Lake Como: Shared Boat Tour with Prosecco & Historic Villas

4.54

(148 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We stepped onto the little boat at Como’s harbor, shoes squeaking on the deck, and I could already smell the lake — that mix of cool water and something green, maybe cypress. Our skipper, Marco (who had this easy way of telling stories), waved us in. There were just a handful of us, so it felt more like joining friends than being herded around. The engine hummed to life and we glided out, leaving behind the city’s chatter for the hush of open water.

The first basin of Lake Como is dotted with these villas — Villa Olmo was the first one Marco pointed out, its neoclassical lines almost glowing against the hills. He told us about old parties there (I tried to imagine candlelight flickering in those windows). Every few minutes another villa appeared: d’Este with its gardens spilling down to the shore; Cademartori tucked behind trees; Le Fontanelle where Versace used to throw wild gatherings. I kept craning my neck trying to catch every detail but honestly, sometimes I just watched the sunlight flicker off the ripples instead. You know how you think you’ll remember every fact but end up remembering a feeling instead?

At some point Marco handed out glasses of prosecco — cold enough that condensation ran down my fingers — and a plate with little local snacks I couldn’t pronounce (Li laughed when I tried to say one in Italian). We drifted near Blevio and Cernobbio; someone pointed at Mandarin Oriental’s floating pool and we all agreed it looked surreal. There was this quiet moment as we passed Parco Mosaici di Blevio where even Marco stopped talking. Just birdsong and the soft slap of water against hull.

I didn’t expect to feel so… light? Maybe it was the prosecco or maybe just being on Lake Como with strangers who felt like friends for an hour. The tour ended too soon for me — I still think about that view back toward Como as we turned around, sun low over the mountains, everyone silent for a second before someone broke into laughter again. Not sure any photo really catches it.