Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Italian Lakes: Maggiore, Como and Garda
8 days from Milan to Milan: two nights on Lake Maggiore with the Borromean Islands, three in Bellagio on Lake Como and two in Sirmione on Lake Garda.
8 days · Round trip from Milan · up to 12 guests
Piazza della Libertà in Bergamo's lower town, on the way from Lake Como to Lake Garda Photo: Laurens R. Krol, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2018-08-15_Italy,_Bergamo_DSC_5335_DxO.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Milan
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
About 5 to 8 km on foot on most days, on lakeside paths, cobbled lanes and the stepped streets of Bellagio, Varenna and Bergamo's upper town, with steps on and off boats. Monte Baldo's top station is at about 1,760 m, reached by cable car. The one real climb, the stepped path to Castello di Vezio above Varenna, is optional, and every longer walk has a part you can sit out.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 770 (estimated price)
- Season
- April to October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Isola Bella's palace and terraced garden at opening, lunch on Isola dei Pescatori and the peacocks of Isola Madre
- The fast boat up Lake Como from Como to Bellagio, with the bags sent ahead by road
- Three nights in Bellagio: Villa Carlotta, Varenna and Villa Melzi by ferry and on foot
- A cooking class and dinner on Lake Como
- Bergamo's upper town inside its Venetian walls, on the way to Lake Garda
- The Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione in late light, as the day visitors leave
- Monte Baldo by cable car, Malcesine castle and the ferry to Limone's lemon houses
- Milan Cathedral's rooftop terraces and Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà on the last morning
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 770 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Milan, then Lake Maggiore
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) to central Milan, then Stresa on Lake Maggiore
- Welcome dinner in Stresa; lunch at your own choice in Milan
- Stay in Stresa
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
Most flights from North America land at Milan Malpensa (MXP) in the morning. Our vehicle meets the group there in the late morning and drives about 50 km into Milan; if you are already in the city, you join us at a central meeting point at noon (times and place come with your final itinerary). Your See Sight Tours guide starts with an easy hour on foot, a gentle stretch after the flight: through Parco Sempione behind the Sforza Castle to the Arco della Pace, the triumphal arch begun under Napoleon and finished in 1838, and the two neoclassical toll houses that once guarded this city gate.
Afternoon
Lunch is at a café of your choice by the park. Early in the afternoon we drive about 90 km north-west to Stresa, back past the airport: Stresa is only about 60 km from Malpensa, and the walk in Milan is the reason for the detour. Stresa sits on the Piedmont shore of Lake Maggiore; we stay two nights near the lakefront. Check in, rest, then walk the promenade where tomorrow's boats leave for the islands.
Evening
In the evening we sit down together for a welcome dinner.
Included
- Pick-up at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) or a central Milan meeting point
- Walk through Parco Sempione to the Arco della Pace with your guide
- Drive to Stresa on Lake Maggiore
- Welcome dinner in Stresa
Free time: Late afternoon free in Stresa
Activity: Land at Malpensa by about 10:30 am to join the pick-up; the exact time is set with your final itinerary.
The Borromean Islands
Stresa to Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre by boat, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Stresa
- By boat
Our hired boat leaves the Stresa pier so that we are on Isola Bella when the palace opens, before the day boats crowd the landing stage. The Borromeo family turned this rock into a baroque palace in the 17th century, and its garden climbs in ten terraces to a stage of statues and obelisks, with white peacocks on the lawns. A local guide takes us through the state rooms and down to the shell-lined grottoes below them.
Afternoon
Late morning we cross to Isola dei Pescatori, the one island where people still live all year, a village of narrow lanes and fishermen's houses, for a sit-down lunch of lake fish. In the afternoon the boat takes us to Isola Madre, the largest of the three and the quietest: a botanical garden of camellias, azaleas and palms around a smaller villa, with peacocks and pheasants loose on the paths.
Evening
We are back in Stresa by late afternoon, and the evening is free along the lakefront.
Included
- A hired boat for the group for the day
- Isola Bella: Palazzo Borromeo and its terraced garden at opening, with a local guide
- Sit-down lunch on Isola dei Pescatori
- Isola Madre and its botanical garden
Optional experiences
- Villa Taranto gardens in Verbania by ferry
- Santa Caterina del Sasso, the hermitage on the cliffs of the eastern shore
Free time: Evening free in Stresa
Activity: About 3 to 4 km on garden paths and stairs, with steps on and off the boat at each landing.
