Windsurf, sail, and do even more. The outdoor guide to Lake Como in Italy

Lake Como in Italy is one of the main places for wind and water sports in this country: windsurfing, yachting, and even more.

If you go to Italy to do one of these sports, you don’t need to look elsewhere. In my opinion, Lake Como is one big outdoor spot that has almost every sport both in summer, and winter.

In this guide, you will learn about the five main outdoor activities on the lake — windsurfing and kitesurfing, sailing, hiking, skiing, and paragliding — as well as when it’s best to go here, how to get there faster and easier, and where to live while doing your favorite sports.

Ivan Kuznetsov, an outdoor writer from the Dolomites, Italy, and Karelia, Finland

What is Lake Como?

— If you have already been to the lake or going to, but have had time to read a couple of other articles about it, skip this part — it is for those who do not know anything about the lake yet. Anyway, very briefly...

Lake Como is one of Italy’s three major lakes on par with Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. They are all within a few hours drive or a train ride from each other in the region of Lombardy with the capital city of Milan in the Northwest Italy, from where the lakes are also not far away.

Como is the third largest, but the deepest of the three lakes, up to 400 meters. It also has a very unusual shape in the form of an inverted "Y" letter or human feet in motion. The other two lakes are also not very wide but very long and surrounded by mountains up to about 2,000 meter that rise right off the shoreline. There are no large coastal towns or long sandy beaches on Lake Como, it is not Tarifa.

All three lakes are of glacial origin, that is, they were formed by a melting glacier that once covered all of Northern Europe. That’s why they have such an unusual shape. By the way, many other lakes in the world were formed in a similar way — for example, the Great Lakes in the United States near Chicago.

Lake Como is one of the centers of tourism in the region of Lombardy and in Italy in general. At the same time, it is also a center for outdoor activities. Let’s talk about it further...

Nirmal Rajendharkumar / Unsplash

What kinds of sports can be practiced on Lake Como?

In total, on Lake Como, you can do a dozen of different sports and activities, the main ones being wind and water-related — windsurfing and kitesurfing, and yachting. The lake always has a breeze and other types of winds and is big and deep enough.

That said, given the size of the lake, there are plenty of spots on the lake in each sport, well, or marked trails if we're talking about hiking and trekking. Below I will tell you about the most important in each of the activities.

The word "major" also means that they attract the most people. It's up to you how you treat it: as a disadvantage or an opportunity to socialize with other athletes. Communication is less important in hiking than in surfing, and yachting is difficult to do alone, right.

Windsurfing and kitesurfing on Lake Como

On Lake Como, you can windsurf and kitesurf almost all year round, thanks to the warm thermal wind Breva that blows in the northern part of the lake. This wind usually starts blowing in February-March and reaches its maximum strength between June and October, just in time for the summer season. The wind blows from about 11 a.m.

During the season, two other stronger winds, San Vincenzo and Borgognone, come here from the north from Valtellina Valley and are awaited by the most experienced athletes.

The average summer temperature of the lake is 22–25 degrees Celsius and the bathing season lasts from May to October. The quality of water in the lake is considered very good, but it’s better to choose the northern part, where there are no large cities, rather than the southern part — it is more industrialized.

The mecca of wind and kitesurfing on Lake Como is the small town of Domaso, located in its northern part on the left bank. In the town, you will find several kite schools as well as a 2.5 km long pebble beach, which makes it easy to get in and out of the water — especially if you are still a beginner. Another center for these activities is the town of Dervio about in the middle of the right bank of the lake.

In addition, you can also do wakeboarding, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), and some other water sports with a board on the lake.

Water Sport Center Domaso

Via Case Sparse, 80, 22013, Domaso, Lecco, Lombardy, Italy
+393807000010
[email protected]
Wsc-domaso.com

Learn more about how to read the surf / swell forecast in a special Windy.app presentation with examples and tips from professional surfers with many years of experience of riding the biggest and best waves on the planet.

Brett Jordan / Pexels

Sailing on Lake Como

Lake Como is one of the best places for lake yachting in Italy. Thanks to the same Breva wind in the northern part of the lake, as well as constant breezes, there are also almost year-round favorable wind conditions for learning and practicing boat sports.

The general weather conditions are also almost ideal without severe storms, sudden changes in temperature, and so on, although the glacial origin of the lake surrounded by high mountains leaves its mark, causing some features that you can learn by asking the local yachtsmen for advice and, of course, by trying to sail here yourself.

The width of the lake is only 4.5 kilometers (2.5 miles) but you’ll have enough room because the lenght of the lake is 55 kilometers (34 miles) is enough to spend a whole day or even several days sailing and visiting the many beautiful Italian towns and villages like Varenna, Bellagio, Bellano, Mandello del Lario and others.

