Boat Tours Lake Como

Boat tours in Lake Como come in four kinds: a shared sightseeing boat, a private boat with a captain, a boat you drive yourself and a day trip from Milan with a boat part. I compared 12 Lake Como boat tours, from $55 to $403, and the cheapest is not the one I’d book first. Prices are in US dollars, checked in October 2026, and the booking links are affiliate links, as I explain on my about page.

My pick for a first Lake Como boat tour is the Urban Emotions premium shared boat tour: $55, 75 minutes to 2 hours, rated 4.6 from 428 reviews, with an audio guide in 10 languages. If you want a smaller boat and a glass of something, the SuBacco 2 hour small-group tour is $135, rated 4.5 from 412 reviews, with a maximum of 8 guests.

Lake Como Boat Trips

Lake Como boat trips fall into two camps: the ones you share with strangers and the ones where the boat is yours. Most Lake Como boat tours leave from Como, at the southern end of the western arm, and spend their time in the lake’s first basin, where the villas line the shore. The one trip in my list that is mostly not a boat trip is also the most reviewed: the Z V SRL day trip from Milan has 1,177 reviews and a 4.3 rating.

I want to be clear about what that one is, because it is the odd one among the Lake Como boat tours. It is a coach day trip from Milan, 12 hours, $111, with round-trip transport, a certified guide, a guided walk in Como, a 1-hour private boat cruise, and a public ferry ride, with visits to Bellagio and Varenna. The boat is one part of the day, not the whole of it. It is the one listing that reaches all three towns in a single day, but one reviewer found it rushed for a big family and called it perfect for couples. Meals and tips are not included, and it runs in English and Spanish.

The second trip in this section is a real boat tour. The SuBacco exclusive private boat tour is $224, 1 to 4 hours, rated 4.4 from 105 reviews, leaving from the Villa Geno pier in Como. Fuel is a mandatory cash payment to the captain, 50 euros for the 1-hour tour and 100 euros for the 2, 3 and 4 hour tours. Maximum 8 guests per boat, with the base price covering up to 6. It includes wine, bottled water and a Bluetooth sound system, and the itinerary lists Villa d’Este, Villa Oleandra, Villa Pliniana and the Mandarin Oriental.

Z V SRL

Lake Como, Bellagio, Varenna & private boat tour

• ★ 4.3 (1,177 reviews)
• 12-hour ticket
• Free cancellation

My pick: A coach day trip from Milan with a 1-hour private boat part: $111, 12 hours, Como, Bellagio and Varenna, 4.3 from 1,177 reviews.

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SuBacco

Lake Como: Exclusive Private Boat Tour with Prosecco

• ★ 4.4 (105 reviews)
• 1 - 4 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: A flexible private boat from Como: $224, 1 to 4 hours, wine and water on board, 4.4 from 105 reviews; fuel is cash on top.

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Lake Como Boat Cruises

Of all the Lake Como boat cruises in my list, the one that gives you the most freedom is a cruise you steer yourself. The Around the Lake rental is $111 from, rated 4.6 from 667 reviews, on a classic Marinello fisherman speedboat. The listing says no boating licence is required, because an instructor gives an orientation and safety briefing first. You get a life jacket and a bottle of water, and you pay for gas on the spot, 25 euros per hour.

The listing sells it as a private route past Villa d’Este and the Laglio house of George Clooney, with a swim stop and the village of Nesso and its waterfall. Duration runs from 1 to 8 hours, with two meeting points depending on the option you select, one of them on the Lungo Lario Trieste in Como. I haven’t checked the national rules for renters, so I’d ask the operator which licence or skipper option applies to your group; my Lake Como boat rental page compares all three rentals.

Around the lake

Como Lake: boat rental without license and self-driving

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

My pick: Drive it yourself: from $111 for 1 hour or more, no licence per the listing, instructor briefing, 4.6 from 667 reviews.

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Boat Tours in Lake Como

If I wanted a good-looking boat and a short, shared hour on a Lake Como boat tour, I’d look at the classic wooden boat with The View Lake Como. It is $71, 1 to 4 hours, rated 4.6 from 536 reviews, and it takes only 8 guests. The price includes a glass of Prosecco and the tour past the best villas, and the captain’s tip is optional. You meet at the pier and look for Marisa, according to the listing; the stop list names the Pontile Villa Margherita pier, Villa d’Este, Villa Fontanelle, Villa Oleandra, Orrido di Nesso and Villa del Balbianello.

Read the small print before you pick the length. The listing says the itinerary corresponds to the 4-hour option and that the 1-hour shared tour does not include stops in Bellagio or Varenna. So for boat tours in Lake Como that reach the middle of the lake, you pay for the longer version. A Prosecco-and-villas hour from Como is the cheaper use of this boat.

