Why choose a Lake Como private boat tour?
A Lake Como private boat tour puts your party of up to five on a small boat together. Around Bellagio, where the public ferry network connects Varenna, Menaggio and Cadenabbia, that changes the purpose of being on the water: you are taking a boat outing together rather than making a crossing between towns. The private Bellagio option adds a swimming stop and commentary, so the lake becomes part of the experience as well as the scenery.
Choose by the afternoon you want to have. Couples can take a boat with a driver and prosecco from Bellagio. Friends can share a motorboat with drinks from the floating dock beside Villa Geno. For a wooden boat and an English-speaking captain, there is a separate option with sun protection and life jackets. All three have a group limit of five; the difference lies in departure, duration and what comes aboard with you.
Three ways to spend time on the lake
Bellagio: a driver, commentary and a swimming stop
Meet near restaurant La Pergola in Bellagio for a private boat with a driver. The available durations run from one to two hours. During the outing you have live commentary, a swimming stop, bottled water and Italian prosecco. Fuel and all navigation fees are included. This is the clearest fit for friends who want to get into the water, or a couple who want a boat outing with something to do beyond sitting aboard.
Bellagio is also a useful starting place if your day already centres on the middle of the lake. Its gardens at Villa Melzi and the ferry connections to Varenna and Menaggio give you separate things to do on land before or after sailing. Build the day around Bellagio, then make the private boat its water-based highlight. The starting group price is €320 for up to five people.
Villa Geno: a motorboat with drinks
Board at the floating dock beside Villa Margherita, also known as Villa Geno. The motorboat carries the name Hercules Lake Como on its side. This private cruise offers durations from one to four hours, with fuel, life jackets, bottled water, soft drinks, prosecco and beer included. You step from the dock onto a boat reserved for your party and spend the selected time out on Lake Como with drinks aboard.
At a starting group price of €300 for up to five, this suits a gathering of friends or a family who want the boat itself to be the activity. The soft drinks give the onboard selection a useful alternative to alcohol. Choose this format when time together on the water matters more to you than adding another organised activity to the outing.
Wooden boat: captain and sun protection
The wooden boat offers a different setting for the ride: your group boards a private wooden vessel with an English-speaking captain, sun protection and life jackets. Available durations span one to ten hours, and the meeting point on Lake Como follows the selected option. For travellers drawn to the wooden-boat experience, this is the format to choose.
The starting price is €195 per group of up to five. Fuel is an additional €50 for each hour, paid aboard. That hourly charge deserves a place in your budget: one hour adds €50, two hours add €100 and four hours add €200 to the selected boat tariff. Longer time aboard therefore has a direct fuel cost as well as the price of the boat option.
Group prices made useful
Price examples are from October 2026 for the wooden boat and November 2026 for the other boats. These are starting group prices across the offered durations. Divide the starting amount by your party size to see the cost of having the boat to yourselves.
| Boat | Starting group price, up to five | Split between five | Split between two |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellagio with swimming stop | €320, fuel included | €64 each | €160 each |
| Villa Geno cruise with drinks | €300, fuel included | €60 each | €150 each |
| Wooden boat | €195 plus €50 fuel per hour | €39 each plus €10 each per hour for fuel | €97.50 each plus €25 each per hour for fuel |
For five friends, the Villa Geno starting price works out at €60 per person, compared with €50 each on the shared one-hour boat. That is €300 versus €250 for the party. The Bellagio starting price comes to €64 each for five, or €70 more in total than five shared tickets, with its swimming stop and private driver. For two people, the price difference is much larger.
Our picks: private and shared boats
Choose a private boat for your own party, with fuel included on two options and a separate fuel charge on the wooden boat. For a shared experience, choose the short boat trip or the day trip with a cruise.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private boat from Bellagio with driver
- Fuel and navigation fees
- Live commentary on board
- Bottled water and prosecco
A private boat for up to five people with a swimming stop.
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Private cruise with drinks
- Fuel
- Life jackets
- Bottled water
A private cruise for up to five people, with drinks on board.
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Private wooden boat with captain
- English-speaking captain
- Sun protection
- Life jackets
Private boat for up to five people. Fuel costs €50 per hour extra on board.
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Como and Lugano day trip with boat cruise
- 1-hour Lake Como boat cruise
- Swiss train and Como ferry tickets
- English-speaking local guide
A shared day trip with free time in Como and Lugano. Bring a passport for the Milan departure.
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Shared boat with commentary
- Captain and commentary
- Small group experience
A shared experience with up to 11 passengers. Prosecco for guests over 18 and a soft drink for minors.
Check availability →Lake Como boat trips
Compare private boats and shared experiences for your dates.
Small-group tours: when sharing makes sense
The shared boat leaves from the small pier in front of Bar Lario for one hour. A captain provides commentary, and the group has a maximum of 11 passengers. Guests over 18 receive prosecco, while minors receive a soft drink. At €50 per person, it is a strong choice for a solo traveller or a couple wanting a short outing: two tickets total €100.
For first-time visitors wanting a whole day organised, the Como and Lugano small-group excursion costs from €139 per person and lasts ten hours. It combines a one-hour Lake Como cruise with free time in Como and Lugano, an English-speaking local guide, Swiss train and Como ferry tickets, and the funicular from Lugano station to the city centre. Departure options are Como San Giovanni at 9:25 or Milano Centrale at 8:15; bring a passport for the Milan departure.
For an independent visit from Milan, the train from Milano Cadorna to Como Lago takes about 60 minutes. Our day trips from Milan guide helps place the lake within a longer day. For public ferries alongside sightseeing boats, use the Lake Como boat tour guide.
Questions about private boats on Lake Como
Is a private boat worth it for two?
Choose it for an outing entirely together. The Villa Geno starting price splits to €150 each, and Bellagio to €160 each. Two shared one-hour tickets cost €100 altogether, making sharing the economical choice for a short introduction.
What does a family of four pay?
The starting group amount is €300 at Villa Geno, equivalent to €75 each for four, or €320 at Bellagio, equivalent to €80 each. Both include fuel. The wooden boat starts at €195 for the group, with €50 per hour added for fuel.
How long can we spend aboard?
Bellagio offers one to two hours, Villa Geno one to four, and the wooden boat one to ten. The shared Bar Lario outing lasts one hour.
Which private boat includes swimming?
The Bellagio boat includes a swimming stop, a driver, commentary, water and prosecco, with fuel and navigation fees included in its starting €320 group price.
How many of us can share a private boat?
Each of these three private offers accommodates up to five people. Five friends splitting the Villa Geno starting price pay €60 each; five splitting Bellagio pay €64 each.