The main yachting centers of the lake are the same as those for kitesurfing, only in reverse — there are as many as four yachting schools in Dervio and several more in Domaso. The main port cities on the lake are Como and Lecco in the south, the capitals of the provinces of the same names in the Lombardy region, and Colico in the north.

Other water activities with boats on the lake include kayaking, boating, catamaran sailing, and others. Equipment can be rented in one of the towns — for example, in Lecco, there are many kayakers. Finally, you can take a tour around the lake on one of the ferries that cross the lake in the summer season (there are very few in winter).

Centro Vela Dervio Sailing Marina

Viale degli Ulivi, 11, I-23823, Lecco, Lombardy, Italy
+390341850626
[email protected]
Centroveladervio.it

Erin Doering / Unsplash

Paragliding on Lake Como

The high mountains around the lake create constant air currents over its surface, which, along with the stunning views that open up during the flight, make Lake Como a popular place for paragliding.

You can see not only the lake itself, but also the neighboring Lake Lugano between Italy and Switzerland and many towns and mountains including Mount Rossa, the second biggest after Mont Blanc, and also Monte Legnone and Monte Legnoncino, though well known only to locals.

The center of paragliding on the lake is Taceno, 20 km (12 miles) northeast of Lecco. There is a paragliding school that offers tandem flights, lessons for beginners, rents equipment to experts, and other wind-related services.

The flights are done from the magnificent natural balcony called Alpe Giumello (1547 meters / 5075 feet) at the foot of Monte Croce di Muggio, 1100 meters above Taceno. In winter, this area becomes a ski resort, but it’s not the only one or the largest — about that, a little further in the guide.

In addition to paragliding, you can try for the first time or improve your skills in light aircraft aviation at the famous Como Aero Club.

FlyLibell Paragliding Center

Via Carreggiata, I-23837, Taceno, Lecco, Italy
+393299878261
[email protected]
Flylibell.com

Nicolas Tissot / Unsplash

Hiking on Lake Como

Surrounded by mountains, Lake Como offers literally endless opportunities for hiking in the format of the day and multi-day hikes with overnight stays in mountain huts along the way. On every mountain around the lake, you will find trails, which in turn are connected to other trails in neighboring valleys into one endless system.

These mountains belong to the Bergamasque Alps and Prealps or simply the Bergamo Alps. It is system number 68, the last system that leads to the great Eastern Alps in the classification of the Austrian-German Alpine Club from 1984. Before starting your trip, buy the Kompass 104 map “Lago di Lugano, Lago di Lecco” to have an idea of the routes.

The most popular multi-day trail is called Sentiero del Viandante (The Wayfarer’s Trail) and runs all along the eastern shore of the lake without getting too far away, so you have incredible views of the lake the whole way. It is an ancient trade route linking the province of Lombardy with the Valtellina Valley and the more remote Alpine territories.

The total length of the route along the shores of the lake is 45 km. Start in the Abbadia Lariana village, finish in Piantedo, part of the municipality of Sondrio. The route is conveniently divided into four stages of 8–12 km each and passes through the beautiful Italian towns of Mandello del Lario, Varenna, Bellano, Vezio, Dervio, Colico, and smaller towns.

The main route on the west side of Lake Como is called The Greenway Lago di Como. It is similar, but a simpler walking route of 10 kilometers from village to village.

Varenna Turismo

Via 4 Novembre, 7, 23829, Varenna, LC, Italy
+390341830367
[email protected]
Varennaturismo.com

Joel Jasmin Forestbird / Unsplash

Skiing at Lake Como

Skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts will also find reasons (and places) to go to Lake Como. In winter, the surrounding hign mountains are covered with deep snow from about mid-December to mid-April, which makes it possible to ski for almost four months.

Yes, the area around Como is not the Dolomites with their ski area Dolomiti Superski for hundreds of kilometers, but it may well be considered as an alternative to this and other popular ski areas in the Italian Alps, due to the proximity to Milan, cheaper ski passes and living conditions and so on.

The main ski resort near the lake is called Piani di Bobbio (Bobbio Plains). It is located 16 km to the northeast of Lecco on the high plateau above city of Barzio in the valley of Brembana. The plateau can be reached by one of the cable carts, in total there 8 lift on the resort. The altitude of the resort is 800 to 1950 meters.

The resort has a total of 36 km of pistes: 15 km of blue, 10 km of red, and 10 km of black. If you do not know how to ski, but want to learn, choose one of the ski schools that are located here. And of course, as elsewhere, right at the resort you can rent ski equipment.

Besides mountain skiing, there are 15 km of cross-country ski trails and a Snow Park for freestyle and snowboard fans.

Piani di Bobbio Ski Resort

Località La Piazza, 1, 23816, Barzio, Lecco, Italy
+390341996101
[email protected]
Pianidibobbio.com

Banff Sunshine Village / Unsplash

When is the best time to visit Lake Como?

Thanks to the presence of water and mountains, the Lake Como area has a unique microclimate similar to the Mediterranean, which makes it a year-round outdoor spot.

