Luxurious Lakes: Italy's Lake Como and Lake Garda

Italian lakes! They are a dream. Don't hesitate, just visit!

Prework: Watch Ocean's Twelve to see where George lives, and also a great series to watch if you want to start with Ocean's Eleven. Look up Villa Erba.

Lake Como:

We decided to stay in an area that was Airbnbs and only one hotel. It was a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of city life: Sala Comacina. The hotel in Sala Comacina runs for about $700 USD (MUSA Lago Di Como) a night, so the Airbnbs are a better option if you are on a budget.

We splurged one night and did dinner at MUSA's restaurant, and I highly recommend their tasting menu. You can also do cocktails if you are not a hotel guest outside on their patio overlooking the lake, and it was beautiful. Here is the view while having a cocktail:

The beach in Sala Comacina is small, but quiet until the local townspeople get off work and come out (the population is 618). It was great seeing the happiness of the community. Within Sala Comacina, we walked to the butcher and got wine, cheese, and meat to do a charcuterie board on the porch while we overlooked the stunning lake. The grocery store is a short drive, and one night we made pasta from ingredients found there. It is a dream to go back.

Here is the area we stayed:

Lake Como AirBnb 

However, if you want to stay in an area within walking distance of restaurants and shops I would recommend staying in Como City, Bellagio, Varenna, or Menaggio.

My sister and I enjoying the lake:

Food and drink:

• Locanda la tirlindana

• Le tout Paris

• Al vecchio bacucco
  

Must see and do:

• Villa Balbianello - where they filmed Star Wars (right below)

• Greenway di lago de Como - a nice walk to see more of the lake. Check out this reel:

  • Greenway di lago de Como Walk  

• Drive to “Balcony of Italy “

• Explore the town of Sala Comacina (middle below)

• Explore the commune of Bellagio

• Take the ferry to other nearby towns

• Beach in Sala Comacina (left below)

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Lake Garda:

We decided to make a hub in Limone sul Garda and take the ferry to the other towns. Our Airbnb was a dream: Limone Sul Garda Airbnb 

View at sunset from our balcony in Limone Sul Garda:

Food and drink:

• Limone Sul Garda

  • Focacceria Dal Piasarot - we ate here for 4 days straight for lunch. It was the best sandwich! They give All’Antico Vinaio the famous shop in Florence a run for its money.

  • Buffalo Grill Steakhouse & Pizza

  • Ristorante Gemma

  • Al Buongusto
    

• Riva del Garda

  • La Caneva Bistrot Mediterraneo - the BEST meal we had in Lake Garda. You need to make reservations in advance.

  • Ristorante Antiche Mura

  • Panem

  • Rivabar

• Pizzeria Al Torchio

• Alfio Ghezzi Bistrot

Must see and do:

• Limone Sul Garda:

  • San Benedetto Abate is a church whose origins dates back to the 10th century.

  • Lemon Museum: Limonaia del Castel - where you can see some pretty views, but also learn about the cultivation of lemons and the history of the famous fruit in the region.

  • Park of Villa Boghi

  • Fishermen’s Museum - free and quick

  • Rent a boat: https://www.limonerentboat.com/it-it/p/1

    • We rented a boat for 4 hours and it was perfect. It is a little wild how they give you a quick overview and you can take the boat out without a boating license, but we felt safe and saw so much of the lake from the water that we had not seen yet. Highly recommend, it was one of our favorite days.
      

• Malcesine

  • Take the cable car to the top of the mountain. In April, we still had snow so dress ready for the weather. Walking around and having a drink or coffee at the bar was beautiful once you reached the top.

  • Castle of Malcesine - go inside!
    

• Active/hiking:

  • Ciclopista del Garda - can rent bikes or walk

  • SKYclimber

  • Sopino Wasserfall

  • San Giovanni Stream

  • Mount Bestone

  • Val di Bondo

  • Strada della Forra

  • Ledro Land Art

  • Sentiero del Ponale

  • Busatte Adventure

• Lago Di Tenno - stunning lake near Lake Garda

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Final thoughts: As a whole, if you had to pick between Lake Garda and Lake Como, the internet is torn. I personally enjoyed Lake Como more. I thought the food, shopping, and vibes were better; however, both are beautiful and stunning so you can't go wrong with either.