com. Groups are capped at 30 and tours run in Italian and English.
- What to expect: about 2 hours, and the first hour is uphill. You meet at the tourist office in the medieval tower at Piazza della Chiesa 14, in the upper town.
Check the booking calendar for the last tour date of the season. Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni on the lakefront is a separate place: a 5-star hotel.
The old town and Salita Serbelloni
The old town has two levels: the lakefront arcades below and Via Garibaldi above, joined by stepped lanes lined with shops and trattorias. Salita Serbelloni is the best known of these stepped streets. Climb it from the lakefront up to Via Garibaldi and continue to Piazza della Chiesa, where the Romanesque Basilica di San GiacomoMap dates from 1125 to 1150. The medieval tower on the same square holds the tourist office, where the Serbelloni tours start.
Punta Spartivento
Walk north through the town to Punta Spartivento, the tip of the promontory where the lake splits into its two branches. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes from the centre, and the La PuntaMap restaurant sits right at the point.
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The stone jetty at Punta Spartivento, at the northern tip of the Bellagio promontory.
Pescallo
Pescallo is a hamlet of Bellagio on the other side of the promontory, facing the Lecco branch of the lake. It was a fishing village, and the place where the fish market was once held, and today it is the quiet side of Bellagio. From the town hall area, take the Salita Mella stepped lane and the stairway beyond it: about 15 minutes on foot, first gently uphill and then down to the village and its small harbour.
Lido di Bellagio
Lido di BellagioMap is a beach club with a small sand beach, a bistro and a bar at Via P. Carcano 1, the same address as the Bellagio Boat Service taxi boats. The beach and bistro open every day from 11am to 6pm in season. Ask about prices and season dates on arrival, or contact them first.
Across the lake: Varenna and two villas
Bellagio is the hub of the central lake ferries, so the next town over is a short hop.
- Varenna, 15 minutes by ferry for €5.50, has the gardens of Villa MonasteroMap, the lakeside walkway and Castello di VezioMap. See our Varenna guide for tickets and hours.
- Villa CarlottaMap, in Tremezzo, has its own pier. In 2026 it opens 10am to 7pm until 18 October, then 10am to 6pm until 8 November, and costs €17.50 for adults.
- Villa del BalbianelloMap, in Lenno, is run by FAI and needs booking. The park costs €15, or €25 with the guided tour of the villa. There is no car access: walk about 1 km uphill from Lenno (about 25 minutes) or take a paid taxi boat from Lido di Lenno.
Lenno is on the same €5.50 central lake fare as Varenna and Menaggio, so the €17.50 day pass covers that hop too.
A boat tour from Bellagio
Bellagio is the main base for small-group and private boat tours on the lake. Shared tours of 1 to 1.5 hours usually cost about €35 to €60 per person, and private classic wooden boats about €350 to €450 per hour. Our Lake Como boat tours guide compares them with the public ferry. For a private taxi boat, try Bellagio Boat ServiceMap.
Where to eat in Bellagio
Four places to eat in town. Several close for part of the year, so check the dates before you plan a meal around one.
- La PuntaMap, Via Eugenio Vitali 19, right on Punta Spartivento. A family-run restaurant since 1963 with tables facing the lake and traditional Lake Como cooking. Open March to November, every day from 11:30am to 10pm.
- Alle Darsene di LoppiaMap, Via Al Porto 1, in the hamlet of Loppia just past the Villa Melzi gardens. A lakeside terrace, open February to December, lunch and dinner Tuesday to Sunday, closed Mondays.
- Albergo FirenzeMap, Piazza Mazzini 46, the hotel restaurant on the main lakefront square, with regional dishes and a terrace. It is open from 1 April to 20 October only.
- MistralMap, inside Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni. The only Bellagio restaurant in the MICHELIN Guide (listed without a star, top price band), with a covered veranda on the lake. Dinner only, 7:30pm to 9:30pm.
Where to stay in Bellagio
Many Bellagio hotels close for winter, some from late October and others in early November, and reopen around April. Check the dates before you book. Our guide to where to stay on Lake Como compares Bellagio with Varenna, Menaggio and Como. To see what is open on your dates, search hotels in Bellagio on Booking.com. If you would rather sleep in Milan and come for the day, our guide to where to stay in Milan covers the areas near Milano Centrale, where the Varenna trains leave.