The winter at Lake Como is short (December — February) and mild with almost no snow precipitation except the tops of the mountains but with quite many rains. There are also many patches of fog and less sunshine. The average low temperature is 5 ºC.
The summer at Lake Como is much longer (June — October). The daytime is a maximum of 16 hours of sunshine. The average high temperature is 25 ºC.
The mid-season: spring and autumn at Lake Como (March — June, and September — December) is the most comfortable season for doing general sports and outdoor activities. The daily mean temperature is 12.7 ºC in spring and 14 ºC in autumn.

The average precipitation is 107 mm in April, 85 mm in July, 125 mm in October, and 69 mm in January. The most rain you can expect in May (161 mm).

The best time to visit Lake Como depends on the type of activity you want to do: for wind and water sports it is summer, for skiing, it is winter (of course) and for hiking and cycling it is spring and autumn.

As a general rule, avoid the peaks of the summer and winter tourist season and come to the lake at the beginning or near the end of the season. The peak season can also be considered the time when the lake has the strongest and most frequent wind or when the water is warmest.

Nik Nikolla / Unsplash

How to get to Lake Como from Milan?

The easiest and fastest way to get to Lake Como is by car. The southern end of the lake in the city of Como is 50 km from Milan, Lecco is almost as close — 55 km, the center of the lake in Bellano is 87 km, and the highest part is in Colico — 97 km. The journey from Como to Como via Colico, Lecco, and Bellagio will take about 4 hours and 20 minutes (185 km).

For those who travel by public transport, the east side of the lake is much more convenient than the west side, because the local company Trenord runs on it. You can also buy tickets from the all-Italian company Trenitalia. The train also runs between Lecco and Como.

Travel on the west side is possible only by buses of the local company ASF Autoninee, which depart from the bus station in Como. But they run rather infrequently and go slowly. Check out the route map and schedule.

Finally, the lake can be navigated by water transport, which runs between the main towns in the southern part of the lake, and also offers long ferry routes to the northern part across the lake, but it’s best to do this in the summer season when there are many boats — there are hardly any in winter. To plan a trip, use Navigazionelaghi.it.

You can fly to Milan Malpensa Airport with any airline that flies to that city or with a connection. You may also already know that there is another major airport nearby, Milan Bergamo Airport or Orio al Serio Airport Milan (BGY) in the city of Bergamo, which serves in particular low-cost airlines throughout Europe.

Where to stay on Lake Como?

The shores of Lake Como are literally packed with small towns, so it is easy to find accommodation here. Here you can rent all kinds of accommodation for short and long periods — apartments, B&Bs, agriturismo, and expensive villas. Campsites are very popular here. In Domaso there are especially a lot of them. Here are a few examples:

Hotels: Vischi, Mojito, Domaso

Agroturisms: Badalone, Runchee, Alla Poncia

B&Bs: Villa Annamaria, Grazia al Lago, San Silvestro

Residences: Domaso Resort and SPA, Windsurf, Alessandra

Campings: Solarium, Domaso, Madonnina

The official tourist site of Lake Como: Lakecomotourism.it. You will also find useful the websites of the cities on Lake Como: Ecco Lecco, Visitcomo.it, Domaso.oit, and Visitcolico.it.

Where to get the weather forecast for Lake Como in the Windy.app?

Como is one of the top outdoors spots in Italy in Windy.app database, which has a total of 3,539 spots in the country. To find a forecast, do the following:

On the website

Just go to the forecast page for one of the cities. You can find the others by searching on the Home Page or on the Live Wind Map, where they are marked with icons: Lecco weather forecast, Como weather forecast, Domaso weather forecast, Dervio weather forecast, Colico weather forecast, Piani di Bobbio weather forecast.

Live Wind Map on the Windy.app website

In the app

1. On the Home Screen or on the Weather Map, find these and other spots through a search. On the Weather Map, you can also find spots through the Advanced Settings by marking the sport you want.

Searching for outdoor spots on the Home Screen in the Windy.app for iOS

Weather Map of Lake Como, Italy, in the Windy.app for iOS

Advanced Settings of the Weather Map for Lake Como, Italy, in the Windy.app for iOS

2. Go to the Spot Screen to get the forecast and select the Weather Profile with a set of ready-made weather parameters for kitesurfing, windsurfing, yachting, skiing, and more.

Weather forecast for Domaso, Lake Como, Italy, in the Windy.app for iOS

3. Add the spots to Favorites so you will not lose them and quickly return to the forecast when you need it again.

Domaso windsurfing spot in Favorites in the Windy.app for iOS

Text: Ivan Kuznetsov, an outdoor journalist, editor and writer from the Dolomites, Italy, and Karelia, Finland, with 10 years of professional experience. His favorite sports are hiking, cycling and sauna. Read his other articles

Cover photo: Malgorzata Bujalska / Unsplash