The View Lake Como

Lake Como: Classic Wooden Boat Cruise Tour

• ★ 4.6 (536 reviews)
• 1 - 4 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: A classic wooden boat for 8 guests: $71, 1 to 4 hours, Prosecco included, 4.6 from 536 reviews. Only the 4-hour option reaches Bellagio.

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Lake Como Boat Tour from Bellagio

People who stay in Bellagio search for a boat tour in Lake Como from there, and the honest answer in my data is that the tour I have does not start there. The Timonfaya Travel classic private boat tour starts at a launching point in Tremezzo, on the western shore, and runs past Villa del Balbianello, Isola Comacina, Bellagio and Villa Carlotta. Pickup from Bellagio is available as an extra: 50 euros from Bellagio, 60 euros from Varenna and 50 euros from Menaggio, according to the listing.

It costs $403 for the whole boat, 1 to 2 hours, rated 4.6 from 401 reviews, for a maximum of 7 people, and the price includes fuel and insurance. That is the most expensive of the 12 trips, and it is the one I would book for a group of five to seven, because $403 split seven ways is about $58 each. On my measurement from the place data, Villa Carlotta is 1.62 kilometres in a straight line from the Bellagio Boat Tour office, and Villa del Balbianello is 3.16 kilometres from Villa Carlotta. The listing says the longer cruises include a swim stop at Comacina and Bellagio.

Timonfaya Travel Lanzarote

Lake Como: Classic Boat Private Tour

• ★ 4.6 (401 reviews)
• 1 - 2 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: A private speedboat for up to 7: $403, 1 to 2 hours, Balbianello, Comacina, Bellagio and Carlotta, fuel included, 4.6 from 401 reviews.

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Lake Como Boat Tour Price

A Lake Como boat tour costs $55 to $135 per person on the shared boats and $197 to $403 for a whole private boat, and fuel is where the price gets confusing. The Urban Emotions premium shared boat tour is the lowest price in my list at $55 for 75 minutes to 2 hours, rated 4.6 from 428 reviews. The listing says the 75 minutes are 60 minutes on the water and 15 minutes boarding and getting off, and that prices vary with passengers, start time and day.

It includes an English-speaking captain and hostess, an audio guide in 10 languages and a Venetian wooden taxi boat, according to the listing. The tour runs once at least five people have booked, so a quiet date may not go. The villa entrances are not included, and there is no bathroom on board. Past Villa Olmo and Villa Erba, the stop list runs through Cernobbio, Villa d’Este, Villa Pizzo and Villa Fontanelle to Torno and the Mandarin Oriental.

Urban Emotions

Lake Como: Premium Shared Boat Tour

• ★ 4.6 (428 reviews)
• 75 minutes - 2 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The lowest price in my list: $55, 75 minutes to 2 hours, audio guide in 10 languages, 4.6 from 428 reviews; runs from 5 guests.

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Is a Lake Como Boat Tour Worth It?

I think a boat tour in Lake Como is worth it for one reason: the villas that make the lake famous are mostly private and face the water, so the lake is where you see them. The SuBacco 2 hour small-group tour is the one I’d point a sceptical reader to. It is $135 for 2 to 3 hours, rated 4.5 from 412 reviews, with a maximum of 8 guests and bottled wine and water included, which makes this boat tour in Lake Como the best small-group value I found.

With the 2 hour option, the cruise continues to the Nesso waterfall and the historic Civera bridge. The fuel contribution is 20 euros per person, paid in cash to the captain, and departure is guaranteed with a minimum of 4 guests. If only 2 guests book, the listing says the tour is upgraded to a 1-hour private tour. A reviewer called the Prosecco and swim stop an added bonus. The cost is higher than the $55 shared boat, so I’d pay it for the smaller group rather than for the route, which is mostly the same first basin.

SuBacco

Lake Como: 2h Small-Group Boat Tour with Prosecco & Villas

• ★ 4.5 (412 reviews)
• 2 - 3 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The small-group version: $135, 2 to 3 hours, max 8 guests, wine and a summer swim stop, 4.5 from 412 reviews.

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Lake Como Boat Tour 1 Hour

A one-hour Lake Como boat tour covers the first basin from Como: the lakefront, Cernobbio, Villa d’Este and a couple of villages. The Shusciu Nautical Division private classic vintage boat is the one I’d choose for a short hour in any weather. It is $197 for 1 to 4 hours, rated 4.6 from 308 reviews, and the listing describes a sun and rain cover, an umbrella for shade and lights for sunset navigation. The boat was refitted in June 2026, according to the listing.

