Italian/Swiss lakes Como & Lugano
€1230
per person
Join us on a spectacular self-guided walking tour around the magnificent glacial waters of Lake Como and Lake Lugano. This region has stood as one of the most popular holiday destinations in Italy since Roman times, a rich heritage showcased by the stunning historic villas and splendid gardens that playfully perch along the coastline. On this exceptional journey, you will enjoy the complete freedom of an independent holiday as an abundance of scenic trails takes you away from the hassle of the busy holiday centers. The paths lead you deep into enchanting forest valleys, up to admirable mountain tops, and through secluded traditional villages. You will explore the very best of the Monti Lariani and the Ticino mountains with an excellent selection of daily walks of different durations and levels of difficulty, allowing you to discover the region at your own independent pace. Along the way, you will also have the perfect opportunity to visit delightful lakeside estates and appreciate the fantastic local regional cuisine.
Level 2/3/4
-
Destination
-
Duration8 Days I Level: 2/3/4 (of 5)
-
What is included3* hotels (en-suite rooms) incl. breakfast (check the Rates&Remarks tab for details); Luggage and people transfers on Day 6; Detailed route notes and maps incl. access to GPS tracks; Emergency hotline;
-
What is not includedCity tax (payable locally in hotels - 2-7 EUR/pp/night depending on the hotel's category); drinks nd extra meals;
-
Best periodApril, May, June, July, August, September, October
FROM OUR GALLERY
Independent hiking tour around Como and Lugano lakes in Italy and Switzerland.
1
Day 1. Arrival in Menaggio
Kick off your self-guided walking holiday on the spectacular shores of Lake Como. You will arrive at the charming lakeside town of Menaggio and check into your hotel, allowing you to leave your luggage and head out to explore the vibrant town and its surrounding landscapes peacefully. This prime location serves as a fantastic hub for an independent hiking tour, offering a peaceful waterfront atmosphere and easy access to local trails. Spend your first afternoon strolling the scenic promenade and historic piazzas at your own independent speed before tackling the mountain paths tomorrow. *Easiest arrival via Lugano and Milan airports (also Bergamo). Take a train from the central train station in Milan to Como San Giovanni (30min to 60min depending on the train service) and then local bus to Menaggio. As an alternative you can take a train from Milan to Varenna and then take a boat to Menaggio.
2
Day 2. From Varenna to Dervio (13km, 5hrs, +640m/-630m)
Today's section of your independent hiking tour begins right after a healthy breakfast with a boat ride across to the picturesque village of Varenna. From there, your self-guided walking itinerary follows the "Sentiero del Viandante" along the east side of the lake, tracing a path through a magnificent cultural landscape of traditional buildings and stunning views of Lake Como and the neighboring mountains. You can choose to take a short detour up to the ancient castle in Vezio for a panoramic photo, before heading back to Menaggio by boat to finish a perfect day of independent exploration.
3
Days 3-5. SELECTION OF WALKS ON LAKE COMO (9-16km; 3-7hrs; +330-1000m/-350-1000m)
For the following three days you have a wonderful selection of walks of various difficulty on the Monti Lariani (Lario is the ancient name of Lake Como). WALK A (16km, 5hrs, +700m/-700m): A circular walk from Menaggio to the Val Sanagra Nature Reserve. The trail takes you through the lovely village of Loveno full of beautiful villas. Then you continue through the lush pastures of Pianuro and follow the playful alpine Sanagra stream not long after. You will pass through the peculiar Barna, where time seems to have come to a full stop. WALK B (14km, 6-7hrs, +1000m/-1000m): From Breglia to Monte Grona and Monte Bregagnino. The starting point for this self-guided hiking route is the village of Bregia easily accessible by bus from Menaggio. You will have the opportunity to conquer two of the highest peaks on the western side of the lake: Monte Grona (1736m) and Monte Bregagnino (2107m). Monte Grona offers great views of all three lakes - Como, Lugano, and Piano as well as the surrounding peaks of the Pre-Alps. WALK C (9km, 3hrs, +350m/-350m): From Menaggio to Rezzonico on the Antica Strada Regina. This route follows the Antica Strada Regina, an important Roman trade road passing through the westside of Lake Como and continuing through the alpine mountain passes. It was used until the end of the 18th century when the current road was first built. This section starts from Menaggio and leads to the village of Rezzonico offering great views along the way. Return to Menaggio by bus.
4
Day 6. Morning transfer to Cavargna and walk to Porlezza (17km, 5hrs, +600m/-1300m)
Fuel up with breakfast before a private morning transfer delivers you to Cavargna to begin an incredible day on your self-guided hiking itinerary. You will tackle a scenic climb up to the Church of Saint Lucio, which sits right on the border between Italy and Switzerland. The walking route down the mountain is particularly picturesque, guiding you through serene forests and green meadows to the lakeside town of Porlezza. This panoramic trail is widely considered one of the region's top highlights, providing a spectacular day of independent walking that finishes at your overnight destination right on the edge of Lake Lugano.
