It feels calmer, slower and more authentic.
Personally, I wouldn’t choose peak summer, especially Varenna, which gets extremely crowded with day-trippers from Milan.
In winter, you get space.
For us, Lake Garda is our summer go-to for nothern Italy.
If you think Lake Como is only for summer yacht days and celebrity villas think again.
We spent 2 nights in Lake Como during February half term, and it was peaceful, scenic and far more affordable than most people expect.
Snow on the tops of the mountains and hardly anyone around. Lake Como is one of my favourite places to visit in winter.
Here’s exactly how we did it, what it cost, where we stayed and whether winter is actually the best time to go.
We flew from Manchester to Milan Malpensa Airport.
Flights: £108pp return
(This included reserving seats together both ways.) More than we would usually pay, however, it was half-term PLUS the Winter Olympics were taking place, so prices were at a premium for the dates we wanted.
If you’re flexible, flights to Milan regularly appear for £26–£40 return, especially outside school holidays.
We were only staying two nights, so backpacks were more than enough.
There isn’t actually an airport called “Lake Como Airport.” You fly into Milan and travel onwards by train.
Milan Malpensa Airport
Best for: Lecco, Varenna and Como town
Around 1.5–2 hours by train.
Milan Bergamo Airport (Orio al Serio)
Often the cheapest option from UK regional airports.
Lecco is one of the closest Lake Como towns to Bergamo - around 40 minutes by train from Bergamo station.
Milan Linate Airport
For most UK travellers, Malpensa or Bergamo offer the best value.
There is no direct train from Malpensa to Lecco, but it’s very easy.
We took:
Train from Milan Malpensa Airport to Milano Centrale
Switched platforms
Then boarded a train heading to Tirano and exited at Lecco
The platform swap at Milano Centrale is simple. All trains are in one line — no underpasses, no complicated route. It takes minutes.
The train station stops at:
Terminal 1
Terminal 2
It is well signposted from arrivals and only a short indoor walk.
If you’re trying to catch an imminent train, tickets may not show on the Trainline or Trenitalia app or at the machines at the station.
That happened to us.
We had to use the ticket counter, but the service was excellent and very efficient.
Train Costs
Airport to Lecco:
£46.11 one way for 2 adults + 1 child
= £30.74pp return
Just a quick note before we begin- some posts on this blog contain affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely love or believe will be helpful in your trip planning journey. Thanks for supporting our work and happy planning!
Where We Stayed: Hotel Griso Collection
2 nights: £269 total (£90pp)
Located in Malgrate, across the lake from Lecco.
How Many Does the Family Room Sleep?
Family rooms sleep:
2 adults
2 children
Usually configured as a double bed plus sofa bed.
In our room we had 2 doubles (although they did seem smaller than a standard double) plus one pull out bed.
The balcony view. Honestly — wow. You don’t usually get that standard in a family room.
Huge TV with Netflix and Disney+ (just log in with your own accounts)
Friendly staff
Clean, spacious rooms
Underground parking
Excellent value for Lake Como
We don’t like being out late in winter. It gets cold quickly. We loved early dinner and cosy movie nights overlooking the lake.
25-minute walk from Lecco station
(Scenic lakeside walk though, so it doesn’t feel too long.)
Buses exist but route was longer than walking
No Uber-style services
Rooftop hot tub closed in winter
Family rooms more dated than renovated rooms for couples (they may be working their way through the hotel with updates)
We arrived at the hotel hungry. We had planned to stop on our walk from the train station to the hotel, but didn't see any restaurants open on our route.
The hotel's restaurant menu was limited and not hugely child-friendly.
We decided to order from room service:
3 pizzas + 4 cokes = €90
The pizzas weren’t great and felt expensive. If doing it again, I’d plan food better before arrival.
We’ve now visited twice in February, and both times we had dry weather with daytime temperatures around 12°C.
Typical winter weather:
Daytime: 6–12°C
Night-time: 0–4°C
Snow on mountain peaks
Fewer crowds
Early sunset (4–5pm)
You won’t sunbathe, but you’ll get crisp blue skies and stunning reflections on calm water.
Yes, Lecco is one of the first towns from Milano Centrale.
From Lecco you can:
Take direct trains to Varenna-Esino
Continue towards Tirano (Bernina Express route)
Get buses to Bellagio
Enjoy lakefront restaurants without peak pricing
In winter, Lecco offers better hotel value and fewer crowds.
It feels calmer, slower and more authentic.
Personally, I wouldn’t choose peak summer, especially Varenna, which gets extremely crowded with day-trippers from Milan.
In winter, you get space.
For us, Lake Garda is our summer go-to for nothern Italy.
If you're trying to visualise the layout before booking accommodation, this is how the lake is structured.
Lake Como is shaped like an upside-down Y.
Western branch: Como town
Eastern branch: Lecco and Varenna
Top centre: Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna (the “Golden Triangle”)
The eastern side (Lecco/Varenna) is generally easier by train from Milan.
The train from Lecco to Varenna-Esino cost £7.30 one way for 2 adults + 1 child
= £4.84pp return
The Lecco to Varenna train journey takes just 24 minutes and is direct.
Varenna is small but beautiful.
In one day you can:
Walk the lakeside promenade
Explore the colourful harbour
Browse boutique shops
Visit Villa Monastero gardens (seasonal)
Climb to Castello di Vezio (if open)
Take a ferry to Menaggio or Bellagio
Varenna isn't somewhere you rush around with a checklist. It’s somewhere you wander, photograph and sit.
We had lunch at Bar Molo, right next to the famous colourful houses, and even in February we were able to sit outside thanks to the blankets and tall gas patio heaters they provided.
The total bill came to €81 (£70.72), which included three adult mains, 2 sides, 2 drinks each, bread and coperto charge— very reasonable for that location.
We followed the meal with gelato next door which was just £3.32 for two!
Ferries run in winter, just less frequently.
We saw various passenger and car ferries throughout the day.
However, because it gets dark around 4–5pm in winter, trying to fit in the train from Lecco, time in Varenna, ferry hopping, properly exploring Bellagio or Menaggio, and then making the return journey back to Varenna for the train to Lecco can start to feel a bit rushed in the shorter daylight hours.
From Lecco, you can also catch a bus directly to Bellagio if you’d prefer that option.
If you want to explore the full Golden Triangle properly, I’d suggest:
Staying a night in Varenna
Or
Adding an extra night to your trip
In summer months you can take a ferry from Varenna to Bellagio and then a ferry from Bellagio to Lecco.
Half a day covers the highlights.
A full day is perfect if you:
Want a relaxed lunch
Plan to ferry hop
Take photos
Visit gardens or castle
In winter, one day is usually enough due to early sunset.
Flights – £108pp
Hotel – £90pp
Airport trains – £30.74pp return
Lecco ↔ Varenna trains – £4.84pp return
For a February half term European lake break it's very achievable.
Explore our complete Italy Travel Guide with multi-city train routes, family itineraries, budget trips and transport tips all in one place.
👉 See all Italy guides here
✈️ Want us to find trips like this for you?
Our members-only Build a Break Travel Club receives hand-picked flight & hotel deals, Extreme Day Trips and multi-city Europe itineraries every week, all from UK and Ireland airports.
👉 Join the Travel Club here
Copyright © Build a Break | Website by Furness Media