🇮🇹 Como — Family Travel Guide

Country: Italy
Last Updated: May 2026

Overview

Como is the practical family gateway to Lake Como: a real Italian town with trains from Milan, ferries from the waterfront, a funicular that climbs straight up the mountain, and enough gelato stops to rescue almost any tired-child moment. It is less polished than Bellagio and less resort-like than the central lake villages, but that is exactly why it works with children — you can stay somewhere connected, walk to dinner, and still reach villas, beaches, and boat days without repacking every morning.

The lake is the headline, but the best family trips to Como mix small city exploring with one big scenic thing per day: a ferry ride, a villa garden, the Brunate funicular, or a swim at a lido. Do not treat it like a checklist destination. Como rewards slow mornings, snacks on benches, and letting kids stare at boats for longer than seems reasonable.

Why families love it:

• Ferries turn transport into an activity
• Easy train access from Milan Malpensa, Linate, Bergamo, and Milan Centrale
• Compact old town with a cathedral, walls, cafés, and no need for a car
• Funicular to Brunate gives huge lake views for low effort
• Villa gardens and lakeside promenades give younger children space to move
• Excellent simple food: pizza, risotto, lake fish, panini, gelato

⏰ Best Time to Visit with Kids

Pro tip: May, early June, and September are the sweet spots. July and August can still work, but plan indoor/rest breaks after lunch and book ferry-heavy days early.

🚗 Getting Around

Walking
Como’s old town, lakefront, Cathedral, Tempio Voltiano, ferry pier, and funicular station are all walkable. A compact buggy is fine on the waterfront; old town lanes can be cobbled but manageable.

Ferries
This is the magic. Public boats connect Como with Cernobbio, Lenno, Tremezzo, Bellagio, Varenna and more. Fast hydrofoils save time but are less romantic; slower boats are often more fun for kids.

Train
Como San Giovanni links to Milan Centrale; Como Lago station is right beside the lake and useful for Milan Cadorna. If flying into Malpensa, expect a change unless using a car transfer.

Car rental
Not ideal for central Como. Lake roads are narrow, parking is annoying, and ferries/trains do most of the useful work. Rent only if staying in villages without good boat access.

⛪ Old Town, Boats & Easy First-Day Wins

1. Como Cathedral (Duomo di Como) ⭐

Como’s cathedral is the city’s visual anchor: Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque layers wrapped into a grand but very accessible church just steps from the lake. Children who normally resist churches often do better here because the visit is short, the exterior is dramatic, and Piazza Duomo has space to reset afterwards.

• Age suitability: All ages; best as a 20–40 minute stop
• Cost: Usually free; donations welcome
• Location: Piazza Duomo
• Pro tip: Pair it with gelato and a wander through the old town walls rather than making it a formal museum-style visit.

2. Piazza Cavour & Lake Como Ferry Terminal

Piazza Cavour is not a major attraction on paper, but with children it becomes mission control: boats coming and going, benches, cafés, and the lake opening up in front of you. The ferry terminal beside it is where many of your best day trips begin.

• Age suitability: All ages
• Cost: Free to wander; ferries paid separately
• Pro tip: Buy ferry tickets before the exact boat you want in peak season. Queues can become the least fun part of the day.

3. Passeggiata Lino Gelpi Waterfront

This lakeside promenade curves west from the centre past gardens, boats, seaplanes, and grand villas. It is stroller-friendly, flat, and ideal for that late-afternoon family walk when nobody has energy for another ticketed attraction.

• Age suitability: All ages
• Cost: Free
• Pro tip: Walk toward Villa Olmo in the late afternoon, then return for dinner in the old town.

🚡 Big Views Without a Big Hike

4. Como-Brunate Funicular ⭐

The funicular climbs from the lakeside to Brunate in about seven minutes, and for many children the ride is the highlight. At the top you get wide views over Como, the lake basin, and the surrounding mountains. It is a high-reward, low-effort activity — exactly the kind of thing that makes Como work for families.

• Age suitability: All ages; toddlers love the train-like climb
• Cost: Paid ticket; family return is reasonable compared with private tours
• Time needed: 1.5–3 hours depending on walks/snacks
• Honest note: Queues can be long in summer afternoons. Go early or late.
• Pro tip: Brunate itself is small; the point is the view, a drink, and maybe a short walk rather than a full-day mountain expedition.

5. Brunate Viewpoint

From Brunate, the easiest viewpoints already justify the ride. Older children can handle short walks through the village; ambitious families can continue toward the Faro Voltiano lighthouse, but do not underestimate the uphill sections.

• Age suitability: All ages for basic viewpoints; 7+ for longer walks
• Cost: Free after funicular ticket
• Pro tip: Bring water. The top can still feel hot in summer, and snack options are not always where you want them to be.

🏛️ Museums, Science & Rainy-Day Options

6. Tempio Voltiano

Como is the birthplace of Alessandro Volta, and this small neoclassical museum on the waterfront celebrates his experiments with electricity. It is not a giant hands-on science centre, but it gives older children a concrete story: this is where the word “volt” comes from.

• Age suitability: Best for 8+; quick visit for younger children
• Time needed: 30–60 minutes
• Pro tip: Use it as a short rainy-day stop, not the centrepiece of the trip.

7. Museo Archeologico Paolo Giovio

A compact archaeology museum inside Palazzo Giovio with Roman and local history material. It is useful for families with history-curious children, especially if you want something quieter than the lakefront.