5
Day 7. From Porlezza to San Mamete via Alpe Vecchio - Porlezza (12km, 5hrs, +1100/-1100m)
Challenge yourself on today's independent walking itinerary with a demanding trail high above Lake Lugano. This scenic self-guided hiking route leads you through a colorful landscape of hidden waterfalls, tiny villages, and lush forests before reaching the ridge at the Alpe Vecchio hut, where you can take a well-deserved break to admire the panoramic views. After this really rewarding climb, you will follow a different trail down to the lakeside, arriving in the picturesque village of San Mamete where a short bus ride returns you to Porlezza to finish your day of independent exploration.
6
Day 8. Departure day
Tour services officially end after breakfast today at the conclusion of your independent hiking itinerary. For your departure travel plans, you can easily take a bus over to Lugano and then connect to a train serving all nearby airports.
TOUR LOCATION
Price (2027)
1230 Euro per person in twin/dbl room (01/04-10/05; 01-25/10)
1355 Euro per person in twin/dbl room (11/05-30/09)
*Options for Lake view in Menaggio (contact us for details)
**Triple rooms for odd number of travelers possible on request (contact us for details)
Single room & Solo Traveler supplement
Single room supplement: 355 Euro
Solo Traveler supplement (incl. sgl. room supplement): 560 Euro
Tips
Daily departures between the beginning of April and mid-October. There are 3 day walks which are circular, the others are point to point. There are easy, moderate and demanding walks to choose from. The paths are clearly visible and well-marked; there are some sections of the trail which are rough and exposed. There are many ups and downs as you would expect in a mountainous region, and walking poles are definitely handy. If you are unable to walk, you can always ask, if the luggage transporter can take you with him when transporting your baggage, but this is not always possible and sometimes you have to pay a small fee locally. Lugano and Milan’s Linate/Malpensa Airports are the closest ones and are served by many flights. Anyway, you can also flight in Bergamo Orio al Serio.
Arrive in Menaggio: From any airport, take the local bus or train to the central railway station and then take one of the several trains to Milano Centrale. To reach Menaggio take a local train from Milano Centrale to Como San Giovanni (it could take from about 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the train). From Como San Giovanni take bus Line C10 of the “ASF Autolinee” Bus Company to arrive in Menaggio. As an alternative you could take a local train from Milano Centrale to Varenna and then take a boat to Menaggio. Travel to Lugano on Day 7: By bus: there are many daily buses running from Porlezza to Lugano and vice versa. By private transfer: it is possible to pre-arrange a private transfer from Porlezza to Lugano and viceversa. Depart from Porlezza: From Porlezza you can take a bus to Lugano and then a train to the airport (Milano, Bergamo or Lugano) OR you can take a bus to Menaggio and then a train to Como; from there you can easily take a train to the closest airports.
Accommodation
You stay in a 3* hotel located in the center of Menaggio (days 1 to 5), directly on the lake side. A nice 3* family run hotel with great panoramic view in Porlezza (days 6 and 7). All rooms have private en-suite bathroom and a continental breakfast is served every morning. In Menaggio there is an option to order rooms with lake view (contact us for details). Samples of the inns we would normally book (subject to availability), or similar category: Day 1/2/3/4/5: Menaggio - Hotel Bellavista; Day 6/7: Porlezza - Hotel Europa;
Why Google Reviews matter more than website-collected reviews?
We are committed to absolute transparency and exclusively use our Google Business Profile for all customer reviews. In contrast, some competitors collect reviews directly on their websites. While these self-hosted reviews can appear informative, they are vulnerable to manipulation - they can be easily modified, deleted (if too negative), or even written internally by staff (a task made simpler than ever with modern AI tools). By relying solely on the trusted, third-party platform of Google, we offer a guarantee that your feedback is genuine and completely unbiased. We have no ability to influence or alter the words of our past customers; our access is limited strictly to responding. This ensures the integrity of every review you read and builds the trust you deserve.Click below to read verified reviews:
Send an enquiry about this tour
1) Book & Pay Deposit: Receive instant "Reservation/Invoice" email confirming receipt of your order; 2) Internal Progress: Our team verifies details and secures arrangements (ℹ️online dates reflect potential, not live, real-time availability!); 3)Tour Confirmation: Wait for this dedicated email (you may receive updates/action requests first)! ℹ️Hold off on booking flights & non-refundable plans until you receive it!
SCROLL DOWN FOR ALL DATES (IF YOUR DATE IS NOT OPEN FOR BOOKING, PLEASE CONTACT US!)
SCROLL DOWN FOR ALL DATES (IF YOUR DATE IS NOT OPEN FOR BOOKING, PLEASE CONTACT US!)