10 Things to Do in Lago di Como in Winter

As Lago Di Como is a lake in the foothills of the Italian Alps, the winter is quite cold and is not exactly a positive reason to visit the region at this time of year. However, that doesn't mean you can't do it and enjoy the charm of the lake. Especially if you have already visited all of Milan's attractions.

In fact, winter has some distinct advantages: it is the season with the lowest prices and the least crowded of the year. These two points make spending a few days at Lago Di Como or taking a day trip from Milan a very interesting option.

With the winter cold, you don't feel like sailing on the lake or spending the whole day outdoors. That's why you can take advantage of your excursion to Lago Di Como to get to know the surrounding towns. The first of these is the town that gives its name to the lake itself. Como is the closest city to Milan and is the departure point for most of the boats that cross the lake. To avoid the cold, the best thing to do is to take shelter in its monuments or enjoy a hot coffee or a good meal.

The main tourist attraction of the city is the Duomo square where the cathedral is located. The temple is one of the largest in northern Italy, whose construction began in 1396 and was completed in 1740, so it brings together several architectural styles.

In the same centre you can also visit the Porta Vittoria Tower, the Basilica of San Fedele and, close to the lake shore, the Voltiano Temple in honour of Alexander Volta, inventor of the battery, who was born and lived in Como. In this link you will find the best options to go from Milan to Como.

Apart from its beautiful villages, the main attraction of Lake Como is its scenery. Being located in the Italian Alps, the lake is surrounded by impressive mountains and the postcard view of the blue waters of the lake with these mountains in the background is breathtaking. And in winter, with its snow-capped peaks, it is even more so. It is well worth visiting some of the villages further inland just for the views.

My recommendation for your trip to Lago Di Como is to visit Bellagio. This village is situated right in the centre of the lake and has the best and most varied views. If the skies are clear, you'll have pictures you'll remember forever.

And for mountaineering enthusiasts, there are also many routes to enjoy the mountains. Some of the best ones start from Lenno to the top of Mount Crocione. But if you decide to take to the mountain trails, make sure you have the necessary equipment and precautions, especially on snowy days.

Christmas is the peak of winter. And it is noticeable in the small spike in tourism on the lake at this time of year. This is due to the fact that the towns along the lake are decked out to celebrate the season and the hotels in the area prepare to offer travellers a unique experience.

Towns in Como have Christmas markets in their main squares and beautiful Christmas decorations that you can enjoy on your excursion to Lago Di Como.

Villages further inland, such as Bellagio or Varenna, also sport special decorations and a very attractive Christmas atmosphere. But visiting these villages at Christmas time is less advisable, as there is a certain risk due to the weather. Access to these towns is more difficult if the weather conditions are bad, but you can always stay in Como and, if the weather is good, you can easily get there by boat. In any case, the Christmas atmosphere of Lake Como is always something special.

In winter you want to stay indoors and fight the cold with a good meal. Gastronomy plays an important role in the Lake Como region. In fact, the towns and villages in the area have their own gastronomy known as Lariana, which is based on local products such as cheeses from the mountains, fish from the lake or cereals, fruits, vegetables and greens grown in the area.

Some of the most famous dishes from Lago Di Como are polenta al toc, a kind of porridge similar to mashed potatoes; Riso e filetto di pesce, which is basically rice and fish from the lake; a lamb dish known as Agnello alla valsassinese; and being Italian, you can't miss pasta, gnoquis or risotto.

Any of the restaurants and hotels in the towns and cities of the area serve these dishes, but in Bellagio, as there's the greatest variety, combating the winter cold through gastronomy is always a good idea.

The views of the snow-capped mountains are one of the main attractions you can enjoy on a winter excursion to Lake Como. But if it has snowed too much and you can't go deep into the lake, the views are a bit more difficult to enjoy.

Except from Como, where you have the opportunity to take a funicular to the village of Brunate on top of the mountain next to Como. This funicular takes you from Piazza de Gasperi on the shores of Lake Como and covers a drop of almost 700 metres over a distance of 1 kilometre.

The views of the lake from the village of Brunatte are spectacular and you don't need to go any further into the lake to enjoy the snow-capped peaks in the background. The funicular runs from 6am until 10pm in winter with a frequency of about 15 minutes and costs just 2.90 euros per trip or 5.25 euros for a return trip.

Winter is the best time to explore the towns and villages on your trip to Lake Como for two reasons. First, because it's easier to get out of the cold and second, because the crowds are much smaller and it's easier to see the sights.

In this context, and given that going into the inner part of the lake is not the best option, you can take the opportunity to visit the city of Lecco. This city is less common in the tourist itineraries of Lake Como despite being the second largest in the area.

