Lake Garda or Como with a 2 year old

[Luckyelephant1]

Planning a trip around parts of North Italy in September, with the plan to spend a few days in either Lake Como or Garda. It will be me, my husband and 2 year old daughter. Before doing any research we thought we'd do Como (it just looks SO beautiful), but most things I've read say Garda is far better for families and young kids, whereas Como is more geared for couples and is a bit more upmarket?

Whichever one we go to we'd like to be able to walk around lots, explore new bits every day, find cute cafes and eateries and so on. But obv needs to be family friendly, we'd have a stroller with us as well. Little one absolutely loves nature, water, spotting things out and about etc.

Looking for advice from those that have been to both. Which Lake would you choose and why? And any particular areas you'd stay in?

Lake Garda has more things to do, better beaches, more child-friendly restaurants and cafes. Como seemed to be all about sun-bathing and wine tasting. When we went to Como, we stayed in Bellagio and it is the last place I’d want to take a stroller! Garda is very stroller friendly. Around the lakeside, it is generally flat and most of the towns have nice promenades or boardwalk areas close to the shore that are ideal for short walks with a stroller.

We have just come back from lake Garda and echo what was said above. Lots of flat board walks and places to hire bikes. Easy access to the lake for a quick dip and great ferries. Roads were busy but very easy to drive around of you hire a car.

There is a long, flat promenade between Garda town and Bardolino that is ideal for strollers. The northern end of lake Garda doesn't have this expanse of flat places to walk as it is quite mountainous. A lovely way to get to other towns in lake Garda is to take the ferry.

I've been to Como with young dc and it was fine. I'd go there this time as your dd is so young you can have a more adult holiday. When she is a bit older you will benefit from garda more.

You can still go to gardens and lake walks with her.

In Garda I seem to remember a decent playground in desenzano del garda and when she's older leolandia is a great theme park for young dc. There's also gardaland with legoland water park. None of this is good for her right now. So do the more adult como holiday first.

Garda is huge and warrants several trips to see it all. I still want to go to riva del garda end.

From Como we went to Como city itself by car not that fun on slow boats with young dc. There's a little funicular train with a nice view and lovely restaurants and visitors centre at the top.

We also went to belinzona in Switzerland a unesco world heritage site with 3 castles and a little train between them. It's great for adults but I reckon she'd enjoy.

Whichever one you stay in get a house with a garden and pool or stay on a campsite place with holiday accommodation and pools and playground.

In Como we stayed in menaggio/mennagio in the golden triangle and generally got the car ferry but sometimes just went on foot to bellagio or place beginning with L (Lasize?) Just a short boat trip across the water.

Como is really beautiful. The view from the centre of the lake is breathtaking.

In Garda we didn't bother with boat trips at all because it was quicker to drive and tedious with small dc to get a boat. I think Como is easier to spend some time on the lake with young dc.

Sorry the playground I mentioned above would be OK at 2 but not the theme parks. Bit too young.

I would have hated to drive around lake Garda. It was school holidays and the traffic was awful. I imagine parking would have been difficult as well. You get to see the beautiful views on Lake Garda from the ferry. It is a much nicer and more relaxing way to travel round the lake IMO.
Lazise is on lake Garda BTW, between Peschiera del Garda and Bardonlino.

I have holidayed at lake Garda twice, and it is one of my favourite detinations. It is breathtakingly beautiful, even more so towards the northern end.

I'd definitely do Garda over Como with a pushchair. Between the towns on Como there is just a road. It's not suited to walking really. We stayed at Hotel Villa Marie when dd was about 4 and did boat trips. Bellagio and the villas to visit have lots of steps. I would throw in Lake Maggiore - Stresa is lovely - boat trips to the islands. Fab animal park. Everything flat and lots of good family friendly restaurants.

Thanks for the replies so far, really useful! Garda does seem to be winning currently...

Garda has more going on and easier to negotiate although there is a nice water play area on lakeshore in Como.

Malcesine (Garda) has a cable car up to an area with mountain restaurant, petting zoo and play areas.

Took our 18 month old to Peschiera del Garda last year and it was beautiful and relaxing and fun. We did a day trip to Venice on the train which was lovely but I do not recommend taking a pushchair to Venice!!

Ooh Lake Garda was our first holiday abroad with a two year old! We stayed at Malcesine that holiday - restaurants / cafes very child friendly . I can remember us driving up to Lake Molveno that holiday as a day trip - that was lovely . I think we visited a play park near Bardelino with a splash pool and rides for very small children .

Lazise/Peschiera are also good for children with the theme parks (not sure what is suitable there for a 2 year old as ours was quite a bit older when we visited) and you can drive to a zoo not too far away.

Another vote for Malcesine. It is gorgeous. We stayed at the Augusta. If you want to go on the cable car, try the afternoon. Before then, the queue is very long!

Definitely Garda! Peschiera is also beautiful and Lazise. Beaches and playground, a little sightseeing train, nice cafés and gelaterias. Como is definitely a different crowd.

I remember Malcesine as being quite hilly and not ideal for pushchairs. It is beautiful though.

@RampantIvy yes, you are right that Malcesine is more hilly and with cobbled streets away from the lake. I was just remembering walking with the pushchair along the lake side with DS covered in ice cream! It is flatter towards the south of the lake.

Just jumping in as we’re thinking of doing the same trip! Would people recommend hiring a car, or is it manageable to transfer from Milan airport on the train to Pescheira?

In August traffic can be awful especially at weekends on both the motorway and lakeside roads. You may have to take train via Verona.

The traffic round the lake is awful. We flew to Verona, which is a lot nearer to the southern end of the lake than Milan. We just used the ferries to visit the different towns.

Don’t go in August. It will be ridiculously hot and crowded.

@maisiedaisy64 if you are going to Lake Garda, fly to Verona. It’s much closer and the airport is smaller.

We are going in early Sept so hopefully the crowds aren't tooooo bad.

@LiloP thanks for the tip! We can fly to Milan Bergamo (Ryanair’s version of Milan) from our local small airport, must check if there’s flights to Verona!

@maisiedaisy64 Brescia is also not too far and Ryanair used to fly there

Garda, and stay at the hotel torri del benaco, amazing place for driving up and down the lake.

Hey just coming back to this, so we did decide on Garda in the end, thanks for all your recommendations.

Still not sure whether to hire a car or not. Also has anyone stayed in Sirmione before? We found a beautiful apartment there so have provisionally booked it.