Como, Brunate and the boat to Bellagio
Stresa to Como by road, then by fast boat up the lake to Bellagio
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Bellagio
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
We leave Stresa after breakfast for Como, about 85 km and an hour and a quarter by road, at the southern tip of Lake Como. Your guide walks you from the lakefront into the walled old town and the cathedral, begun in 1396 and crowned with its dome in the 18th century. Then we ride the funicular, running since 1894, up to the village of Brunate, about 700 m above sea level, for the view down the first stretch of the lake towards the Alps.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal back in Como. In the early afternoon our vehicle takes the bags ahead by road while we board the fast boat up the western arm of the lake, past villas, boathouses and steep villages, to Bellagio, on the point where the lake divides. The crossing takes about 45 minutes.
Evening
We stay three nights in Bellagio, and the evening is free to walk its stepped lanes and the waterfront.
Included
- Como's old town and cathedral with your guide
- The Como to Brunate funicular
- Sit-down lunch in Como
- Fast boat from Como to Bellagio, with your bags sent ahead by road
Free time: Evening free in Bellagio
Activity: If the fast boat is not running, we take the slower ferry, about two hours, or drive the last stretch along the shore.
Villa Carlotta and Varenna by ferry
Bellagio to Tremezzo and Varenna by ferry, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Bellagio
- By ferry
The short ferries of the central lake make this a day without the vehicle. We cross from Bellagio to Villa Carlotta at Tremezzo for its opening, while the paths are quiet. The villa was built at the end of the 17th century and holds neoclassical sculpture, including works by Antonio Canova, and Francesco Hayez's painting The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet. Its gardens step down to the water, with azaleas and rhododendrons that peak in April and May, a valley of ferns and citrus on the terraces. From Tremezzo the ferry crosses to Varenna, a village of coloured houses stacked above a small harbour on the eastern shore.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in Varenna, then time to walk the lakeside walkway and the gardens of Villa Monastero, which run for a long stretch along the shore. We are back in Bellagio by ferry in the late afternoon. Your day pass covers the central-lake ferries, so you can stay out later if you like.
Included
- Day pass for the central Lake Como ferries
- Villa Carlotta and its gardens at opening
- Varenna with your guide
- Sit-down lunch in Varenna
- Villa Monastero gardens
Easier option: Stay in Varenna's gardens and harbour after lunch and take an earlier ferry back to Bellagio.
More active option: Walk up the stepped path from Varenna to Castello di Vezio, about 20 to 30 minutes uphill, for the view over all three arms of the lake.
Free time: Evening free in Bellagio
Activity: About 5 to 6 km on garden paths and village lanes, with steps on and off the ferries.
Bellagio at an easy pace, and a cooking evening
A day in and around Bellagio
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Bellagio
A slower day in one place.
Morning
After breakfast your guide walks you through Bellagio's stepped lanes and along the shore to the gardens of Villa Melzi, built between 1808 and 1810 for Francesco Melzi d'Eril, vice-president of Napoleon's Italian Republic. The park runs along the water with old trees, a small Japanese garden and views across to Tremezzo. We walk on to Punta Spartivento, the tip of the promontory, where you can see down the Como and Lecco arms of the lake at once. The rest of the day is yours: swim at the lido, rent a kayak, take a boat to Villa del Balbianello, or sit with a coffee on the waterfront.
Evening
In the early evening we meet for a hands-on cooking class with a local cook: fresh pasta and a risotto in the lake style, then dinner together at the table with what we have made, and a glass of wine.
Included
- Morning walk with your guide to Villa Melzi gardens and Punta Spartivento
- Cooking class with dinner and wine
Optional experiences
- Villa del Balbianello by boat
- A private boat trip on the lake
- Kayak rental
Easier option: Skip the morning walk and join the group for the cooking class in the evening.
More active option: Take the ferry to Cadenabbia and walk the Greenway del Lago di Como south through Tremezzo to Lenno, about 3.5 km each way, then walk back to Cadenabbia for the ferry to Bellagio.
Free time: Afternoon free
Activity: About 3 km on foot in the morning, with stepped lanes in Bellagio.
Bergamo's upper town, on to Lake Garda
Bellagio to Bergamo by road, then Sirmione on Lake Garda
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Sirmione
- Drive about 2.5 h
We leave Bellagio at about 8:30 am along the shore of the Lecco arm and on to Bergamo, about 60 km and an hour and a half, as the lake road is narrow. From the lower town, past the 1930s Piazza della Libertà, we take the funicular up to the Città Alta, the upper town inside the Venetian walls that UNESCO listed in 2017. Your guide walks you through Piazza Vecchia, under the arches of the Palazzo della Ragione, and into Santa Maria Maggiore, founded in 1137 and decorated inside in the baroque age, beside the marble facade of the Colleoni Chapel.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in the upper town: polenta, or casoncelli, the local filled pasta. Then it is about an hour to Sirmione, on a narrow peninsula reaching into the south of Lake Garda, for two nights. At about 5 pm a local guide takes us round the Grotte di Catullo, the ruins of a large Roman villa at the tip, as the day visitors leave and the light drops over the water.
