Classic Group Tour, 1 hour
A one-hour shared cruise through the central lake, passing more than twenty villas without getting off. The captain gives commentary, and guests may leave early in Bellagio. A good first look at the lake.
Varenna · Experiences & tours
Taxi Boat Varenna
Shared and private boat cruises from Varenna, with a licensed captain who knows the lake and its villas well.
Photo © Taxi Boat Varenna
- WhereContrada del Porto 1Old town harbour, Varenna
- Experiences & toursBoat tours and water taxiShared and private cruises, transfers
- Opening hoursOpen 06:00–00:00
- Contact+39 349 2290953Official website ↗
Why go
About Taxi Boat Varenna
Taxi Boat Varenna runs boat cruises and water taxi transfers on Lake Como from the village of Varenna, on the eastern shore. Guests can join a shared tour by the hour or reserve a whole boat for family, friends or a special occasion, with the captain explaining the sights along the way. Larger groups can use a limo boat.
Departures are from a private pier in Riva Grande, the bay in front of Bar Il Molo, where staff in branded shirts meet guests; a second dock sits on the public floating pier. The company says it has worked on the lake for more than fifteen years and stays open all year round.
Main services
What Taxi Boat Varenna offers
Services from the official website.
Central lake and Villa del Balbianello, 2.5 hours
A shared tour that includes a visit to Villa del Balbianello. It runs from March to November, every day except Monday and Wednesday, when the villa is closed, leaving from Varenna.
Private Tour
A boat reserved only for your group, with a captain and the lake seen from the water. Pick-ups from other lake towns can be arranged for an extra charge, depending on distance.
Sunset Tour
An exclusive evening cruise on calm water, watching the mountains reflected in the lake as the sky changes colour. A quiet option for couples or anyone who enjoys the lake at day's end.
Water taxi transfer
A quick way across the lake or out to dinner and back, with evening transfers if booked in advance. Tailored services for weddings and events are arranged by email with the team.
Photo © Taxi Boat Varenna
Services and facilities
Good to know at Taxi Boat Varenna
- Open all year
- English-speaking captain
- Card payments
- Dogs allowed on private tours
- USB charging on board
- Safety equipment for adults and children
Gallery
Inside Taxi Boat Varenna
Photo © Taxi Boat Varenna
Photo © Taxi Boat Varenna
Photo © Taxi Boat Varenna
Photo © Taxi Boat Varenna
Photo © Taxi Boat Varenna
Photo © Taxi Boat Varenna
Practical information
Taxi Boat Varenna: address, opening hours and contacts
Address
Contrada del Porto 1, 23829 Varenna LC
Phone+39 349 2290953
Opening hours
Hours from the official website:
| Day | Open |
|---|---|
| Monday | 06:00–00:00 |
| Tuesday | 06:00–00:00 |
| Wednesday | 06:00–00:00 |
| Thursday | 06:00–00:00 |
| Friday | 06:00–00:00 |
| Saturday | 06:00–00:00 |
| Sunday | 06:00–00:00 |
Location
- Contacts
- Contact the business directly by phone, WhatsApp, email or its website. Holiplanet does not take bookings or payments for it.
Getting there
How to get to Taxi Boat Varenna
From Como centre (Piazza Cavour)
About 27 km in a straight line: by car, bus or ferry.
From Bellagio
About 3.3 km in a straight line: by car, bus or ferry.
From Varenna
On foot: 40 m, about 1 min walk.
Straight-line distances from OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors); road distances are longer and walking times are approximate.
Around the area
Near Taxi Boat Varenna: sights, restaurants and hotels
City Guide · Things to do
Sights near Taxi Boat Varenna
Lake Como villas, villages and viewpoints with their own Holiplanet page, nearest first.
290 m away
Varenna
Painted fishing-village houses on Lake Como's eastern shore
3.9 km away
Menaggio
A lakefront village and ferry hub with trails behind it
4.1 km away
Bellagio
The pearl of Lario, where Lake Como's branches meet
4.9 km away
Villa Carlotta
A lakeside museum and botanical garden in Tremezzo
8.1 km away
Villa del Balbianello
A loggia on a wooded promontory, reached on foot or by boat
26.3 km away
Funicolare Como-Brunate and Brunate
Seven minutes from the lake to the balcony of the Alps
27 km away
Duomo di Como (Como Cathedral)
A marble façade and Juvarra's dome, minutes from the lake
27 km away
Piazza Cavour and the Como Lakefront
Como's lakeside living room and the walk to Villa Olmo
27.4 km away
Como Old Town Walls (Città Murata, Porta Torre and Broletto)
Roman grid, medieval walls and Porta Torre in 1.5 hours
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All things to do
On the Lake Como map
City Guide · Where to eat
Restaurants near Taxi Boat Varenna
Lake Como restaurants with their own Holiplanet page, nearest first.
60 m away
Varenna
La Scarpetta
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.
1.4 km away
Varenna
Hosteria del Platano
A village osteria above the eastern shore of Lake Como, serving slow, homemade cooking and the lake view from its terrace.
5.9 km away
Lierna
Sottovento Lago di Como
A lakefront restaurant in Lierna with a big terrace facing Bellagio, relaxed service and simple, modern cooking built on local ingredients.
6.4 km away
Bellagio
Trattoria Baita Belvedere
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.
9.7 km away
Bellagio
Polentoteca Chalet Gabriele
A stone-and-wood chalet at 1,012 metres, serving polenta with a view over Lake Como and the Alps.
24.9 km away
Brunate
La Polenteria
A mountain restaurant above Lake Como where polenta is stirred in a copper pot and served steaming at the table.
