Italian Lakes in June: Bellagio or Menaggio, and is five nights better?

[VacationQueen]

We are planning a trip to the Italian lakes in June. I’m thinking bellagio or menaggio as our base.

Any hotel recommendations? Itinerary ideas or tips and advice are very welcome.

I am slightly doubting that 3 nights is enough! Do you think I should try and extend to 5?

We spent 4 nights in Lake Maggiore and loved it; this was a few years ago in July. We didn’t have a car but stayed in Stresa and walked everywhere or took a boat to one of the Borromean Islands. I think the hotel was La Palma, very nice and with a rooftop bar. The environment is very chilled and slow paced. Probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever visited.

I definitely 2nd Hotel La Palma in Stresa! It's a wonderful place - we've been several times. I didn't like Menaggio very much - all hotels and impossible to find somewhere to eat. Bellagio is pretty but overrun and very expensive. We stayed once in Tremezzo at Hotel Villa Marie - small family run hotel with a nice pool, and a few restos nearby. Got ferry to other towns and Villa Balbianello. (Star Wars / James Bond) and Villa Carlotta. I preferred Lake Maggiore to be fair. From Stresa you can get ferries to the Borromean Islands and botanical gardens. Very easy transfer from Milan Malpensa.

5 nights in Stresa is perfect. Lots of places to eat too and not overly pricey. Rooftop at la Palma is one of my happy places, but lovely lake front pool too.

Is Varenna an option? I thought that was the prettiest place on Lake Como.

Ass as many days as you can.

Hi, I think 4 or 5 nights may be better. Simply because it can take a bit of time to get to towns on the lake. I left Milan airport around 8am and arrived at my hotel in Menaggio after 3pm!!

I did enjoy Menaggio as a base. Visited Bellagio & Varenna & also done a day trip on the Bernina Express to St Moritz. There was a nice market I think on the Saturday night.

I visited Villa Balbianello & highly recommended the gardens & villa tour.

You can hire a boat and spend a few hours on the lake from many towns too.

I headed back to Milan early on the final day, stored my luggage and spent a few hours seeing some sights before grabbing lunch and heading back to the airport.

We used Menaggio as a base, rented a house there. We found it ideal for catching boats to have day trips out to other places on the lake - including Bellagio. It was a good base, had no trouble finding places to eat there.

I know it wasn’t one of your two choices, but was choosing a base in that area then I’d choose Lenno.