Lake Como boat tours at a glance
Lake Como is long and narrow, and most of its famous villages sit right on the water. That makes a boat the natural way to see them. You can use the public ferry network, join a shared cruise with a guide or skipper, or hire a private boat for a fixed length of time.
The three options are very different in price and in what you get. A public ferry is a transport service. A shared cruise is a sightseeing hour. A private boat is a booking for your own group. This is an independent guide, not run by the ferry operator or by any boat company. Prices are in euros, as listed in 2026, and they change.
Three ways to get on the water
Pick by budget, time and how much you want to stop.
Public ferry
The cheapest boat trip on the lake. Adult single fares run from €3 to €14.50 depending on the tariff zone, and children aged 4 to 11 pay €1.80 to €7.30. Day passes for adults cost €8 to €32. You can hop between towns, but you follow the timetable. Fast boats cost a supplement.
Ferry routes and tickets →Shared cruise
One Varenna operator lists a Classic Group Tour for €60 per person. It lasts 1 hour and leaves from Dock 2 at Riva Grande in Varenna. You see the villas from the water. Entry to the villas is not included.
Private boat
The same operator lists private tours from €300 for 1 hour up to €1,050 for 4 hours. They are round trips without landing. Extra stops can be agreed individually, and then the duration, route and price change.
Our picks: Lake Como boat tours
A villa tour with prosecco, a boat ride from Varenna with garden entry and a boat for your group on a day trip.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Lake Como day trip from Milan with a boat for your group
Return transport from Milan, a guide, a radio receiver and a boat trip for your travel group alone. Food, drinks and tips are not included.
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Varenna boat tour with entry to the Balbianello gardens
A panoramic boat trip, entry to the gardens of Villa del Balbianello and an audio guide app. The villa interior, headphones, tips and hotel pick-up are not included.
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Lake Como boat tour past the villas with prosecco
A boat trip with a local guide, prosecco and soft drinks. Hotel transfer is not included.
Check availability →Lake Como boat tours and day trips
Shared cruises, private boats and day trips with a boat ride, with live prices and availability.
Boat options compared
Prices for adults in 2026. The private and shared rows come from one operator, not from a market range.
| Option | Length | Price | Landing in villages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public ferry, tariff zone 1 | Per crossing | €3 single | Yes, at ferry piers |
| Public ferry, tariff zone 3 | Per crossing | €5.50 single, €17.50 day pass | Yes, at ferry piers |
| Shared Classic Group Tour | 1 hour | €60 per person | No, villas seen from the water |
| Private Classic | 1 hour | From €300 | No, round trip |
| Private Discovery | 1.5 hours | From €430 | No, round trip |
| Private Grand Tour | 2 hours | From €550 | No, round trip |
| Private Nesso | 2.5 hours | From €700 | No, round trip |
| Private longer tours | 3 or 4 hours | From €800 or €1,050 | Only by individual agreement |
Private prices are starting prices for a booking, not per-person tickets. Do not divide them by a fixed number of guests before you have asked the operator what the boat takes. The ferry zones come from the tariff valid from 1 April 2026. Bellagio to Varenna and Bellagio to Menaggio are listed in zone 3, which means €5.50 for a single ticket and €17.50 for a day pass. Check the zone map at the ticket office before you buy a pass.
Where the boats take you
The central part of the lake is the usual focus.
Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio
These three towns form a triangle in the middle of the lake. Direct crossings take about 15 minutes, and some connections with a detour take about 30 minutes. Bellagio to Cadenabbia takes about 10 minutes. See the guides to Bellagio and Varenna.
Villas on the western shore
Villa del Balbianello at Lenno and Villa Carlotta at Tremezzo are both in the Tremezzina area. A cruise passes the shore, but a visit needs its own ticket. Balbianello costs €15 for the park and €25 for villa and park, with reservation required. Villa Carlotta costs €17.50 for adults in 2026.
Villa del Balbianello →Boat taxi to Balbianello
A separate, paid taxi boat runs from Lido di Lenno to the villa and needs a reservation. It is not run by the FAI, the foundation that manages the villa. Ask for the price when you book, because it is not part of the €15 or €25 ticket.
Before you book a boat
Five checks that avoid most surprises.
Season and timetable
The ferry operator's autumn timetable runs to 1 November 2026. Check the current timetable before you go if you travel later. Bad weather or strong waves can cancel departures, and staff at the piers and on board decide.
What the price covers
For the shared tour, villa entry is not included. For private tours, the standard format is a round trip without a landing. Anything extra is agreed with the operator.
Meeting point
For the shared Classic tour it is Dock 2 at Riva Grande in Varenna. You can end the tour early at Bellagio, but then you organise your own way back.
Day pass or single tickets
A day pass is personal and valid only in the zones printed on it. If you plan only two crossings, single tickets can be cheaper. Compare before you buy.
Buying on board
The vehicle tariff mentions a €1 supplement for buying on board. Where a pier has no ticket office, buying on board is free. Arrive at the ticket office about 20 minutes before departure.
Plan the rest of your trip
Where the boats fit into a Lake Como stay.
Lake Como ferry
Fares, day passes, car ferry prices and timetable tips.
Lake Como guide
Towns, villas and how the lake is laid out.
Villa del Balbianello
Tickets, reservations and the walk or boat to the villa.
Best time to visit
Which months suit boat days and which hours are shorter.
Where to stay
Como, Varenna, Bellagio or Menaggio as your base.
Lake Como boat tours: frequently asked questions
How much does a Lake Como boat tour cost?
It depends on the type. A public ferry single costs €3 to €14.50 for adults from 1 April 2026. One operator lists a shared one-hour tour at €60 per person and private tours from €300 for 1 hour. These are single examples, not a market range.
Is a private boat worth it?
That depends on your group and your plans. A private tour is a round trip without a landing, so it suits photos and a close look at the villas. If you want to visit a villa, you need a separate ticket and a ferry or taxi boat to the landing.
Does the shared tour include villa entry?
No. The villas are seen from the water, and entry and visits are not included.
Can I get off in Bellagio?
On the shared Classic Group Tour, an earlier end in Bellagio is possible. That removes the last stretch back to Varenna, so you arrange the return yourself, for example by ferry.
Do boats run in winter?
The ferry timetable changes by season. The autumn timetable for Lake Como is listed to 1 November 2026. Check the current timetable before you travel later in the year, and expect cancellations in bad weather.
Is visit-lombardy.com a boat operator?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It has no link to the ferry operator, the FAI, the municipalities or any boat or tour company.