27 km away
Como
Crotto del Sergente
A Como restaurant serving the traditional dishes of its own land, with a large wine cellar and two welcoming dining rooms.
27.3 km away
Como
Ristorante Canottieri Lario
A first-floor restaurant with a panoramic terrace right on Lake Como, serving revisited Mediterranean cooking with Lariana traditions.
27.5 km away
Como
Terrazza 241
A rooftop restaurant and lounge bar at Hilton Lake Como, open all year with a glass-walled greenhouse and views over the lake.
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All restaurants
On the Lake Como map
City Guide · Where to stay
Hotels near Taxi Boat Varenna
Hotels, resorts and villas with their own Holiplanet page, nearest first.
500 m away
Vezio
Hotel Il Portichetto
A scattered hotel in the hill village of Vezio above Varenna
3 km away
Bellagio
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni
A neoclassical lakeside villa in Bellagio with gardens
5.4 km away
Above Bellagio, on the Ghisallo climb
Hotel Il Perlo
A family-run hotel on the hillside above Bellagio
7.7 km away
Bay of Venus (Golfo di Venere)
Albergo Lenno
A family-run lakefront hotel on the Bay of Venus in Lenno
10.5 km away
Bagnana, Lezzeno
Filario Hotel & Residences
A modern lakefront hotel in Lezzeno with 13 rooms
24.3 km away
Como
Villa d'Este
A historic lakeside grand hotel in Cernobbio, with 151 rooms
24.8 km away
Como
Hotel Asnigo Cernobbio
A 30-room hotel in Cernobbio with a lake-view terrace
25.8 km away
Brunate
Bellavista Boutique Hotel Brunate
A small Art Nouveau hotel and family-run restaurant beside the Brunate funicular
26.2 km away
Via Cernobbio
Hotel Villa Flori
A 19th-century villa in its own park above Lake Como
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All hotels
On the Lake Como map
City Guide · Experiences
Tours and experiences
Boat tours, seaplane flights, cooking classes and wine tastings with their own Holiplanet page.
80 m away
Varenna
Lake Como Boat
Self-drive motorboats and private classic-boat cruises from Varenna, past the villas of central Lake Como.
230 m away
Varenna
Fauno Sailing
Small-group and private sailing trips on Lake Como, led by a local skipper, with an Italian aperitivo and Prosecco served on board.
3.3 km away
Bellagio
Enoteca Cava Turacciolo
A restored 18th-century stone cellar in Bellagio where sommeliers guide you through local and Italian wines with cured meats and lake fish.
5 km away
Bellagio
Bellagio Boat Tour
Private boat tours on Lake Como with a professional captain, leaving from Bellagio and tailored to your pace.
14 km away
Argegno
B&S Boat Service
Private boat tours on Lake Como with a local captain, from a base in Argegno, with itineraries shaped around your group.
21.9 km away
Moltrasio
Como On Boat
Private boat tours on Lake Como, from one to four hours, starting in Como or Cernobbio and passing the lake's best-known villas and villages.
26.9 km away
Como
Lake Como Experiences & Boat Tours
Private boat tours on Lake Como with an English-speaking captain, from a two-hour cruise to a full day on the water.
27.4 km away
Como
Aero Club Como (seaplane flights)
Take off from the water of Lake Como with an instructor and see the lake from the cockpit of a seaplane.
27.4 km away
Como
PastaClass.it Como Cooking Class
Small-group fresh pasta classes and cooking demos in Beatrice's home, a few steps from Como Cathedral, ending with a shared meal.
→
All experiences
On the Lake Como map
City Guide · Beyond the lake
Day trips from Lake Como
Milan, Bergamo and the lake villages by train or ferry.
City Guide · about 40 min by train
Milan
The Duomo, the Last Supper, Brera and the Navigli
City Guide
Bergamo
The walled Città Alta, its funicular and the Venetian walls
By ferry
Bellagio
The pearl of Lario, where Lake Como's branches meet
By ferry
Varenna
Painted fishing-village houses on Lake Como's eastern shore
By ferry or on foot from Lenno
Villa del Balbianello
A loggia on a wooded promontory, reached on foot or by boat
→
All day trips
Lake Como City Guide
Holiplanet Journal
Latest from the Journal
Stories and practical guides about Lake Como and Milan.
Holiplanet Journal
Varenna, Italy: What to See on Lake Como and How to Plan Your Visit
Holiplanet Journal
Milan to Lake Como: How to Do a Day Trip by Train and Ferry
Holiplanet Journal
The Story of Como, Told Through Silk
Holiplanet Journal
Milan in a Weekend: Leonardo’s Masterpieces, Hidden Courtyards and Where to Eat
→
All stories
Holiplanet Journal
Straight-line distances from OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Questions
Taxi Boat Varenna: frequently asked questions
Do the tours depart only from Varenna?
Shared group tours leave only from Varenna, with a free option to get off in Bellagio. Private tours can start from other towns with a suitable pier; online you can book Bellagio or Menaggio for an extra 100 euros.
How many people fit on the boat?
The Venetian water taxis are limited to 12 passengers for comfort. A larger limo boat takes up to 30. On a private tour the boat is yours alone.
Is the price per boat or per person?
Shared group tour prices are per person, with reduced rates for children under 12. For private services the starting price is for the boat, for one to five people, with a supplement for each extra guest.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Light rain is fine, as the boat roof is closed. In heavy rain, storms or rough water the captain decides whether to go, and a cancellation by the company is fully refunded.
Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are welcome on private tours, staying on the floor rather than the seats. They are not allowed on shared group tours.
How do I get to the departure point?
Varenna station is about five minutes on foot, and the ferry landing is under a minute away. By car, the company advises arriving at least two hours early in summer because parking is hard to find.