Lecco has a beautiful historic centre and several emblematic squares such as Piazza XX di Settembre from where you can see Monte Resegone, the mountain that guards Lecco. The city has a lot to see, including the Basilica of St. Nicholas, the Palazzo Belgiojoso, the Palazzo delle Paure and the Torre Viscontea. Lecco is also full of cafes and restaurants perfect for a break from the winter cold.

In summer, the number of people visiting Lake Como is considerable. This means that, on some occasions, visiting some of its most beautiful and touristy villages is very uncomfortable. This is the case of Bellagio, Varenna or Menaggio among others.

In winter the situation is quite the opposite. The cold discourages people from visiting these towns and, therefore, booking an excursion to Lago Di Como in the winter season is much more comfortable.

The most notable cases are Bellagio and Varenna, as they are two of the most touristic. In these cases, prices are also much lower than in summer and finding good value for money accommodation is much easier in winter.

With the cold weather, it's best to stay in the warmth of a fireplace, enjoy a hot Italian coffee, a good dinner or watch the scenery from the warmth of your room... These are all luxuries shared by most of the hotels on Lake Como. Some of them are among the best in the world. In fact, the Hotel Villa D`Este, in Cernobbio, is recognised as the best hotel in the world.

Although this and many other hotels on the lake are prohibitively expensive for most people, the choice is vast and the best time to stay at one of them overlooking the lake is in winter.

Prices go down and so do hotel bookings, so there's no better time to guarantee an unforgettable few days in a good Lago Di Como hotel.

The most authentic experience that Lake Como has to offer is a boat trip to get to know it, although the cold weather is not exactly inviting. But it would be a pity to miss the opportunity to do so.

It is certainly not because of the facilities, since in winter the boat trips maintain their schedules, somewhat reduced due to the fewer hours of daylight, but there is still something on offer.

In winter the boats are also better conditioned. Most of them are covered and heated so that sailing on the lake in winter is not an impediment. On this website you can check the prices and timetables in winter.

The luxury villas are the most characteristic symbol of Lago Di Como. They are the most visited monuments and the most crowded during the high season.

Since they are hardly visited in winter, it is the best time to visit them in peace and quiet. It is true that some of its attractions are its gardens and in winter they do not look their best, but the snowy mountains give them a different and spectacular touch.

And what are the best Villas to visit? Well, although there are dozens of options, in my opinion there are three that are a must: Villa Olmo, in the city of Como, which is practically a royal palace; Villa Carlotta, in the village of Tremezzo, inside which there is a small art museum, and Villa Balbianello, whose beauty led it to be the setting for films such as Star Wars and James Bond.

As you would expect, winter in the Lago Di Como region is quite cold. Mainly because it is surrounded by the Alps at high altitude. Still, whether you've enjoyed all the attractions of Milan or not, it's an ideal plan.

During the winter months, the highs rarely reach 10 degrees Celsius, averaging around 7 degrees Celsius. While the lows dip below freezing, but rarely below -3 degrees Celsius. The humidity of the lake doesn't contribute much to the mildness of these temperatures, but if you are prepared with a good coat it is not an insurmountable inconvenience. Being in a mountainous area, snow is also a regular guest, although not for too many days during the winter.

The great advantage of winter is that it rains the least and on average it only rains 5 days a month. Although the weather is not very inviting to visit Lake Como in winter, it is a perfectly tolerable winter if you are properly equipped.

The great advantage of winter at Lake Como is the tranquillity. In addition, you will be able to enjoy everything to see in Lake Como in comfort.

In summer, at the height of the high season, the influx of tourists is noticeable and in some cases overwhelming. In the winter months, however, the peace and quiet of the lake is its greatest asset, as well as the fact that there are no problems booking accommodation and no queues for, for example, a boat trip or a visit to one of its villas.

This low influx also has a very positive consequence. Due to the low demand at this time of year, prices are considerably lower. Considering that Lago Di Como is an expensive area, largely associated with luxury, this is a very important point to take into account, especially if you want to spend more than one day there.

To avoid the cold weather from spoiling your trip, you need to be well prepared. For this reason, I leave you with this list that you can go through so that you don't leave anything behind when packing your luggage:

• A good coat is essential. It's best if it's waterproof in case it snows.
• A good thermal T-shirt helps us to fight the cold and especially the humidity of the lake.
• In addition to warm clothing, accessories such as scarves, hats and gloves are highly recommended.
• Footwear is also vital. Here, waterproof boots with good grip in case it snows or we go on a short hike in the mountains are the best choice.
• Even if it is the rainy season , a mackintosh is a great ally, especially if it snows.