A quiet lakefront and the usual landing for Balbianello
Photo: Krisztián Korhetz
Why go
Lenno rewards a slow hour. Italia.it describes a lakefront lined with attractive villas, with a view from Punta del Balbianello to Bellagio, which suits a relaxed stroll or a break at the lakeside cafés. The walk starts at the dosso del Lavedo and follows the Golfo di Venere to the Navigazione pier, where the paved section ends and a small bridge leads to a secluded beach.
The village also has a quiet historical core: the church of Santo Stefano, which dates to the 11th century, and its octagonal baptistery, a short distance away in a small square near the lake. Most visitors come to continue to Villa del Balbianello, but the lakefront and the squares are worth the time on their own, and the pier makes it easy to leave by boat.
Gallery
Photo: Krisztián Korhetz
Photo: Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ben Bender · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Kaitu · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ray in Manila · CC BY 2.0
Highlights
The lungolago runs along the Golfo di Venere, with villas on one side and the lake on the other, and gives a view from Punta del Balbianello to Bellagio. Cafés line parts of it. The paved section ends at the Navigazione pier, where a small bridge leads to a secluded beach.
In Piazza XI Febbraio, the parish church of Santo Stefano stands on a site of older religious tradition, and its crypt dates to the end of the 11th century. The octagonal baptistery of St John the Evangelist dates to the second half of the 11th century, a simple example of local Romanesque style with blind arches.
The lido is where the lakefront meets the water, and it is where the taxi boats to Villa del Balbianello leave from. FAI says these boats are paid, not run by FAI, and available only by reservation, subject to availability. The pedestrian access to the villa starts from the lido.
The villa stands on the Lavedo promontory, built in the late 1700s for Cardinal Angelo Durini. FAI describes the walk from Lenno as about 1 km uphill, partly on gravel, about 25 minutes; it is not suitable for strollers or for people with walking difficulties. Cars cannot reach the villa. See the Balbianello page for tickets.
Practical information
The village, lakefront and squares are open all year. The lido, the taxi boats and Villa del Balbianello keep their own seasons and hours. FAI's page lists Balbianello as open daily in November 2026, 10:00-17:00, with booking mandatory, and on selected days in December and January.
Free: the lakefront and squares are public. Villa del Balbianello charges its own admission and requires booking; see its page. The taxi boats from the Lido di Lenno are paid and reserved separately.
Information correct as of November 2026. Hours and fees can change: check on the day before you go.
Getting there
By ASF bus line C110 Como-Menaggio-Colico, about 50 minutes to Lenno, or by lake boat on the Como-Colico line, which calls at Lenno (check the Navigazione Laghi timetable for the journey time).
Trenord train from Milano Centrale to Como San Giovanni, about 40 minutes, then the C110 bus or the lake boat to Lenno. Or train to Varenna-Esino, about an hour, and then the boat across the lake.
Navigazione Laghi (navigazionelaghi.it): boats on the Como-Colico line call at Lenno, and boats dock at Villa Carlotta and Tremezzo. The winter timetable is valid from 2 November 2026 to 14 March 2027. A regular taxi boat runs to Villa del Balbianello from near the Lido di Lenno (paid, reserved).
ASF Autolinee line C110 Como-Menaggio-Colico (the old C10, renumbered on 9 June 2025), about 50 minutes from Como to Lenno.
FAI says cars cannot reach Villa del Balbianello. Park at the Parcheggio Mercato in Via Comoedia (formerly Via degli Artigiani) in Lenno, then walk or take a boat.
Insider tips
FAI requires booking for the villa and the park, and its November 2026 listing is daily 10:00-17:00. Book the villa before you plan the walk or the taxi boat, and arrive in Lenno in good time.
The walk to Villa del Balbianello is about 1 km uphill, partly on gravel, about 25 minutes. FAI recommends sturdy shoes and says it is unsuitable for strollers or people with walking difficulties.
Taxi boats leave from the Lido di Lenno, are paid, not run by FAI, and are available only by reservation, subject to availability. Other private taxi boats are also allowed, arranged independently.
Cars cannot go to the villa, so park at the Parcheggio Mercato in Via Comoedia in Lenno and walk or take a boat. Check parking rules on the day. FAI also says there is no luggage storage at the villa.
Nearby
From the Lake Como City Guide, each with its own Holiplanet page. Straight-line distances.
Restaurant · 4.9 km
A family-run trattoria in the woods above Bellagio, with a terrace view over the lake and the Prealps and a menu rooted in Lombard tradition.
Discover more →Restaurant · 6.1 km
A stone-and-wood chalet at 1,012 metres, serving polenta with a view over Lake Como and the Alps.
Discover more →Restaurant · 7.8 km
A small family-run pasta place in Varenna where a short menu of fresh handmade pasta is made daily, with sauces meant for the bread.
Discover more →Restaurant · 7.9 km
A village osteria above the eastern shore of Lake Como, serving slow, homemade cooking and the lake view from its terrace.
Discover more →Hotel · 0.2 km
A family-run lakefront hotel on the Bay of Venus in Lenno
View hotel →Hotel · 3.3 km
A modern lakefront hotel in Lezzeno with 13 rooms
View hotel →Hotel · 4.4 km
A family-run hotel on the hillside above Bellagio
View hotel →Hotel · 5.2 km
A neoclassical lakeside villa in Bellagio with gardens
View hotel →All hotels on the Lake Como map → All things to do on the map →
Questions
On foot, about 1 km uphill, partly on gravel, about 25 minutes, or by a paid taxi boat from the Lido di Lenno, which must be reserved. Cars cannot reach the villa. FAI requires booking for the villa and the park.
By ASF bus line C110 Como-Menaggio-Colico, about 50 minutes, or by lake boat on the Como-Colico line, which calls at Lenno. Check Navigazione Laghi for boat times, which change by season. Trains on the Milan line run to Como Lago, where the bus and boats start.
FAI says cars cannot reach the villa and suggests the Parcheggio Mercato in Via Comoedia (formerly Via degli Artigiani) in Lenno, from where you walk or take a boat. Taxi boats are the alternative: they leave from the Lido di Lenno by reservation and are paid, not run by FAI.
The lakefront along the Golfo di Venere, the church of Santo Stefano with its 11th-century crypt, and the octagonal Romanesque baptistery of St John the Evangelist in Piazza XI Febbraio. The lakefront walk from the Dosso del Lavedo along the Golfo di Venere ends at the Navigazione pier, where a small bridge leads to a quiet beach.
Yes. Since 25 May 2014 Lenno, Mezzegra, Ossuccio and Tremezzo have formed the single municipality of Tremezzina, in the province of Como. The merger followed a referendum on 1 December 2013, in which 63 percent voted yes, and the municipality also includes Isola Comacina.
