Self-guided walking holiday at Lake Como in northern Italy
This seven-night self-guided walking holiday invites you to explore the area around Lake Como in northern Italy. Placed to the south of the Alps and to the north of the Po Valley, the Italian Lakes naturally possess a charming mixture of the vibrant coolness associated with the Alps but enlivened by the warmth of the South. This walking holiday takes you on a journey of discovery through a landscape of deep blue waters surrounded by greenish-blue tinged mountains, often snow-capped. Each walking route takes you to a different area of the lake offering pretty villages of gaily painted houses, grand villas with magnificent gardens, luscious vineyards and historic castles. Return to your luxury hotel each day to relax in the grounds and enjoy a delicious dinner. Dining is usually al fresco in the summer months and a magical atmosphere is created with the lapping of the waters and the twinkling of the lights around the lake and in the hills above. This holiday is suitable for travel from May to October with the summer months being preferable for better weather and regular public transport options around the lake.
Highlights
4 self-guided walking itineraries • Lake Como Greenway • Tremezzo • Cadenabbia • Mendrisiotto vineyards • Bellagio and Monte San Primo • Monte Generoso • Varenna
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a double or twin room for 7 nights.
From about
£1,970
Holiday Code FHIT24
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441266
Self-guided walking holiday at Lake Como in northern Italy
You start the holiday by flying from London to Milan, then you collect your hire car from the airport and drive for about 45 minutes to reach your hotel Moltrasio. Spend the rest of the day exploring the hotel and its vicinity. Dinner is included at the hotel this evening and throughout your stay.
Your first self-guided walking day is a low-level route exploring the eastern shores of Lake Como between Colonno and Cadenabbia. Much of this itinerary follows the Lake Como Greenway, a pleasant hike which passes the towns of Sala Comacina, Ossuccio, Lenno, Mezzegra and Tremezzo. Points of interest along the route include ancient villages, beautiful churches, grand villas and historical buildings. Add long stretches of waterfront promenades, charming parkland and wooded hills to the mix with the ever-present views of the shimmering lake and you have a recipe for the perfect introduction to Lake Como. We recommend leaving your car at the hotel today and using the local bus to travel to Colonna and back from Cadenabbia.
Your second day takes you across the border and into the Swiss region of Ticino. Despite being a different country, the journey to the small village of Seseglio where you start your walk only takes around 25 minutes by car. The Mendrisiotto is the southernmost vineyard in Switzerland and you skirt the Swiss-Italian border as you wind your way uphill through vineyards and woods to your high point at Dosso Pallanza. The remainder of this 10-kilometre route then steadily descends through the trees and into the small town of Pedrinate. Take time to look around here before continuing westwards through the vineyards to the small church of St Stefano and perhaps stop here to admire the view from this small hilltop before returning to your car in Seseglio.
We include two rest days within this walking holiday, although of course you can choose to swap the days around as you please. We suggest using one of these days to visit some of Lake Como’s villas and gardens. You will have strolled past several of these properties on your first walking day and now is a fantastic opportunity to explore them more thoroughly. Villa Balbianello might be your first stop today and sits on the Lavedo headland in Lenno. This is a secluded setting of terraced gardens with pines, cypress and oaks as well as flowerbeds. The villa is a popular venue for weddings thanks to its beautiful views of the Isola Comacina and western shore of Lake Como. It is possible to visit both the garden and the house although the property is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays. Perhaps have lunch in Lenno and then continue to the Villa Carlotta at Tremezzo where you will find sunny terraces with climbers, ferns, giant magnolias and imaginative planting giving a very different feel to your morning visit. Return to your hotel to relax by the pool before dinner.
Your third walking day invites you to visit the centre of Lake Como. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and then make the hour’s drive to Monte San Primo. Your route today is about 8 kilometres and takes you to the summit of San Primo at 1,660 metres above sea level. There is a fairly steep climb to reach this point, but it is soon rewarded by fantastic panoramic views over the region. Looking southwest you can see the western arm of the lake leading past Moltrasio to Como, whilst to the north are the towns of Tremezzo and Lenno – the peninsula of the Villa Balbianello clearly visible. Let the northern arm of Lake Como lead your eye further north and a clear day is likely to reveal the snowy peaks of the Swiss Alps on the horizon. From the summit you follow a clear track along the top of the grassy ridge to the Cima del Costone and continue eastwards from here, often passing horses roaming freely along the path. Drop steadily down the hillside through green woodland and then turn right to take a final loop around the Monte Forcella, arriving back at the car park where you left your car. There are a couple of restaurants here where you can stop for lunch before driving down to Bellagio to spend the rest of the day exploring. We recommend using the car ferry from Bellagio to Cadenabbia on the return journey back to Moltrasio.
