5 amazing boat tours of lake como
Lake Como, Italy
by Coco Tran On September 10, 2023
Seriously, if you want to see the prettiest lake in Italy, you have to see Lake Como on the water! If you’re looking for the best boat tour of lake Como You’ve come to the right place.
Lake Como or Lago Di Como was the highlight of my 12 days in Italy. My first time in Lake Como, but my second time in Italy. So on my quest when I went to Lake Como, to find the best boat tours of Lake Como, I’m happy to share personal recommendations and my Como boat tour experience with you!
Table of Contents
The colorful and charming towns and opulent and famous villas that surround Lake Como are what make Lake Como so special and beautiful, and what is the best way to experience this than on a Lake Como boat tour and see it from the water?
When I went to Lake Como, seeing the quaint towns and water from a classic wooden boat was the highlight of the best things to do in Lake Como. The Como boat tour felt like the Italian experience and the essence of “La Dolce Vita”. It felt like the ultimate Italian Lake Como experience and it’s definitely not to be missed!
So, here I’ll share my top picks and my experience taking Lake Como boat tours. I’ll also give you tips on selecting the best lake boat tours and how to decide between a private wooden boat tour or a shared tour. Let’s dive in!
The Best Lake Como Boat Tours Overall
I know, time is valuable! So if you don’t have time to read my article I’ve got you. Here is my top pick and a quick table for you to quickly scan which tour will be best for you. Just know, that I have done all the research and picked out the 5 absolutely best considering: reviews, type of boat, quality of tour, and price so you don’t have to!
Private Wooden Boat Tour of Lake Como: See Beautiful Villas of Lake Como
This fantastic private Como boat tour combines literally the best of Lake Como! You will get a private skipper who will drive you along the coast to see the most famous sights and highlights of Lake Como and you will have time to go into and explore not one, but 3 of the most beautiful and famous gardens in Lake Como, and dinner is included!
Price: $$$
5 .0 out of 5.0
(5 reviews)
Ready To Book The Best Lake Como Boat tour?
boat tour lake como
You’re in the right place because the 5 best boat tours in Lake Como are featured here. How do I know they’re the best? I’ve traveled to Lake Como and Italy not once but twice and have done tons of research before my trips, so I know my stuff when it comes to the best tours in Lake Como.
With tons of Lake Como boat tours, it’s hard to know which are worth the money. That’s why I’m here to help! I have been on several Helicopter tours throughout the years, and vetted all the tours in this article to make sure they’re highly-rated and well-reviewed — so all you have to do is book a boat tour, and enjoy!
Below, you’ll find the 5 top-rated Lake Como Boat tours, so you know you’re making the right choice when booking your tour.
Don’t have time to read the full article?
Book this Amazing Lake Como Wooden Boat Toar — a Luxurious experience with a near-perfect 5 Star rating.
If that’s not the one for you, there are 4 more options in this article. In it, I gathered together the most important information to make your decision.
In this guide, you’ll find the best Lake Como Boat Tours to book, the difference between each one, the best time of year to visit, and other essential tips for booking a helicopter tour in Lake Como!
Ready to get to this list? Let’s dive in!
My Top 2 Picks: Best Lake Como Boat Tours
What To Consider When Picking Best Boat Tour Of Lake Como
How To choose best boat tours in Lake Como
I Narrowed It Down to 4 Categories:
- Quality & Duration
- What is Included & Location highlights
- Type of Boat
- Price & Reviews
All of the boat tours Lake Como I’ve selected are highly reviewed and personally are tours I would of taken myself. The tours are operated by companies that stand behind their tours and offer a 24-hour cancelation policy and a rescheduled or refund policy for bad weather.
When I went, the tour was scheduled an hour earlier because of a freak storm that was scheduled to land in Lake Como in the early evening. They offered to refund or reschedule but being on a tight schedule we made it work and I’m glad we did because we had amazing sunny weather.
Going back to things I considered picking the best boat tours of Lake Como:
Quality & Duration:
I selected a few half-day tours and a few full-day tours. Half-day tours (2- 4 hours) Full-day tours (5 – 8 hours)
Some are private tours and some are group tours. All of them have raving reviews and are high quality with exceptional guides and service.
