Italy Guide
Lombardy and the lakes
Lake Como
Of all the Italian lakes, it's the forked LAKE COMO (Lago di Como) that comes most heavily praised: Wordsworth thought it "a treasure which the earth keeps to itself". Today, despite inroads caused by mass tourism, the lake is still surrounded by abundant vegetation: zigzagging slowly between shores by steamer can seem impossibly romantic. More prosaically, there is also some great walking to be done in the lake's mountainous hinterland. The principal towns – Como and Lecco – are at the southernmost tips of the lake, while of the other towns and villages, three stand out: Varenna and Bellagio for unrepentant romantics, and Menaggio if you want a pleasant, affordable base for walking, swimming or cycling.