There are plenty of options to fill your second rest day on Lake Como. Enjoy a relaxed breakfast at your hotel and perhaps spend the rest of the morning relaxing here. Activities at the hotel include a swimming pool, tennis court and golf facilities as well as the possibility to walk into the centre of Moltrasio. Those wishing to explore more of Lake Como may instead chose to take a hydrofoil via Bellagio to Varenna on the eastern side of the lake. This traditional village is one of the most picturesque spots in Lake Como and is particularly known for its historic town centre where you will find the 14th century church of San Giorgio, colourful houses and the Riva Grande – the village’s charming lake promenade. Beautiful gardens include the Villa Monastero, Villa Cipressi and Castello di Vezio which are worth a visit for any nature lover.
Your last full day of this walking holiday is spent high above the lakes visiting the lofty peak of Monte Generoso which marks the border between Italy and Switzerland. The 360-degree panorama from the summit at 1,701m stretches all the way from the Apennines to the Alps and information boards help visitors to identify the valleys, lakes, villages and peaks. On a clear day you can admire the lakes of northern Italy, Gran Paradiso mountain chain and even the Matterhorn. Monte Generoso has two restaurants, the iconic “stone flower” building, interesting cave where bears lived some 60,000 years ago and traditional ice pit. The summit of Monte Generoso is easily reached via a rack railway from the town of Capolago on Lake Lugano, however we recommend walking there from the Italian hamlet of Orimento to make a 10-kilometre walk. Follow the Sentiero Alto path through woodland to gain the ridge at Cima della Piancaccia and follow the upper slopes to reach Monte Generoso. The return journey then takes you along the Sentiero Basso which takes a more easterly route past several small mountain huts to return to Orimento. Drive back to Moltrasio for your final dinner at the hotel, getting a good night’s sleep before your return journey tomorrow.
You enjoy a final breakfast at your hotel before starting your journey home. There are regular flights throughout the day between Milan and London giving you plenty of time to drive back to the airport before heading back to the UK.
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a double or twin room for 7 nights.
From about
£1,970
Holiday Code FHIT24
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Our prices include
● 7 nights’ on half board in a comfort double room with village or garden view at the Hotel Grand Imperiale in Moltrasio, Lake Como
● Concierge service, regional helpful hints and walking notes
Additional information
Dates
Although this holiday can be arranged throughout the year, we recommend travelling between May and October for the best trekking conditions.
Call us on 01392 441266
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a double or twin room for 7 nights.
From about
£1,970
Holiday Code FHIT24
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Our prices include
• 7 nights’ on half board in a comfort double room with village or garden view at the Hotel Grand Imperiale in Moltrasio, Lake Como
• Concierge service, regional helpful hints and walking notes
The journey and how you get there There are flights with British Airways from London Heathrow to Milan Malpensa several times a day. From here it is a 45-minute journey by car to the hotel. Flights are also possible into Milan Linate airport. It is also possible to travel from London to Lake Como and back, using a day-time service from Paris, a sleeper service from Paris or having a more leisurely and very scenic journey with an overnight stop in Switzerland on the way.
Additional information
Dates
Although this holiday can be arranged throughout the year, we recommend travelling between May and October for the best trekking conditions.
Call us on 01392 441266
Self-guided walking holiday at Lake Como in northern Italy
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a double or twin room for 7 nights.
From about
£1,970
Holiday Code FHIT24
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Our prices include
• 7 nights’ on half board in a comfort double room with village or garden view at the Hotel Grand Imperiale in Moltrasio, Lake Como
• Concierge service, regional helpful hints and walking notes
The journey and how you get there There are flights with British Airways from London Heathrow to Milan Malpensa several times a day. From here it is a 45-minute journey by car to the hotel. Flights are also possible into Milan Linate airport. It is also possible to travel from London to Lake Como and back, using a day-time service from Paris, a sleeper service from Paris or having a more leisurely and very scenic journey with an overnight stop in Switzerland on the way.
Additional information
Dates
Although this holiday can be arranged throughout the year, we recommend travelling between May and October for the best trekking conditions.
Call us on 01392 441266
Self-guided walking holiday at Lake Como in northern Italy
About Italian Lakes
The Italian Lakes, whilst each one having its own characteristics and attractions, are a surprisingly fascinating location for a walking holiday. It is not just a landscape of pretty villages with colourful houses on the lake shores, standing in luxuriant gardens of palm and lemon trees, but above the lakes in the mountainous surrounds there is quite another world. Up in the hills you can enjoy the vast views over the lakes and mountains, but you are transported back to an earlier time with a terrain that bears witness to a religious, agricultural and industrial past that is far removed from the present-day lakeside. You will walk on ancient farm tracks, smuggling tracks, tracks through vineyards, footpaths through mountain meadows and through forests. In the distance you might catch sight of the snowy peaks of the Alps on the Swiss side of the border. You pass UNESCO heritage sites, war memorials, elegant villas, mediaeval towers and churches, historic hamlets and stone fountains. Then at the end of each day of exploration above the lake, return to your lakeside base where dining is usually al fresco in the summer months and a magical atmosphere is created with the lapping of the waters and the twinkling of the lights around the lake and in the hills above.