If you had 48 hours in como how would you spend it?!

[TravelDreams]

In early September

Any ideas?? ChatGPT has given me some but I have no idea how realistic it is

I misread this as 48hrs in a coma, and thought Yes Please!!! I'm so tired..... 😣🥱😫

Me too! And thought, well I’d spent it asleep - obvs 😆

I went for my honeymoon! Defo do a boat ride. My favourite places were Bellagio and Varenna. I personally think Nesso is a hidden gem. As long as you're physically fit, it's well worth the walk down the steps. There's a water fall, a lovely bridge, and you'll be right beside the water.

The Star Wars villa is lovely! There are a couple of others lovely villas to visit too.

Honestly it's just a stunning place- the main draw to Como is just sailing/walking around and soaking in the incredible views and quaint towns/villages.

I’d be up early on the first morning to catch the first funicular up to Brunate.

Then catch the C110 out to Menaggio, stopping off at Villa Carlotta on the way, & get the Menaggio - Bellaggio - Varenna ferry, with some exploring & shopping at each stop. (Not the tourist boat because it’s likely to be heaving, as well as more expensive).

I’d split it into two simple days so you get a bit of everything.
Day one, walk around Como early, grab a coffee at the lake, then take the funicular to Brunate for the view. It is an easy way to understand the whole area in one shot. In the afternoon I’d take the ferry to Bellagio because the ride itself feels like part of the trip.
Day two, explore Varenna, it is quieter and the promenade feels calm. Visit Villa Monastero, then take a slow lunch by the water. If you still have energy, hop on a quick boat back toward Como for sunset because the light in early September hits the mountains really well.

Me too, sounds like a nice rest really 😂

Yes ChatGPT’s split is as follows:

day one - explore como and the towns around the bottom of the basin

day two - get the train up to Menaggio and then the ferry to varenna, then down to Bellagio

Menaggio doesn’t have a station, or it didn’t when I was there a couple of years ago. The bus takes contactless though so it’s easy to catch, & goes fairly regularly.

It looks from maps as if there’s a train station?! Or have I read it wrong and it’s a bus 🤣

We did a private boat hire and it was fantastic. Also we stayed in Argegno slightly further up the western leg but easy by boat and took the cable car up to Pigra which is incredibly quiet but the views are amazing.

We used Lake Como boat hire. It was pricey but 100% worth it.
https://www.lakecomoboattour.it/

Bus & coach station, & it looks like at some point there was a heritage railway!

Oh gods sake, I read it as a train! I guess bus is okay haha

I read this as “in a coma” 🤣

Honestly, you’ll be fine! I have no idea whether kids pay bus fares in Italy but you can find out easily enough. For the adults, it’s just paying with a contactless card when you get on.

It would be weather-dependent, tbh. But for 48 hours you don't need to plan anything - just relax. Walk, boat trip up the lake, coffee, window shopping, sit in gardens with a book, lunch, glass of wine..... you're on holiday, don't regiment it.

Incidentally, I decided to catch the tourist boat mid-morning, joined the queue for tickets & the bloke in front of me then bought 20 or so tickets for his tour group who were all sitting nearby looking gormless. They then collectively jumped the queue, trailed on behind him & the boat was full - which is why I’m saying you’re best off catching the ferries.

What’s the difference?

The ferry just goes round Menaggio, Bellaggio & Varenna - the tourist boats do longer trips.

I'd spend it looking for George Clooney.... But I'd not visit the area where his house is , I'm not a stalker 😎