Car Hire in Italy: A Driving Tour around Lake Como

Although there are many lakes in Italy, the most famous are those in the Italian Lake District in the north of the country. The 50 km long Lake Como, with its two “legs”, is a perfect destination for an Italian hire car holiday.

If you fly to Milan’s main airport (Malpensa International Airport), you can hire a car there, and it will take you less than an hour to drive to the town of Como, which lies at the southern end of the western branch of the lake and makes a great starting-point for a driving tour.

Here are details of just some of the places that you can visit if you hire a car when visiting Lake Como.

Car Hire Italy Tour of lake Como

Como is a great place to stay for a day or two. Its historic attractions include the Duomo, Como’s Cathedral, which dates back to the fourteenth century, and the nearby Broletto, which was originally used as Como’s town hall but was later used as a theatre.

Como’s museums include the Museo Didattico Della Seta, which traces the town’s silk-making history, and Tempio Voltiano, a neo-classical temple which houses items related to the work of physicist Alessandro Volta, who lived in Como.

You can also take a break from your hire car by relaxing in one of the cafes in Piazza Cavour or taking a boat trip on Lake Como itself.

Car Hire Italy – Como to Bellagio

Once you have explored Como, head north-west to Bellagio, nestled in the fork of the southern part of Lake Como. It will take you about 40 minutes to drive from Como to Bellagio in your Milan airport hire car.

Bellagio was one of the first internationally-known tourist resorts in Italy and is known as “the Pearl of the Lake”. Park your hire car and stroll through the cobbled streets, wander along the lime tree and oleander-lined promenade and stop for a bite to eat in one of Bellagio’s many restaurants.

The famous Hotel du Lac, which overlooks the piazza on the lakefront, and the historic five-star Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, will give you a taste of the opulence and glamour traditionally associated with Bellagio.

Lake Como Hire Car Tour – Bellano

On leaving Bellagio, you can drive southwards along the eastern leg of Lake Como and then north, back up the other side of the lake, or you can take your hire car on the ferry from Bellagio to Varenna.   The town of Bellano is about five minutes’ drive from Varenna.

Bellano is a pretty village, situated on the lakefront, and you can wander through its streets and alleys, and see some beautiful examples of medieval and Baroque architecture. There are also some excellent restaurants in and around Bellano.

Lake Como Hire Car Tour – Menaggio

You can either continue to drive north from Bellano to the far end of Lake Como and then drive southwards along the west shore of the lake, or you can take your hire car on the ferry to Menaggio.

Menaggio is a small, but popular, tourist resort, which has hotels, restaurants and a beach. It has an attractive town square and you can take a stroll along the lakeside promenade. There are also plenty of sporting activities available in and around Menaggio.

If you’re planning a driving tour of the Italian Lake District, low-cost online car hire company easyCar offers some great deals. easyCar car hire operates in more than 2,400 locations in more than 60 countries, including Italy. You can hire a car from easyCar’s offices at Malpensa International Airport in Milan and drive to Lake Como.