Como

Silk, a Gothic cathedral and Lake Como's grand front porch, inside a walkable old town

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Como sits at the southern tip of Lake Como, where a walled medieval centre meets a lakefront promenade lined with grand old hotels and locals out for their evening passeggiata. The city built its fortune on silk, and you can still feel it in the weaving houses turned boutiques around the centro storico. Beyond the lake views there is a proper working city here too – a Gothic-Renaissance cathedral, a funicular climbing to Brunate for the best panorama over the water, and enough good bakeries and osterie that you will not need to duck off to Milan. Our local picks run from the Duomo to the silk museum and the best aperitivo terraces on the water. More hand-picked recommendations are on the way – filter by category and budget below.

Como at a glance

Ideal stay: 1 to 2 days
Best time to visit: April to June and September to October
Highlights: the Duomo, the funicular to Brunate and the lakefront promenade
Where to stay: the centro storico around Piazza Cavour
Local picks: a growing set of hand-chosen tips
Getting around: a compact, walkable old town plus lake ferries to nearby villages

Where to stay in Como

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Museo Archeologico Giovio

Housed in the Giovio palace, this museum covers Como’s history from prehistoric finds through the Roman settlement of Novum Comum, with artefacts dug up around the city itself. It’s a low-key, uncrowded…

★ 4.2

Museo della Seta di Como

The Silk Museum walks through the machinery and process behind Como’s centuries-old textile trade, from raw thread to finished fabric, using original looms and dyeing equipment rather than just photographs. It’s the…

★ 4.6

Osteria del Gallo

Osteria del Gallo is a small, old-fashioned trattoria tucked into a side street of the old town, the kind of place with paper tablecloths and a menu that leans hard into Como’s…

★ 4.4

Palace Hotel

The Palace Hotel occupies a grand belle-epoque building right on the lungolago, a short walk from Piazza Cavour and the Duomo. Rooms lean classic and formal, with high ceilings and lake-facing balconies…

★ 4.3

Piazza Cavour

Piazza Cavour is Como’s front room – a wide, open square right on the lake where the passenger ferries dock, cafes spill out onto the water, and locals cut through on their…

Pinacoteca Civica

Como’s municipal art gallery is spread across a restored palazzo in the old town, with a collection that runs from local medieval work through to 20th-century Como artists. It’s ticketed but modestly…

★ 4.4

Ristorante La Colombetta

La Colombetta pairs a menu built on Lombard classics and lake fish with a genuinely good wine list, in a warm dining room a short walk from Piazza Cavour. It’s a step…

★ 4.4

Ristorante Sociale

Ristorante Sociale sits right behind the Duomo in a building that has fed Como for well over a century, with vaulted ceilings and a menu of proper Lombard cooking – risotto, lake…

★ 4.3

Sheraton Lake Como Hotel

The Sheraton sits right on the water just past the old town, with glass-fronted rooms that look straight across Lake Como to the mountains beyond. It trades historic charm for modern comfort…

★ 4.3

Tempio Voltiano

The Tempio Voltiano is a small, purpose-built museum on the lakefront dedicated to Alessandro Volta, the Como-born inventor of the battery, with his original instruments on display inside a neoclassical rotunda. It’s…

★ 4.4

The Brothers Cafe

The Brothers Cafe runs by day as a relaxed cafe and by night as one of the busier bars in Como, with a vintage-leaning interior and a menu that includes pinsa alongside…

★ 4.4

Villa Olmo

Villa Olmo’s neoclassical facade faces the lake from its own park just outside the old town, and the gardens are free and open daily for a walk along the water away from…

★ 4.5

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Como travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Como?

A day covers the Duomo, the old town and a walk along the lake, but staying two lets you add the Brunate funicular and a proper lunch without rushing.

Where is the best area to stay in Como?

The centro storico around Piazza Cavour puts the Duomo, the lakefront and the best restaurants within a short walk.

What are the best things to do in Como?

Browse the local picks above, from the Duomo and the silk museum to the funicular up to Brunate and an aperitivo on the lakefront terraces.

What is the best time to visit Como?

Late spring and early autumn bring warm days without peak summer crowds. Please check current travel advice before planning a trip.