Best time to visit Bellagio
Go between April and October if you want everything open. The season is set by the gardens, the hotels and the ferry timetable:
| Period (2026) | What to expect |
|---|---|
| March | La Punta restaurant opens for the season (March to November). |
| April to early October | Most hotels are open, including Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni (1 April to 5 November). Albergo Firenze serves from 1 April to 20 October. Villa Melzi keeps its standard 2026 hours, daily from 10am to 7pm. |
| Mid-October to 1 November | Villa Melzi closes earlier (6:30pm from 12 October, 5pm from 25 October) and shuts for the season on 1 November. The autumn ferry timetable runs from 5 October to 1 November. |
| November to March | Villa Melzi is closed and many hotels close from late October or early November until around April. Ferries run all year, with fewer boats. |
If you are going early or late in the season, check the Villa Melzi and Villa Serbelloni sites for their opening dates.
How much a day in Bellagio costs
| Per adult, from Milan (2026) | Cost |
|---|---|
| Return train Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino | €14.80 |
| Central lake ferry day pass (or €11.00 for a Varenna to Bellagio return) | €17.50 |
| Villa Melzi gardens | €10.00 |
| Villa Serbelloni park guided tour | €13.00 |
| Total with both villas and the day pass | €55.30 |
Lunch is extra. Children up to 11 enter Villa Melzi free, and children under 7 join the Serbelloni tour free.
How much time you need in Bellagio
Half a day (about 4 hours, from Varenna). Take a morning ferry from Varenna. Walk the stepped lanes up to San Giacomo, go down to Punta Spartivento, then spend an hour or two in the Villa Melzi gardens before the ferry back.
A full day. Book the 11am Villa Serbelloni tour, have lunch at Punta Spartivento or in town, and see Villa Melzi in the afternoon. With a €17.50 central lake day pass you can also add a hop to Menaggio or to Tremezzo for Villa Carlotta before the last boat back. Four single hops at €5.50 would cost €22, so the pass pays for itself from the fourth trip.
If you want guided transport for the whole day, our Lake Como day trip guide explains when a coach tour from Milan makes sense and what it usually includes. For other easy trips by train, such as Bergamo or Verona, see our day trips from Milan.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Milan to Bellagio?
The quickest way by public transport is the direct train from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino (64 to 65 minutes, €7.40), then the ferry to Bellagio (15 minutes, €5.50). You can also go via Como, by boat or on the ASF C130 bus, which takes about 1 hour 10 minutes from Como San Giovanni station.
Is there a train station in Bellagio?
No. Bellagio has no rail link. The nearest stations are Varenna-Esino, across the lake, and Como, at the southern end.
How much is the Bellagio ferry?
A single from Varenna, Menaggio or Cadenabbia costs €5.50 for an adult, and a central lake day pass costs €17.50. From Como a single is €12.00, plus a €5.00 supplement on the fast boat.
How much does Villa Melzi cost?
The gardens cost €10 in 2026 and are free for children up to 11. You pay at the gate with no booking. The villa itself is private; the ticket covers the gardens, the chapel and the museum.
Can you visit Villa Serbelloni?
Only the park, and only on a guided tour that you book online in advance. Tours run Tuesday to Sunday at 11am and 3:30pm, last about 2 hours and cost €13 for adults.
Is half a day enough for Bellagio?
Half a day covers the old town and the Villa Melzi gardens. Stay the whole day if you also want the 2-hour Villa Serbelloni tour or lunch at Punta Spartivento.
When is the best time to visit Bellagio?
April to October, when the Villa Melzi gardens, the Villa Serbelloni tours and most hotels and restaurants are open. The Villa Melzi gardens close on 1 November, many hotels shut from late October or early November until around April, and ferries run less often in winter.
How much does a day in Bellagio cost?
From Milan, the train to Varenna and back costs €14.80 and a central lake ferry day pass €17.50, so about €32 per adult. Add €10 for the Villa Melzi gardens and €13 for the Villa Serbelloni tour, before lunch.