You meet your captain at the end of the floating wooden pier, the Villa Margherita pier in Como. The price includes the captain, soft drinks and bottled water, and hotel pickup and drop-off near Como on request. Fuel is not included: 50 euros per hour, paid to the captain on board. The stop list for the 1-hour version is short, with Blevio, Torno, Moltrasio, Laglio and Cernobbio, so if you want Bellagio on a private boat, look at the longer options in this guide.

Shusciu Nautical Division di Ignazio Cardillo

Lake Como: Private Tour - Classic Vintage Boat with coverage

• ★ 4.6 (308 reviews)
• 1 - 4 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: A covered classic boat for an hour: $197, 1 to 4 hours, soft drinks included, 4.6 from 308 reviews; fuel is 50 euros an hour extra.

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Lake Como Cruise Tickets

Tickets for a boat tour in Lake Como are sold as time slots, and the most useful thing to know is that two kinds of ticket look alike. A tour ticket gets you a captain; a rental ticket gets you a boat. The Shusciu 40 HP self-drive boat is the second kind: $109 from, rated 4.7 from 267 reviews, the best rating among the three rentals.

The listing includes harbour fees, an explanation of port and Lake Como rules, a briefing on driving without a licence, an awning, a swimming ladder and safety vests for 5 adults and 1 child. Fuel is 25 euros per hour, paid on delivery of the boat. You pick the boat up at the wooden floating dock in front of Harry’s Bar and Restaurant, near the Darsena di Cernobbio, which is 2.83 kilometres in a straight line from the SuBacco office on the Como lakefront by my measurement. The listing lists the Nesso waterfall, Isola Comacina and Villa del Balbianello as places to reach, depending on how long you hire. Ask the operator which rules apply to your group.

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: A self-drive 40 HP boat from Cernobbio: $109 from, 1 to 4 hours, briefing and awning included, 4.7 from 267 reviews.

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Boat Tour Lake Como Italy

Boat tours in Lake Como, Italy, are shaped by the lake itself: a long, narrow Y of water in Lombardy with Como at the bottom of one arm, and Bellagio on the point where the arms meet. Public ferries also cross the lake, and the Navigazione Laghi ferry service is the official operator to check if you want a plain crossing instead of a tour. My comparison stays with the boats you book as a tour or rental.

The SuBacco 2 hour motor boat rental is the one I’d take if you want to decide where to stop yourself. It is $224 for 2 hours, rated 4.6 from 265 reviews, with a capacity of 5 people, and the listing says the boat does not require a licence because of its 40 HP Yamaha engine. A short briefing of up to 15 minutes comes first, and the operator checks you can drive safely. Fuel is 50 euros in cash on the day, and arriving late costs 50 euros for each delay over 15 minutes. You meet at the public pier at Via Geno 12, a short walk along the lakefront from the Como Lago station.

SuBacco

Lake Como: 2h Motor Boat Rental

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

My pick: A captain-less boat for up to 5: $224, 2 hours, 40 HP, briefing and GPS included, 4.6 from 265 reviews.

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Boat Ride in Lake Como

For a special boat ride in Lake Como, the Lake Como boat tour with a story is the Around the Lake luxury private wooden boat tour. It is $202 for 1 to 8 hours, rated 4.7 from 209 reviews, aboard the MAS 28, which the listing describes as a legendary motorboat. The boat takes up to 5 people and the price includes a bottle of Prosecco, water, music, a sound system, shade tendons and a refrigerator with refreshments. Fuel is 50 euros per hour.

You meet your captain at the Sant’Agostino floating pier on the Lungo Lario Trieste in Como, in front of Bar Lario, where the listing says staff will find you. The stop list runs from Como past Villa Cagni Troubetzkoy, Torno, the Mandarin Oriental, Villa Pliniana, Laglio, Villa d’Este, Cernobbio, Villa Erba and Villa Olmo. A reviewer called their hour outstanding, but I’d read the listing about how long you really need. The route you choose changes how many of those you reach.

Around the lake

Lake Como:Luxury Private Wooden Boat Tour

• ★ 4.7 (209 reviews)
• 1 - 8 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: A classic motorboat for up to 5: $202, 1 to 8 hours, Prosecco and music included, 4.7 from 209 reviews; fuel is extra.

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Boat Tour Lake Como Varenna

Varenna sits on the eastern shore, far from Como, and most Lake Como boat tours never get there; a boat tour in Lake Como that reaches it is the exception. On my measurement from the place data, the Villa Monastero garden in Varenna is 4.93 kilometres in a straight line from the Bellagio Boat Tour office, and the two towns are across the water from each other. Only two trips in my list reach Varenna: the Z V SRL day trip above, which includes a public ferry ride, and the 4-hour option of The View classic wooden boat.