Included
- Bergamo's upper town with your guide: the funicular, Piazza Vecchia and Santa Maria Maggiore
- Sit-down lunch in Bergamo's upper town
- The Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione in the late afternoon, with a local guide
Optional experiences
- Sirmione's thermal baths
Free time: Evening free in Sirmione
Activity: The Grotte di Catullo close on Mondays, so departures are set so this day is not a Monday.
Monte Baldo, Malcesine and Limone
Sirmione to Malcesine by road, Monte Baldo by cable car, the ferry to Limone sul Garda, then back to Sirmione along the western shore
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Sirmione
- Drive about 3.5 h
We leave Sirmione at about 8:30 am and follow the eastern shore through Lazise, Bardolino and Garda to Malcesine, about 65 km and an hour and a quarter.
Morning
The cable car climbs from the lake to Monte Baldo, the upper section in a cabin that turns as it rises, to about 1,760 m, where on a clear morning the whole northern half of the lake lies below you.
Afternoon
Back down, we walk Malcesine's lanes to its Scaliger castle on a rock above the water, where Goethe was nearly arrested as a spy in 1786 for sketching it, and sit down to lunch. Then the ferry crosses the lake to Limone sul Garda, known for its lemon houses: tall stone pillars where lemons grew under winter covers. We visit the Limonaia del Castel and walk the old harbour. Our vehicle meets us in Limone and drives back down the western shore, through the tunnels of the cliff road and past Gargnano and Salò, about 70 km and often an hour and 40 minutes or more in summer traffic.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Monte Baldo cable car from Malcesine
- Malcesine's Scaliger castle
- Sit-down lunch in Malcesine
- Ferry from Malcesine to Limone sul Garda
- The Limonaia del Castel lemon house in Limone
Easier option: Skip the cable car and spend the morning in Malcesine's lanes and castle before lunch.
More active option: Walk along the Monte Baldo ridge from the top station for about an hour before riding back down.
Free time: Evening free in Sirmione
Activity: The cable car stops in strong wind or storms; if it does, we take a longer ferry on the lake instead.
Milan Cathedral, the Sforza Castle and home
Sirmione to Milan, then Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) or Milano Centrale
- Breakfast and lunch
- Drive about 3 h
We leave Sirmione at about 8 am on the motorway to Milan, about 130 km and an hour and three quarters. Milan Cathedral comes first, on a reserved entry: inside with your guide, then up by lift to the rooftop terraces among its marble spires and statues. From the square we walk through the glass-roofed Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to La Scala, and along Via Dante to the Sforza Castle, the fortress of the dukes of Milan. In the castle museums you see Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà, the marble he was still carving in the last days of his life in 1564, and the old ducal rooms with their painted glass.
Afternoon
We finish with a farewell lunch near the castle. At about 2:30 pm the trip ends: our vehicle drops you at Milano Centrale or your Milan hotel, or takes you on to Malpensa, about 50 km, arriving at about 3:45 pm.
Evening
Many long-haul flights leave Malpensa before midday, so if yours does, we can book an extra night in Milan.
Included
- Milan Cathedral and its rooftop terraces by lift, with your guide
- The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and La Scala
- The Sforza Castle museums and the Rondanini Pietà
- Farewell lunch in Milan
- Drop-off at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), Milano Centrale or a Milan hotel
Activity: Book a flight leaving Malpensa after about 6:30 pm, or add a night in Milan. The Sforza Castle museums close on Mondays, so departures are set so this day is not a Monday.
- Milanstart
- Stresa2 nights
- Bellagio3 nights
- Sirmione2 nights
- Milanend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: April and May are the garden months, with camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons in flower on the islands and at the villas. June to August is warm to hot, often near 30°C, with afternoon thunderstorms and busy ferries, so we go out early. September and October are mild and quieter. Lake Garda has steady winds, a northerly in the morning and a southerly in the afternoon, and the cable car can stop in strong wind.
Want this plan in your inbox?
Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.
Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want all three big lakes without one-night stops
- Gardens, villas and boat days rather than museums every morning
- A gentle pace with free afternoons and evenings in every base
- Anyone who would rather cross the lakes by boat than sit on a coach
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: Bellagio, Varenna and Bergamo's upper town are built on steps, and boats mean gangways
- Travellers who want Venice, Florence or Rome (see our Venice, Florence and Rome trip)
- A beach holiday: the lidos are for a swim, not a week on the sand
- Travellers who want every evening planned with the group
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Stresa2 nights
- Bellagio3 nights
- Sirmione2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights: 2 in Stresa on Lake Maggiore, 3 in Bellagio on Lake Como and 2 in Sirmione on Lake Garda
- Central lakefront or old-town hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms, a short walk from the ferry pier; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
- Hotel city taxes
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) or a central Milan meeting point on day 1
- Drop-off at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), Milano Centrale or a Milan hotel on day 8
- Our own vehicle and driver for the road days, and for your bags on the boat day to Bellagio
- A hired boat for the group on the Borromean Islands day
- The fast boat from Como to Bellagio, a day pass for the central Lake Como ferries and the ferry from Malcesine to Limone
- The Como to Brunate funicular, the Bergamo funicular and the Monte Baldo cable car
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 8
- Licensed local guides on Isola Bella and at the Grotte di Catullo
- Tips for local guides, boat crews and drivers
Activities
- Milan: Parco Sempione and the Arco della Pace; the cathedral and its rooftop terraces; the Sforza Castle museums and the Rondanini Pietà
- Lake Maggiore: Isola Bella's palace and gardens, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre's gardens
- Lake Como: Como's old town and cathedral, Brunate, Villa Carlotta, Varenna and the Villa Monastero gardens, the Villa Melzi gardens and a cooking class
- Bergamo: the upper town, Piazza Vecchia and Santa Maria Maggiore
- Lake Garda: the Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione, Monte Baldo, Malcesine's castle, Limone sul Garda and the Limonaia del Castel
- All entrance fees for included sights
Meals
- 7 breakfasts
- 6 lunches: on Isola dei Pescatori, in Como, in Varenna, in Bergamo's upper town, in Malcesine and a farewell lunch in Milan
- 2 dinners: a welcome dinner in Stresa and the dinner you cook at the Bellagio cooking class
Not included
- International flights to and from Milan
- Visa or travel authorisation fees, such as ETIAS once it applies
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Drinks, apart from wine with the cooking-class dinner
- A tip for your See Sight Tours guide, at your discretion
- Optional activities such as Villa del Balbianello, Villa Taranto or a private boat on Lake Como
- Lido, spa and thermal bath fees, including the baths in Sirmione
- Extra nights in Milan before or after the trip
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 770 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Seven nights in central 3-star-plus hotels on three lakes, 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 2 dinners, airport transfers in Milan, our vehicle and driver, a hired boat to the Borromean Islands, the ferries, funiculars and Monte Baldo cable car, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, local guides, a cooking class and every entry in the day plan.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. Other lakes trips often run to 16 and coach tours far more, so a group of 12 or fewer fits on one hired boat, boards ferries quickly and sits around one table at lunch.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the Milan pick-up on day 1 to the drop-off on day 8. On Isola Bella and at the Grotte di Catullo, licensed local guides lead the visits, with your own guide alongside.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderate. Expect 5 to 8 km on foot on most days, with stepped lanes in Bellagio, Varenna and Bergamo, and steps on and off boats. Monte Baldo is reached by cable car. The climb to Castello di Vezio is optional, and the longer days each have an easier choice.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay a single supplement?
Yes, and it is published up front: a room of your own is guaranteed on request and costs CAD 770 more on the small-group trip, about 17 percent of the price, in the same central hotels as everyone else. If you would rather share, ask when you request to book and we tell you whether a roommate is available.
When is the best time to visit the Italian Lakes?
April to October. April and May are best for the island and villa gardens in flower. June to August is warm and busy, so we go out early. September and October are mild and quieter. Most gardens and the island palaces close from early November to late March, which is why the trip does not run in winter.
Which lake is best: Como, Garda or Maggiore?
Each is different, which is why this trip stays on all three. Maggiore has the Borromean Islands and their palace gardens. Como is the narrow, steep lake of villas and ferry villages, so it gets three nights. Garda is the largest, with Sirmione's Roman ruins, Monte Baldo and the lemon houses of Limone.
How do we get around the lakes?
By boat where it is the better way, and by our own vehicle where it is not. We hire a boat for the Borromean Islands, take the fast boat up Lake Como and use the ferries between villages. Our vehicle carries your bags between bases, so you never haul a suitcase onto a ferry.
Does the trip go to Verona or Venice?
No. To keep three nights on Como and no one-night stops, this trip ends in Milan. Verona is about 40 minutes from Sirmione, so we can add a night there after the trip. For Venice, see our Venice, Florence and Rome trip, which pairs well with this one.
How does booking work and how much does it cost?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes. The small group starts from CAD 4,540, and private trips from CAD 8,170. Pick your start date and request to book; we confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken until then.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip runs as a private trip for your party only, with your own guide and vehicle, on a date you choose. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, boats and guided visits.
Do I need a visa for Italy?
Canadian, US, UK and Australian citizens can visit Italy and the rest of the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180. The EU's ETIAS travel authorisation is expected to start in late 2026; we confirm at booking exactly what applies to your passport and dates.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
Book your Tour
Get in Touch
- Toll Free1-888-961-6584
- Local1-289-271-9767
© 2026 See Sight Tours. All rights reserved.