Lake Como boat tour: which one to book

  • 3cruises compared
  • €97.50lowest price
  • 3 h to 8 htime on the water
  • 2boarding points

The cruise to check first

Como boat charter without a licence

4 h · from €200 · 8.0/10 (20)

Check dates and price

Updated 29 October 2026

Which one, depending on what you want

Cruises in Lake Como side by side

Civitatis lists three ways to get onto Lake Como from the city of Como. The guided boat tour (2 or 3 hours, with wine or prosecco and snacks) is the most direct answer if you want a boat trip with a guide. The licence-free boat charter, from € 200 per boat, is for groups of up to four who want to drive. The Bellagio and Lugano day trip is an 8-hour outing that includes a boat ride, from € 97.50.

All three meet in Como, and all three cancel free up to 24 hours before. The review bases are small, from 14 to 89 reviews, so read the details below rather than relying on the score alone. Prices and ratings were checked on 29 October 2026.

Boat trips in Lake Como compared by type, duration, boat, food, price and rating
CruiseDurationOpen or coveredFoodPriceRating
Bellagio and Lugano day trip from ComoSightseeing 8 h Not stated No food from €97.50 8.6/10 (89)
Como boat charter without a licencePrivate boatOur pick 4 h Not stated No food from €200 8.0/10 (20)
Lake Como boat tourSightseeing 3 h Not stated Drinks or snacks - 7.0/10 (14)

Boat sheets

One sheet per cruise, same fields in the same order. Open a sheet for the pier, the commentary and what is included.

Sightseeing · Day

Bellagio and Lugano day trip from Como

An 8-hour guided day trip that crosses Lake Como by boat to Bellagio, goes on to Cadenabbia, then by bus into Switzerland for Lugano, from € 97.50.

from €97.50

8.6/10 from 89 reviews on Civitatis

  • 8 h
  • Not stated
  • No food
  • Piazza Cavour
  • Free cancellation up to 24 h before

Who it suitsVisitors with a full day who want Bellagio and a stop in Switzerland in one booking, rather than a boat trip on its own. Rated 8.6 from 89 reviews, the most of the three listings.

Pick something else ifSkip it if what you want is time on the water: the boat covers only part of the day, and Lugano is reached by bus. You also need an original ID document for Switzerland, so it does not suit anyone who has left their passport at the hotel.

Boarding, commentary, what is included
Boarding point
Piazza Cavour. Meet in the centre of Como at Piazza Cavour, in front of Hotel Barchetta, 15 minutes before the time you booked. The listing gives the address as Piazza Cavour 1 in the description and Piazza Cavour 5 in the voucher notes, so check the voucher after booking. Open pier on the map
Open or covered
Civitatis says the boat ride is normally on a tourist boat, and that in bad weather or when the lake level rises the group takes a boat of the public transport network instead. It does not describe the boat further.
Commentary
The listing names a guide, with guide languages Spanish and English. The English version is marked as English only, and the listing says a group that reaches the minimum is run in one language rather than two.
Included
  • Transport by bus
  • English-speaking guide
  • Boat ride on Lake Como
Not included
  • Food and drinks
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Later cancellations and no-shows are not refunded, and nobody is refunded for missing the departure by arriving late.

Sources: Civitatis catalogue. Checked on 29 October 2026.

Private boat · DayOur pick

Como boat charter without a licence

A boat you drive yourself on Lake Como for 2, 3 or 4 hours with no licence required, for up to four people, from € 200 per boat.

from €200

8.0/10 from 20 reviews on Civitatis

  • 4 h
  • Not stated
  • No food
  • Lungo Lario Trieste, 28
  • Free cancellation up to 24 h before

Who it suitsSmall groups, couples and families of up to four who want to set their own pace and route and do not hold a boat licence. Rated 8.0 from 20 reviews, and tagged as a private service.

