Lake Como Luxury Travel Guide: Tennis, Golf, Boat Rentals & Insider Restaurants

There are lakes that are pretty. Then there is Lago di Como. Shaped like an inverted Y, carved by ancient glaciers, and framed by limestone mountains that plunge directly into deep green water, this is not a destination you simply see. It is a destination you feel.

For centuries, Lake Como has attracted a specific kind of traveler: the one who values quiet luxury over loud displays, natural beauty over man-made attractions, and authentic Italian slowness over checklist tourism. Pliny the Younger built his villas here. Leonardo da Vinci sketched its mountains. Franz Liszt composed while gazing at its shores. Today, while celebrity sightings make headlines, the true essence of the lake remains unchanged: the morning mist rising off the water, the sound of a bell tower echoing across a hidden bay, the taste of freshly caught perch served on a terrace where generations of the same family have cooked the same recipes.

This guide is written for the traveler who has time, taste, and curiosity. You will find no hostel recommendations or penny-pinching tips here. Instead, you will discover where to play tennis on clay courts with alpine views, how to rent a classic wooden boat without a license, which restaurants the villa owners secretly frequent, and most importantly, what to avoid so your experience remains serene rather than chaotic.

Why Lake Como Deserves Your Time (Beyond the Obvious)

Every travel writer mentions the villas, the ferries, and the scenery. Here is what they miss.

The Geography Creates Genuinely Different Worlds

Because Lake Como is split into three branches — the southwestern branch toward Como city, the southeastern branch toward Lecco, and the northern branch toward Colico — the character changes entirely depending on where you stay. Also, the southwestern branch is sophisticated and garden-filled, with villas like Balbianello and Carlotta showcasing subtropical plants. The southeastern branch is wilder and more rugged; the mountains feel closer, the towns less polished but more authentic. These northern branch opens into a wider basin where the Alps become visible, and the wind makes it a favorite for serious sailors. You can spend a week on the lake and experience three different Italies without ever changing regions.

It Is a Living Lake, Not a Museum

Venice feels preserved under glass. The Amalfi Coast feels like a theatrical set. Lake Como, by contrast, remains a working environment. Fishermen still set out before dawn in wooden barchini. Farmers still tend olive groves on terraced hillsides cultivated since Roman times. Commuters take ferries to work. This living quality means that when you sit at a lakeside café, you are watching daily life unfold — not a performance for tourists.

The Cuisine Is Genuinely Local and Unrepeatable

You cannot eat Lake Como food anywhere else. This lake provides pesce persico (perch), coregone (whitefish), lavarello (lake herring), and the intense missoltino — sun-dried shad that is pressed, aged, and grilled until smoky. Also, the mountains above supply polenta with wild game, violino di capra (air-dried goat leg), and bresaola. Moreover, the hillsides produce a crisp, mineral white wine from the Terre Lariane designation that pairs perfectly with lake fish. This is food that could only come from this specific intersection of water and mountain.

Tennis on Lake Como: Clay Courts with Alpine Views

Lake Como tennis has a distinguished history. Wealthy British and German travelers built courts here in the late nineteenth century, and the tradition continues. You do not need to be a hotel guest to play on well-maintained clay courts overlooking the water.

Tennis Club Como (Como City)

Situated in the heart of Como, this club features six red clay courts and two hard courts. The clay courts are classic European terre battue — slow, forgiving on the knees, and requiring a sliding technique that rewards patient players. The club welcomes non-members for hourly court rentals. Weekend slots require at least one week’s advance notice during summer. Evening play under floodlights is available until 10 PM.

Tennis Club Menaggio (Best View on the Lake)

This is the most scenic public tennis location on the entire lake. Three red clay courts are perched on a gentle hillside with a direct, unobstructed view of Bellagio shimmering across the water. Open to everyone — book in person at the sports office adjacent to the Menaggio football field. Bring appropriate clay-court shoes; black-soled trainers are prohibited. Many players deliberately book the 6 PM slot just to watch the light change over the lake between points.

Park Hotel Imperial (Moltrasio)

This historic hotel allows non-guests to use its tennis court provided they take lunch or a drink at the hotel bar. The court is synthetic grass — faster and truer than clay, soft on the joints. Carved into a terraced garden with cypress trees, bougainvillea, and a view down to the lake. Email the hotel at least 48 hours in advance to reserve.