What is Included & Highlights:
Depending on the duration, what you will get to see are most of the highlights of Lake Como including the famous villas and quaint towns of Lake Como. Some include time in the gardens. Some Include prosecco to sip on and free time in town or swimming from the boat. The choice is yours!
Type of Boats used for the tour:
This was a huge factor for me, so I of course had to include the tours that have iconic wooden boats as well as modern speed boats. Depending on what type of experience you’d like I’ve included the most popular boat types.
Price & Reviews:
Private tours offer a tailor-made experience at a leisurely pace. They are also more expensive than a group tour. The group tours I selected are wonderful as well and offer a great experience at an affordable price.
1. Private Luxury Boat Tour of Beautiful Villas of Lake Como boat tour lake como
- DURATION: 5 hour
- REVIEW: 5 Stars/ 5 Reviews
- PRICE: $$$
- BEST FOR: Best Overall Private Tour, Visit Gardens, Great for Family or Couples
- TYPE OF BOAT: Classic Venetian Speed Boat
- Lowest Price Guarantee
Highlights of the Lake Como private boat tour:
This fantastic private Como boat tour combines literally the best of Lake Como!
You will get a private skipper who will zip you around for 3 hours on Modern to see the most famous sights and highlights of Lake Como and you will have time to go into and explore not one, but 3 of the most beautiful and famous gardens in Lake Como (Villa Carlotta, Villa Del Balvianello, and Villa Melzi entrance ticket is included). That’s not all!
Finish your Dolce vita experience with an amazing tasting menu dinner at a lakefront restaurant in Bellagio. This tour is *chefs kiss* for anyone who wants to experience Lake Como in the best possible way!
” Truly fabulous experience. We were on our honeymoon, so we wanted a private tour of a few villas around the lake, along with some time on the actual lake by boat. This tour checked every box for us. We enjoyed lunch at the il Perlo hotel beforehand, with delicious food and a panoramic view of the lake. From there, we met our guide and captain and were taken for the villas tour by boat. We toured the three villas with an extremely knowledgeable guide, and our experience wouldn’t have been the same without her. Although on the pricier side, this tour was worth every penny. We felt like we were in a movie: aboard a boat on Lake Como, bouncing from Villa to Villa. First class service, 10/10, would do this again in a heartbeat, no hesitation.”
Dominic_B, May 2022 (SEE MORE REVIEWS)
Free Cancelations | Rating: 5/ 5
2. Private Romantic Sunset Boat Tour of Lake Como
- DURATION: 2 hour
- REVIEW: 5 Stars/ 33 Reviews
- PRICE: $$$
- BEST FOR: Sunset Views, Family or Couples Who Want To Enjoy Appertivo and Prosecco
- TYPE OF BOAT: Modern Open Top Speed Boat
- Lowest Price Guarantee & Free Cancelations
Why You Should Take This Tour & Highlights of the Lake Como private boat tour:
Great way to see the romantic sunset sail with the perfect golden hour sunset views as you sail and enjoy appertivo and prosecco with your family and or sweetheart. You’ll see some of the most beautiful villas during the golden hour which is truly an experience you’ll always remember.
Private Romantic Sunset Boat Tour of Lake Como
Free Cancelations | Rating: 5/ 5
3. Half Day Lake Como Highlights Group Tour with Apertif boat tour lake como
- DURATION: 3 hour
- REVIEW: 5 Stars/ 9 Reviews
- PRICE: $$
- BEST FOR: Budget Friendly, Best Overall Group Tour, Family or Couples
- TYPE OF BOAT: Modern Open Top Speed Boat
- Lowest Price Guarantee & Free Cancelations
Why You Should Take This Tour & Highlights of the Lake Como private boat tour:
This is an excellent choice if you don’t have a large group and don’t want to hire a private tour. You still get the experience of being on a luxury boat and seeing more than just the standard highlights. Including Nesso waterfalls, George Clooney’s Villa, Bellagio, Veranna, Villa Ciprissi and villa Monastero. This is also great because it is a small tour of up to 6 people. Enjoy apertivo and prosecco on the boat!