The trip in this section stays in the first basin and is the best-rated of the 12 by a margin: the Viemme private boat tour with Prosecco. It is $202 for 1 to 4 hours, rated 4.9 from 152 reviews, for a maximum of 7 people. It includes the skipper, music and Prosecco or soft drinks, and fuel is 50 euros per hour on top. You meet in front of Bar Lario, next to the pier where tourists board. The route is Villa Geno, Villa Cagni Troubetzkoy, Blevio, Torno, Moltrasio, Villa Fontanelle, Villa d’Este, Cernobbio, Villa Pizzo and Villa Olmo, so it is not a Varenna trip. If Varenna is what you want, plan it as a day out; the private boat tour page lists the Como-based private boats.

Viemme Service s.a.s.

Lake Como: Private Boat Tour with Prosecco

• ★ 4.9 (152 reviews)
• 1 - 4 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The best-rated boat here, but it stays near Como: $202, 1 to 4 hours, up to 7 guests, Prosecco, 4.9 from 152 reviews.

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What You See on a Lake Como Boat Tour

On a Lake Como boat tour you see a shoreline of villas, small harbours and mountains that drop to the water. The stop lists in the listings name Villa Olmo, Villa Erba, Villa d’Este, Villa Pizzo, Villa Fontanelle, Villa Oleandra, Villa Pliniana and the Mandarin Oriental in the first basin, and Villa del Balbianello, Isola Comacina and Villa Carlotta farther north. Which ones you pass depends on the length: the 1-hour boats stay near Como, and the 4-hour boats reach the middle of the lake.

The sights are farther apart than people expect. Straight-line distances from the place data: Villa del Balbianello is 3.16 kilometres from Villa Carlotta, Isola Comacina is 2.01 kilometres from Balbianello, and Punta Spartivento in Bellagio is 1.56 kilometres from the Villa Melzi gardens. From the SuBacco office on the Como lakefront, Villa del Balbianello is 19.05 kilometres away and the Bellagio Boat Tour office 21.72, which is why a 1-hour Lake Como boat tour never gets there. Villa del Balbianello is run by the FAI heritage trust, which publishes its opening dates, and the listings say villa entrances are not included in any tour.

Where the Boats Leave From

Most boat tours in Lake Como leave from the Como lakefront, and several operators have offices within a few hundred metres of each other. SuBacco’s office is 0.42 kilometres from Como Cathedral, the Porta Torre gate is 0.57 kilometres from the cathedral, and the Villa Geno and Villa Margherita piers are along the same Lungo Lario Trieste. The meeting point depends on the option you pick on several listings, so check the confirmation. The cards below show the places that matter for a boat tour in Lake Como: the cathedral area where you start, and the villas, gardens and viewpoints you see from the water.

Which Lake Como Boat Trip Type Fits You

Pick the trip type first and the boat second when you plan a boat tour in Lake Como, because the type sets the price, the length and who is on board. This table is built from the 12 listings in my data. Boat rental and private boat tours have their own pages, where I compare the boats side by side.

Trip type	Price from	Typical duration	Best for
Shared boat tour	$55	75 minutes to 4 hours	First-timers who want villas and a guide on a budget
Private boat tour	$111 for the Milan day trip, $202 for boat-only	1 to 4 hours, 12 hours for the Milan day trip	Couples and groups of up to 7 who want the boat to themselves
Boat rental	$109	1 to 8 hours	Steering a motor boat yourself, with fuel paid on the day

How I’d Choose a Lake Como Boat Tour

My short answer for a first boat tour in Lake Como is the $55 Urban Emotions shared boat, because 428 reviewers rate it 4.6 and it covers the villas of the first basin with an audio guide. Here is how I’d decide, in order:

• Lowest price: the $55 Urban Emotions shared tour, which runs once five guests have booked.
• Small group with Prosecco: the $71 The View classic wooden boat for 8 guests, or the $135 SuBacco 2 hour tour with wine.
• Highest rating: the $202 Viemme private boat tour, 4.9 from 152 reviews, up to 7 guests.
• Private and covered: the $197 Shusciu classic vintage boat.
• Reach Bellagio by private boat: the $403 Timonfaya classic boat for up to 7 people, fuel included.
• Steering yourself: the $109 Shusciu 40 HP boat, the $111 Around the Lake rental or the $224 SuBacco motor boat.
• From Milan without a car: the $111 Z V SRL day trip, which is a coach day with a boat part.

Before I booked any Lake Como boat tour, I’d check three things: the meeting point, which differs by operator and sometimes by option, whether fuel is in the price, because the cash payment runs from 20 euros per person to 100 euros per boat, and the cancellation text, which is free up to 24 hours for all 12 trips. Browse the Lake Como boat tours above, pick one and use the booking links to see current availability for your dates.