A Photography Day Trip to Lake Como

I absolutely loved my time in Lake Como. It is a place of stunning natural beauty where the lake, mountains, and architecture all come together in perfect harmony to create an atmosphere that feels both peaceful and inspiring. Even though I only managed to explore around 15 kilometres of Como’s 170-kilometre shoreline, I completely fell in love with it. I already cannot wait to plan an extended trip in the future to dive deeper into the endless creative opportunities that this incredible region has to offer.

Arriving in Como

I arrived in Como from Bergamo Airport via Milan Central Station, a journey that took around one hour and forty-five minutes. Time was already a little tight, but as soon as I stepped off the train and began walking towards the lake, I knew I was somewhere special. The views were breathtaking. I started by exploring the lakeside promenade, the cobbled streets, and the magnificent Gothic cathedral in the heart of the city. Although I didn’t have enough time to see everything I wanted to, I could easily have spent the entire day here. Como has a wonderful energy, and I enjoyed every moment that I had to take it in.

The Walk to Blevio

Next, I decided to walk from Como to Blevio, a scenic route that takes around forty-five minutes along the lakeside. There is a bus available, but I wanted to make the most of the walk to enjoy and photograph the incredible scenery. Blevio has a much quieter, small-town feel compared to Como, and it was nice to leave behind the busier atmosphere for a little while. I spent about an hour wandering through the narrow cobbled paths and stairways and made a quick stop at the charming church in the centre of town. Although beautiful in its own right, I would not necessarily recommend Blevio as a must-see stop, as the slightly larger towns seem to offer more lakeside photography opportunities.

Exploring Torno

From Blevio, I continued on to the town of Torno, which was one of my favourite places of the day. It is a small, colourful town full of character, with fantastic lakeside views, winding alleyways, and yet another beautiful old church that adds to its charm. There is also a lovely little coffee shop right on the water where you can relax and enjoy the view. You can reach Torno by bus or ferry, and if you plan on hopping between towns by ferry (something I will definitely be doing next time), Torno is well worth spending a couple of hours exploring.

Cernobbio

My next stop was meant to be Moltrasio, directly opposite Torno on the other side of the lake, but I ended up missing my stop on the ferry while distracted by the incredible views. Luckily, it worked out for the best, as I disembarked at Cernobbio, which turned out to be a wonderful surprise. Cernobbio is slightly larger than the previous towns but still full of charm, with narrow cobbled lanes, vibrant buildings, and a picturesque church crowned by a tall bell tower. Even though my visit there was unplanned, it was one of the most enjoyable stops of the day.

The Lakeside Walk Back to Como

Although I had planned to take the funicular railway up one of the mountains overlooking the lake for panoramic views, time was running short. Instead, I decided to spend my final hour making the lakeside walk back to Como to catch my train and bus to the airport. I could have taken the bus and spent about forty minutes exploring the city again, but I am so glad that I chose to walk. The route provided endless photo opportunities, was fully paved the entire way, and made for a peaceful end to a wonderful day.

Final Thoughts

Lake Como is an absolutely magical place to visit, whether you are there for photography, food and wine, or simply to relax. It has something for everyone, and the value for what you get is outstanding. Restaurants and cafés are reasonably priced, hostels can be found from around £18 per night, and private Airbnbs from roughly £45.

Would I recommend visiting Lake Como as a day trip? Probably not, simply because the almost two-hour journey each way from the airport makes it difficult to explore as much as I would have liked. However, I cannot recommend staying here for a few nights enough. For natural beauty, rich culture, and creative inspiration, it is hard to find better value anywhere in Europe. I will certainly be returning to Lake Como again in the hopefully not-too-distant future.