Half Day Lake Como Highlights Private Tour
Free Cancelations | Rating: 5/ 5
4. Private Boat Tour Of Lake Como Half Day on a Wooden Speed Boat
- DURATION: 2 hour
- REVIEW: 4.7 Stars/ 33Reviews
- PRICE: $$
- BEST FOR: Best Wooden Boat Experience, Great for Family or Couples
- TYPE OF BOAT: A Modern Cardenazzi Wooden Speed Boat
- Lowest Price Guarantee & Free Cancelations
Why You Should Take This Tour &Highlights of the Lake Como private boat tour:
This is another great tour if you want to experience Lake Como on a classic wooden boat! You’ll get to take amazing photos and videos and really feel like you’re in an old Italian film. This is the tour I did and it was truly the highlight of our trip. We saw the highlights that included: Villa Balbianello, Comacina Island, Bellagio, and Villa Carlotta. Our guide was funny and shared some awesome tips and facts with us. I would totally do this tour again!
“Very nice tour we really enjoyed the cruise and the boat was very beautiful which was one of this experience best pillars”
-Emiraz
Private Tour Half Day on a Wooden Speed Boat tour lake como
Free Cancelations | Rating: 5/ 5
5. lake como boat tour private Classic Wooden Boat Group Half Day Tour
- DURATION: 3 hour total , 1 hour on boat
- REVIEW: 5 Stars/ 2 Reviews
- PRICE: $$
- BEST FOR: Best Wooden Boat Experience + See Vila Melzi & Bellagio on Foot, Great for Family or Couples
- TYPE OF BOAT: A classic open top luxury wooden boat
- Lowest Price Guarantee & Free Cancelations full refund
Why You Should Take This Tour & Highlights of the Lake Como private boat tour:
This tour is great if you want to see Lake Como highlights on land and water. This dolce vita tour by lake como boat combines both! You’ll be on an iconic wooden boat and you’ll get to experience lake Como’s Villa Melzi beautiful garden in Bellagio, you’ll have time to explore the famous town of Bellagio.
Classic Wooden Boat Group Half Day Tour
Free Cancelations | Rating: 5/ 5
Other Italy Articles:
WHAT TO EXPECT ON A LAKE COMO BOAT TOUR
boat tour lake como
What To Expect on Your Lake Como Boat Tour:
You’ll have an amazing time on your Como bout tour! Here are some things to know ahead of time so you know what to expect :
- You’ll receive an email the day before confirming your tour
- the meeting location will usually be at the pier in Bellagio or town of Como
- Transportation to the meeting point is not included
- if it’s a group tour large backpacks aren’t permitted
- the water isn’t choppy but if you are sensitive to being seasick, take medications prior to going on the boat
- The drop off point is the same as the pick up
- gratuity isn’t necessary unless you feel it was exceptionally deserved and should be paid in cash
- Sometimes due to bad weather or sea conditions your tour may be postponed or scheduled for a later or earlier time, check your e-mail the day before for any last-minute changes! If your tour happens to be rescheduled you will be offered a full refund.
- If your meeting point is in a town you’re jot staying in, always check to see what time the last ferry departs from that port so you have enough time to make it back on the ferry
Tips To Prepare for boat tour lake como
- Reserve your tour at least 3 months in advance, they will sell out if it’s during the busy summer season!
- Wear a hat and sunblock, the boats don’t have sunshade
- Bring water
- Bring a towel if you are planning on swimming
- Sunglasses are essential
- make dinner reservations so you aren’t left waiting for a table when you are hungry after the tour!
- Bring cash for gratuities
- Bring a camera to capture all the awesome photos
Free Cancelations | Rating: 5/ 5
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TUSCANY:
This guide is so helpful and it’s good to know what you get on each tour! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Charlie!
Wow what beautiful views of the lakes! Thanks for sharing what to expect on these boat tours 🙂