• Age suitability: Best for 8+
• Time needed: 45–75 minutes
• Honest note: Not essential for toddlers; keep expectations modest.

8. Porta Torre & the Old City Walls

Porta Torre is Como’s medieval gate tower and an easy free history hit. Children can understand it instantly: this was where the defended city began. The surrounding streets are good for a short old-town loop.

• Age suitability: All ages
• Cost: Free
• Pro tip: Combine Porta Torre with the Basilica di Sant’Abbondio if you want a less touristy walk.

9. Basilica di Sant’Abbondio

A quiet Romanesque basilica just outside the busiest centre. It is not as immediately showy as the Duomo, but the setting is calmer and the twin bell towers are memorable.

• Age suitability: Best for architecture/history families
• Cost: Usually free
• Pro tip: Better for a relaxed morning wander than for a must-do first visit.

🌿 Villas, Gardens & Lake Day Trips

10. Villa Olmo

Villa Olmo is Como’s easiest villa experience: a grand neoclassical lakefront building with gardens and lawns within walking distance of the centre. Even if exhibitions are not child-focused, the parkland and lake views make it worthwhile.

• Age suitability: All ages
• Cost: Gardens usually free; exhibitions vary
• Time needed: 45–90 minutes
• Pro tip: The walk there is half the experience. Take scooters only if your kids are careful around pedestrians.

11. Villa Carlotta ⭐

Across the central lake at Tremezzo, Villa Carlotta combines art, terraces, botanical gardens, lake views, and enough outdoor space to keep children moving. Spring rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular, but the gardens work in most warm months.

• Age suitability: All ages; gardens best for 3+
• Time needed: 2–3 hours plus ferry time
• Honest note: Do not cram this with too many other central-lake stops unless your children are strong walkers.

12. Villa del Balbianello ⭐

One of Lake Como’s most famous villas, set on a wooded promontory near Lenno. Older kids may recognise it from films, but the real draw is the theatrical position: gardens stepping down toward the lake, terraces, and boat arrivals that feel like a movie scene.

• Age suitability: Best for 6+; manageable for younger children with patience
• Time needed: Half day from Como
• Pro tip: Arriving by boat from Lenno is more memorable than treating it as another garden walk.

13. Bellagio Historic Centre

Bellagio is the postcard village at the meeting point of the lake’s branches. With kids, skip any pressure to see everything. Wander the stepped lanes, eat gelato, watch ferries, and use the waterfront as the reward.

• Age suitability: All ages; stairs make buggies awkward
• Time needed: 2–4 hours plus ferry time
• Honest note: Beautiful but busy. It is not a secret, and lunch prices reflect that.

14. Lenno Lido

For warm-weather families, Lenno’s lido offers the simplest formula: lake swimming, loungers, food, and a calmer base near Villa del Balbianello. It can be a lifesaver after too many adult-looking villas.

• Age suitability: All ages with supervision
• Best in: June–September
• Pro tip: Bring water shoes if your children dislike pebbly lake edges.

15. Jungle Raider Park Civenna

A treetop adventure park above Bellagio with rope courses and ziplines. It is not in Como town, but it is a useful option for active children who need climbing after churches, boats, and villas.

• Age suitability: Usually best for 5+; check height rules
• Best in: Warm dry weather
• Honest note: Works best with a car or careful transfer planning.

🍝 Food Experiences & Family Restaurants

Como food is wonderfully easy with children: pizza, pasta, lake fish for adventurous eaters, risotto, focaccia, and gelato everywhere. The main trap is eating directly on the most obvious waterfront terrace when everyone is starving; views are lovely, but value can drop fast. For better meals, look one or two streets back from the lake or book a specific family-friendly spot.

Good family picks include: Mystic Burger for no-drama burgers, Riva Café for lakefront convenience, Osteria del Gallo for classic local cooking, Numeronove for pizza and pasta in the old town, and Gelateria Lariana for the treat that fixes most itinerary mistakes.

What to try:

• Risotto al pesce persico — Lake Como’s classic perch risotto
• Polenta — common in Lombardy; good with cheese or meat sauces
• Pizzoccheri — buckwheat pasta from nearby Valtellina, hearty and cheesy
• Gelato — daily, obviously; this is Italy and nobody should pretend otherwise

💡 Practical Tips for Families

• Base in Como if you value transport. It is not the prettiest village on the lake, but it is the easiest with flights, trains, ferries, and restaurants.
• Book one big thing per day. Ferries plus villas plus swimming plus dinner is enough.
• Check ferry timetables the night before. Lake services vary by season and boat type.
• Carry layers. Boats and Brunate can feel cooler than town, even on sunny days.
• Use Milan intelligently. Como pairs beautifully with a Milan arrival/departure day, but do not drag tired kids through both cities in one overstuffed day.
• Strollers are fine in Como town. Bellagio lanes and villa paths can be tougher; a carrier helps with toddlers.

📋 Quick Reference: Activities at a Glance

✈️ Getting to Como

Best airports: Milan Malpensa (MXP), Milan Linate (LIN), and Bergamo (BGY). Malpensa is usually the easiest international airport for Como; Linate is convenient if fares work; Bergamo often has budget flights but longer transfers.

From Malta, the practical route is usually a direct flight to Milan or Bergamo, then train or transfer to Como. If arriving late with children, a pre-booked transfer can be worth the cost. If arriving in daylight, train travel is perfectly reasonable and avoids lake-road parking stress.