The best things to do on Lake Como

• Admire Lake Como’s villas and gardens from a private boat
• Sample northern Italian wines with a sommelier at your villa
• Follow the lakeside roads in a classic sports car
• Hike into the mountains to Rifugio Menaggio
• Taste Como’s regional specialties with a local guide
• Enjoy an evening of live music at your villa
• Cycle through the hills above Bellagio on an e-bike
• Cook Italian favourites alongside a chef in your villa

PRIVATE BOAT TOUR AROUND LAKE COMO

There’s no finer vantage point for admiring Lake Como's sublime waterfront residences than the deck of your own boat. Glide past the romantic façades of Villa Pizzo and Villa Passalacqua, the cypress-silhouetted Villa La Cassinella and the tiered gardens of Villa del Balbianello, spilling down its wooded promontory towards the lake. Your licensed guide brings the stories behind these celebrated properties to life as you cruise between colourful fishing villages and secluded bays. Among the most fascinating things to see on Lake Como are Villa Carlotta’s botanical gardens, where you can step ashore for a closer look, or Bellagio’s cobbled lanes, which make a delightful setting for lunch.

SOMMELIER-LED WINE TASTING AT YOUR VILLA

From the steep vineyards of Valtellina to the sparkling wines of Franciacorta, northern Italy has an alluring wine story to tell. Invite a local sommelier to your Lake Como villa for a personalised tasting, discovering how altitude, grape varieties and winemaking techniques influence the character of each bottle. Swirl, sniff and sample a selection of wines, perhaps putting your palate to the test with a blind tasting – a little friendly rivalry over guessing what's in your glass is all part of the fun. The experience can be enjoyed over aperitifs or woven into a dinner prepared by your villa chef, with wines selected to complement each course.

ESCORTED ROAD RALLY WITH VINTAGE CARS

The growl of a vintage engine, the wind in your hair and Lake Como as your backdrop: few drives can match the excitement of an escorted rally around these shores. Choose from a collection of classic cars, which may include Alfa Romeo Spiders, Porsches and Ferraris, and set off behind a lead vehicle that takes care of the navigation. Follow sweeping lakeside roads past film-famous residences and pretty harbour towns, pausing for an espresso in Cernobbio, then taking your car aboard the ferry to Cadenabbia. Expert staff oversee the arrangements, leaving you free to savour every twist and turn.

GUIDED HIKE TO RIFUGIO MENAGGIO

High above Lake Como, stone-built hamlets and chestnut woods give way to open mountain slopes, revealing a quieter side of the region far above the waterfront towns. Beginning in the hillside village of Breglia, follow your expert guide along old woodland paths, catching glimpses of blue water between the trees. As the trail climbs, the landscape opens to reveal Lake Como far below, with neighbouring Lake Lugano visible across the mountains. At Rifugio Menaggio, settle in for a moreish mountain lunch as you soak up the views. Keen walkers can continue towards Pizzo Coppa for an even broader panorama of lakes and alpine peaks.

PRIVATE FOOD TASTING TOUR OF COMO

One of the most tempting things to do in Como is to get to know the town through its food. Follow the aromas of freshly baked focaccia and Italian coffee into its historic streets, where a private guide introduces the flavours of Lombardy. Call at backstreet delis and market stalls to sample mountain cheeses, regional cured meats and miascia cakes, learning what makes each speciality distinctive. The town’s lively squares and tempting shop windows invite a little browsing between tastings.

LIVE MUSIC AT YOUR LAKE COMO VILLA

Picture a warm evening on your villa terrace, glasses being raised as the first notes of a string quartet drift across the garden. Live music lends a sense of occasion to entertaining at Lake Como, whether you prefer classical melodies during aperitifs, an Italian singer over dinner or a DJ to draw everyone onto the dance floor. We can source musicians and performers to suit the mood, coordinating the entertainment with your plans for the evening. Pair the performance with a dinner prepared by your villa chef, allowing guests to linger over another glass of wine as the last light fades across the lake.

GUIDED E-BIKING TOUR FROM BELLAGIO

Trade Bellagio's well-loved waterfront for quiet country lanes and the freedom of exploring Lake Como's hills on two wheels. After being fitted with an e-bike at a specialist cycling atelier, set off through wooded slopes and hillside villages, the electric assistance easing the climbs. Choose a mountain route that leads to a family-run farm, where a lunch of local produce awaits, or combine your ride with tastings of regional cheeses and wines. Your guide knows the routes and places worth stopping, turning a day of cycling into a rural adventure. Transfers from your villa to Bellagio can also be arranged.

PRIVATE ITALIAN COOKING CLASS AT YOUR VILLA

Imagine your villa kitchen filled with the scent of garlic sizzling in olive oil, fresh herbs scattered across the worktop and a local chef sharing the secrets of a much-loved Italian recipe. Together, create a menu to suit your tastes, then get hands-on, perhaps rolling silky sheets of fresh pasta or stirring a sauce until its flavours come together beautifully. Your chef will explain the techniques behind each dish, offering plenty of opportunities to taste as you go. Once the cooking is done, gather around the table for a generous meal made all the more satisfying by your own efforts.