Tennis Club Bellagio

Two clay courts shaded by mature pine trees. Access for non-members is restricted, but you can arrange to play by booking a lesson with the resident professional — a former regional champion. The lesson includes court rental. Book by telephone at least one week in advance during high season.

Pro tip: Bring your own balls. Evening tennis between 6 PM and 8 PM offers the most pleasant conditions. Guests at Villa d’Este or Grand Hotel Tremezzo should ask about their private courts, which come with ball boys and chilled towels on request.

Golf on Lake Como: Two Courses Worth Traveling For

Playing Golf on Lake Como is less common than tennis, but the two main courses are exceptional — historic, serious, and welcoming to visiting players who respect the game.

The Golf Club Menaggio & Cadenabbia (Founded 1907)

The original Lake Como golf course and the only 18-hole layout directly overlooking the lake. Par 69, demanding in ways resort courses are not. Fairways narrow, carved through ancient chestnut forests. Elevation changes dramatic — several holes play 30 meters uphill or downhill. The signature par-three fourteenth drops from an elevated tee to a green with the lake glittering beyond. No handicap certificate required. Clubhouse restaurant serves excellent lake fish and polenta. Book tee times online; weekend slots in high season go two to three weeks in advance.

Villa d’Este Golf Club (Lake Montorfano)

Located on Lake Montorfano, 15 minutes from Como city. Nine holes, par 35 — water comes into play on six of the nine holes. Handicap certificate required (max 28 for men, 32 for women). Visitor access Monday through Thursday only. Call the club secretary to arrange a tee time.

Which course? For the classic Lake Como golf experience with lake views, choose Menaggio. For a more technical, challenging round, Villa d’Este wins. If you have two days, play both.

How to Rent a Boat on Lake Como (No License Required)

Renting a boat on Lake Como is one of the great pleasures of the region. You do not need a license for small motorboats.

Self-Drive Motorboat Rentals

The standard rental is a fiberglass runabout, 4–5 meters, with a 40–60 horsepower outboard motor. Simple to operate. Maximum speed 40 km/h. Comes with fuel, cushions, sunshade, anchor, and a laminated navigation map. No license required for boats under 40 horsepower and under 10 meters.

• Bellagio — rental office on the western dock
• Varenna — just south of the ferry terminal
• Menaggio — water sports center on the northern promenade
• Como city — several operators near the ferry docks

Best Self-Drive Routes

The most beautiful route is the western shore from Lenno to Tremezzo, where you can view Villa del Balbianello and Villa Carlotta from the water. Another excellent route crosses from Bellagio to Varenna, hugging the peninsula to see the gardens of Villa Melzi. For a longer excursion, head north toward Dongo where the Alps become visible.

Private Boats with Skipper

For a fully guided experience, hire a traditional wooden barchino with a captain — polished mahogany, varnished decks, leather cushions. Available from main docks in Bellagio, Como, and Cadenabbia. Standard tours: 2-hour loop past Villa Balbianello, 3-hour tour with swimming stop, or a half-day excursion north with lunch. For special occasions, captains arrange prosecco, snacks, and a photographer.

What to Avoid on Lake Como: Tourist Traps & Crowd Mistakes

Avoid the Bellagio Ferry Queue (10 AM – 4 PM)

From mid-June through August, the queue from Como city to Bellagio can exceed one hour in direct sun. Solution: Take the train to Varenna and the short ferry from there — never crowded. Or visit Bellagio before 9 AM or after 5 PM.

Avoid Eating on the Bellagio Waterfront

Waterfront restaurants charge premium prices for mediocre food. Instead, walk uphill 10 minutes to the salite restaurants, or cross to Pescallo harbor — a 5-minute walk — where family-run trattorias serve lake fish at half the price.

Avoid Renting a Car for the Lake

The SS340 is clogged all summer. Park at your accommodation and leave it there. Ferries, the C10 bus, and the occasional taxi will take you everywhere.

Avoid Swimming Near Ferry Terminals

Ferries create strong suction that can pull a swimmer under the hull. Swim at the lidos in Bellagio, Menaggio, and Colico, or at free public beaches away from ferry routes.

Best Restaurants on Lake Como: Where Locals Actually Eat

In Bellagio

Ristorante Bilacus — Climb the Salita Mella for eight minutes. Handmade tagliatelle with perch ragù, grilled lake trout, house wine from unlabeled carafes. Reservations recommended for dinner. Closed Wednesdays.

