Private Visit to Lake Como

Q: During a visit to Milan, I would like to take a day trip to the Bellagio gardens on Lake Como. I would prefer not to be part of an organised tour, so I would like to know how to undertake the journey independently. - Marge Ellis

A: Lake Como is less than an hour's journey from Milan and is served by a regular train service. Catch one of the "LeNord" trains, which depart hourly from the Cadorna station in the centre of Milan for Como Lago, a pretty town on the lake's edge. On arrival in Como, spend a few minutes checking out this pretty walled town with its historic centre and funicular. Then you head for the landing station for the trip to the gardens of Bellagio. There are two kind of boat services, from Como to Bellagio: one with a slow, traditional boat, and the other one with a fast hydrofoil. Catch the slow boat and enjoy the view before taking in the glory of the gardens. For your return trip, you can try a different itinerary by taking the ferry boat from Bellagio to Varenna, on the other side of Lake Como, where you can hop on a Trenitalia train to Milano. The ferry runs every 20 minutes, the train every two hours. (16/1/11)