Boat Rental Lake Como

A boat rental on Lake Como means you drive a small motor boat yourself for 1 to 8 hours, and the three rentals I compared cost $109, $111 and $224. All three say no boating licence is required, and fuel is paid separately on the day. Prices are in US dollars, checked in October 2026, and the booking links are affiliate links, as I explain on my about page. For the full range of trips, see my guide to boat tours in Lake Como.

My pick is the Shusciu 40 HP self-drive boat: $109 from, 1 to 4 hours, rated 4.7 from 267 reviews, the best rating of the three. If you want the longest hire window, the Around the Lake rental runs from 1 to 8 hours.

Boat Rental Lake Como Italy

A boat rental in Lake Como, Italy, is a different trip from a tour, because you decide where to go and how long to stay at each swim stop. The three rentals in my data are all small motor boats from the Como end of the lake, so a Lake Como boat rental suits the first basin and the sights near Cernobbio, Laglio and Nesso rather than a long run to Varenna.

The Around the Lake rental is a classic Marinello fisherman speedboat, $111 from, rated 4.6 from 667 reviews, the most reviewed of the three. The listing says an instructor gives an orientation and safety briefing, and the price includes the boat, a life jacket and a bottle of water. Gas is not included: 25 euros per hour, paid on the spot. Duration runs from 1 to 8 hours, and there are two meeting points depending on the option, one on the Lungo Lario Trieste in Como. The listing names Villa d’Este, the Laglio house of George Clooney and the village of Nesso with its waterfall as sights, and says there are several swim stops.

One reviewer rented it for an hour and was told shortly beforehand to pick the boat up in another village, because a classic boat race was on near Como. It worked out, but it shows why I’d read the confirmation message on the day.

Around the lake

Como Lake: boat rental without license and self-driving

• ★ 4.6 (667 reviews)
• 1 - 8 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The longest hire window: from $111, 1 to 8 hours, instructor briefing, 4.6 from 667 reviews; gas is 25 euros an hour.

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$111

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Boat Rental Lake Como Bellagio

People search for a boat rental in Bellagio, and I should say plainly that none of the three rentals in my data starts there. They start in Como and Cernobbio. On my measurement from the place data, the Bellagio Boat Tour office is 21.72 kilometres in a straight line from the SuBacco office on the Como lakefront, so a rental from Como is not a short hop to Bellagio, and a short hire would not get you there and back.

If Bellagio is where you are staying, the practical options in my list are a private boat with a captain, which can pick you up for a fee. The Timonfaya classic private tour lists pickup from Bellagio for an extra 50 euros, and I cover it on the private boat tour page and in the hub. For a rental, plan to start from Como or Cernobbio and keep your route in the first basin.

Lake Como Boat Rental Bellagio

The same applies to the version of this search with the words reversed: the data does not support a rental that leaves from Bellagio, so I will not pretend one exists. What the data does show is how far the sights are from the Como piers. Villa del Balbianello is 19.05 kilometres from the SuBacco office, so a 2 hour hire does not reach the middle of the lake with time to stop.

The closer targets are the ones the listings name. The Shusciu 40 HP listing names the Nesso waterfall, Isola Comacina and Villa del Balbianello as places to reach, depending on how long you hire. Isola Comacina is 2.01 kilometres from Balbianello in a straight line, so those two work as a pair on a longer hire. For a first boat rental on Lake Como, I’d stay near Cernobbio, Torno and Laglio and swim there.

Lake Como Boat Rental No License

All three Lake Como boat rental listings say you do not need a licence, and each one puts a briefing between you and the helm. The Shusciu 40 HP listing includes harbour fees, an explanation of port and Lake Como rules, and a briefing on driving without a licence. The SuBacco listing says the boat needs no licence because of its 40 HP Yamaha engine, and that a briefing of up to 15 minutes lets the operator assess whether you can navigate safely.

That last point matters: the operator can judge your ability. I’d treat the no-licence line as the operator’s claim, and I’d ask which licence or skipper option applies to your group, because the rules for renters can change and I have not checked the national text. A first-time driver should also expect the operator to have the last word on whether you take the boat out.

Shusciu Nautical Division di Ignazio Cardillo

Lake Como: 40 HP Self-Drive Boat Without a License

• ★ 4.7 (267 reviews)
• 1 - 4 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The best-rated rental: from $109, 1 to 4 hours, briefing on driving without a licence, awning and ladder, 4.7 from 267 reviews.

from

$109

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Lake Como Boat Rental Self Drive

The self-drive boat rental choice on Lake Como is really between a small fisherman speedboat, a 40 HP boat with an awning and a motor boat for five. The Shusciu 40 HP boat comes with an awning, a swimming ladder and safety vests for 5 adults and 1 child. You meet at the wooden floating dock in front of Harry’s Bar and Restaurant, near the Darsena di Cernobbio, and the staff guide you through the boarding. Fuel is 25 euros per hour, paid on delivery of the boat.

The SuBacco motor boat is the pricier one: $224 for 2 hours, rated 4.6 from 265 reviews, with a capacity of 5 people. It includes GPS, an awning, a bow sundeck, a swim ladder, insurance and safety equipment, and the listing lists life jackets, a floating ring, paddles, a fire extinguisher and navigation lights. You meet at the public pier at Via Geno 12, by the Villa Geno fountain, and the listing asks you to arrive 10 minutes early because delays cannot be recovered. Fuel is 50 euros in cash on the day, and returning more than 15 minutes late costs a 50 euro penalty.

SuBacco

Lake Como: 2h Motor Boat Rental

• ★ 4.6 (265 reviews)
• 2 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The motor boat for five: $224, 2 hours, GPS and sundeck, 4.6 from 265 reviews; 50 euros fuel in cash on the day.

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$224

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Compared: Boat Rentals on Lake Como

Operator	Price	Duration	Boat type	Rating	Cancellation
Shusciu Nautical Division	from $109	1 to 4 hours	40 HP self-drive boat with awning	4.7 (267 reviews)	Free up to 24 hours
Around the Lake	from $111	1 to 8 hours	Marinello fisherman speedboat	4.6 (667 reviews)	Free up to 24 hours
SuBacco	$224	2 hours	40 HP motor boat, capacity 5	4.6 (265 reviews)	Free up to 24 hours

Rental or Tour on Lake Como?

A boat rental on Lake Como is cheaper per hour than a private boat tour and gives you the wheel, but it gives you no stories and no route knowledge. The Lake Como private boat tours with a captain start at $197 on the hub, and on the private boat tour page I compare the Como-based boats that include a captain and a skipper. If you would rather sit back, a shared boat is $55 to $135 per person.

For a group of four or five who like to swim and take their time, I’d choose a rental and split the cost. For a couple who want the villas explained, I’d choose a tour. Fuel changes the maths: 25 euros per hour on two of the rentals, and 50 euros on the day for the SuBacco boat, so a 4 hour hire adds up. Ask the operator for the total before you pay, and remember the cancellation text says a full refund up to 24 hours before the start, which is the point to check the weather forecast.

Which Boat Rental I’d Book

For a boat rental on Lake Como, I’d book the $109 Shusciu 40 HP boat for most groups, because 267 reviewers rate it 4.7 and it comes with an awning, a swimming ladder and a full briefing. I’d choose the $111 Around the Lake rental when I want more than 4 hours, and the $224 SuBacco motor boat when the Via Geno pier is closer to where I am staying. Before booking, check the meeting point, the fuel price and the capacity. Then compare the full list on the guide to every Lake Como boat trip I compared, or go back to the home page to compare other places.