La Grotta (Pescallo Harbor) — Three-generation family restaurant. The saffron risotto with fried perch is unmissable. Mixed grilled lake fish for two includes perch, char, whitefish, and eel. Cash only. Closed Mondays.

In Varenna

Al Prato — Modern lake cuisine with foraged mountain herbs. Char carpaccio, paccheri with whitefish ragù, small Valtellina producers on the wine list. Reservations essential. Closed Tuesdays.

Il Cavatappi — Seven tables, fixed daily menu, no choices. Trust chef-owner Giorgio. Four courses, extraordinary value. Cash only. Book three days ahead.

In Menaggio

Osteria il Pozzo — Chalkboard menus, wooden benches, legendary polenta uncia. No reservations; arrive before 7:30 PM or after 9 PM. Closed Sundays.

Pizzeria Lugano — Proper Neapolitan pizza. The Pizza del Lago (smoked trout, mozzarella, honey) is a surprising combination that works beautifully. Eat in the garden.

In Como City

Osteria del Gallo — Hidden in a medieval alley near the Duomo. Seasonal menu, rare wines, owner Marco guides you personally. Reservations essential. Closed Sunday and Monday lunch.

Fratelli Pasta — Fresh pasta shop serving lunch at communal tables. Pansotti with walnut sauce is a revelation. Open noon–3 PM only. Closed Sundays.

Unique Experiences Only Lake Como Offers

Funicular to Brunate at Sunset

From Como city, a funicular climbs 500 vertical meters to Brunate in seven minutes. Go at 7 PM — not the morning. Watch the sunset, have a spritz, take the last ride down at 10 PM. The view of the entire southern lake with the Alps glowing pink is genuinely unforgettable.

Walk the Greenway del Lago

A 10-kilometer walking path connecting Colonno, Sala Comacina, and Ossuccio on the western shore. Romanesque churches, ancient olive groves, and Isola Comacina — the lake’s only island. Mostly flat, three hours, almost no tourists. Start at Colonno by bus from Como.

Silk Workshop Tour in Como

Como is the silk capital of the Western world — Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton all produce here. Book a hands-on workshop at Setificio Monti where you weave your own silk scarf on a manual loom. Two hours, must be booked in advance by email.

Sample Itineraries for the Luxury Traveler

An Active Sports Itinerary (4 Days)

• Day 1: Arrive Como. Afternoon tennis at Tennis Club Como. Dinner at Osteria del Gallo.
• Day 2: Morning golf at Golf Club Menaggio & Cadenabbia. Afternoon self-drive boat from Menaggio dock. Dinner at Osteria il Pozzo.
• Day 3: Morning tennis at Tennis Club Menaggio. Afternoon Greenway del Lago. Dinner at Pizzeria Lugano.
• Day 4: Morning golf at Villa d’Este Golf Club (weekdays only). Train to Milan.

The Romantic Getaway (5 Days)

• Day 1: Train to Varenna. Sunset Lovers‘ Walk. Dinner at Al Prato.
• Day 2: Early ferry to Bellagio. Villa Melzi gardens. Private boat to Villa Balbianello. Dinner at La Grotta.
• Day 3: Menaggio day trip. Villa Carlotta. Dinner at Il Cavatappi.
• Day 4: Funicular to Brunate. Lunch at Fratelli Pasta. Silk workshop. Dinner at Osteria del Gallo.
• Day 5: Morning swim at Lido di Menaggio. Final ferry ride. Train to Milan.

A Cultural Deep Dive (7 Days)

• Days 1–2: Como city — medieval center, Duomo, Archaeological Museum, funicular, silk museum.
• Days 3–4: Bellagio — Villa Melzi, Villa Serbelloni, Pescallo, self-drive boat.
• Days 5–6: Varenna — Villa Monastero, ferry to Menaggio for golf or tennis, Isola Comacina.
• Day 7: Greenway del Lago walk. Train to Milan.

Final Word: The Lake Rewards Those Who Slow Down

The tourists who leave Lake Como disappointed are the ones who came for a single day, stood in queues, and never saw beyond the postcard. The travelers who fall in love with it woke early, rented a small boat, found a quiet cove, ate where the fishermen eat, and watched the sun set behind the Alps with a glass of local white wine in hand.

Pack your tennis racket or your golf clubs. Book your boat rental. Make your dinner reservations. And go find your own corner of Lago di Como.