Pick something else ifSkip it if you want someone else to drive and explain the villas: the guided boat tour does that. Also keep in mind the fuel is extra (€ 50) and a late arrival costs € 50.

Boarding, commentary, what is included
Boarding point
Lungo Lario Trieste, 28. Lungo Lario Trieste, 28, in Como. You get the boat keys at the time you chose, after a short briefing on how to run the boat safely, and you bring it back to the same spot. Arrive 15 minutes early: the listing charges € 50 if you are late. Open pier on the map
Open or covered
Civitatis does not describe the boat model or whether it has a cover. It lists GPS and safety equipment as included and says the boat takes a group of up to four people.
Commentary
There is no guide or commentary in the listing: you choose the route yourself. The listing suggests swimming in the lake, looking at the villas on the shore and stopping in a village such as Bellagio.
Included
  • Boat charter for the chosen duration
  • Taxes
  • GPS
  • Safety equipment
Not included
  • Fuel: € 50
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Later cancellations and no-shows are not refunded.

Sources: Civitatis catalogue. Checked on 29 October 2026.

Sightseeing · Day

Lake Como boat tour

A guided boat trip of 2 or 3 hours (you choose when booking) that leaves from the Como lakefront, with a glass of wine or prosecco and snacks included.

7.0/10 from 14 reviews on Civitatis

  • 3 h
  • Not stated
  • Drinks or snacks
  • Lungo Lario Trieste, 28
  • Free cancellation up to 24 h before

Who it suitsAnyone who wants to see the lakeside villas from the water with a guide and does not want to drive. The 2-hour ride passes the Life Electric sculpture, the Tempio Voltiano and villas such as Villa Olmo, Villa Erba and Villa Pizzo; the 3-hour ride adds Brienno, Argegno, the island of Comacina and Villa Balbianello.

Pick something else ifSkip it if you want Bellagio: neither ride stops there, according to the listing. It is also the smallest review base of the three (7.0 from 14 reviews), and the starting price is not clear from the listing, so check the price for your date before you book.

Boarding, commentary, what is included
Boarding point
Lungo Lario Trieste, 28. Lungo Lario Trieste, 28, 22100 Como, at the time on your ticket. Arrive 15 minutes early. The trip returns to the same spot. Open pier on the map
Open or covered
Civitatis does not describe the boat. The listing is not wheelchair accessible and the minimum age is 5.
Commentary
The English listing gives an English-speaking guide, and the listing is marked as English only. The same trip in the Italian catalogue has an Italian-speaking guide.
Included
  • Boat trip on Lake Como
  • English-speaking guide
  • One glass of wine or prosecco
  • Snacks
Not included
  • Fuel surcharge: € 20 per person for the 2-hour trip, € 30 per person for the 3-hour trip
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Later cancellations and no-shows are not refunded.

Sources: Civitatis catalogue. Checked on 29 October 2026.

Three questions, one cruise

Tell us how much time you have, whether you want to eat on board and when you can go.

Sunset in Lake Como today Plan a sunset cruise
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Next: food on board and time of day

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Questions about boat trips in Lake Como

How much is a Lake Como boat trip from Como?

The Bellagio and Lugano day trip starts from € 97.50 per adult, and the boat charter from € 200 per boat for up to four people, with € 50 of fuel on top. The guided boat tour charges a fuel surcharge of € 20 or € 30 per person on top of the booking price. Checked on 29 October 2026.

How long is the Lake Como boat tour?

You choose 2 or 3 hours when you book. The 2-hour ride passes the Life Electric sculpture and several villas; the 3-hour ride adds Brienno, Argegno, the island of Comacina and Villa Balbianello.

Can I cancel a Lake Como boat trip?

Yes. All three listings offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Later cancellations and no-shows are not refunded.

Where do the Lake Como boat trips leave from?

The boat tour and the charter leave from Lungo Lario Trieste, 28, in Como. The Bellagio and Lugano day trip meets at Piazza Cavour, in front of Hotel Barchetta.

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