Quick answer
For a cheap look at the lake, use the public ferry: a central lake day pass costs €17.50 and covers Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio. Shared small-group tours cost roughly €35 to €60 per person for an hour, private boats with a skipper start at a few hundred euros per hour, and you can rent a 40 hp boat without a licence.
Public ferry fares below were checked on the Navigazione Laghi site on 5 October 2026. Tour and rental prices come from booking-site listings seen the same week, so treat them as indicative ranges and confirm the price with the operator.
Lake Como boat options compared
| Option | Typical length | Indicative price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public ferry | 15-minute hops to a full day | €5.50 a hop, €17.50 central lake day pass | budget trips and villa-hopping |
| Shared small-group tour | 1 to 3 hours | about €35-60 per person for 1 hour, €120-175 for 2 hours | villa views with a guide |
| Private boat with skipper | 1 to 4 hours | about €350-450 per hour (classic wooden boat) | couples, families, photos |
| Self-drive rental, 40 hp | 1 to 8 hours | about €90-130 per hour | confident drivers aged 18+ |
Public ferry: the cheapest boat ride on the lake
The public boats are run by Navigazione Laghi and serve about 40 piers, from Como and Cernobbio to Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio, Tremezzo, Lenno, Colico and Lecco. They are a transport service, so there is no commentary.
You can choose between the slow battello, which stops at many piers, the faster hydrofoil or catamaran (with a supplement), and the car ferry between Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Cadenabbia.
| Adult fare, 2026 | Price |
|---|---|
| Central lake single (for example Varenna to Bellagio, 15 min) | €5.50 |
| Central lake 1-day pass | €17.50 |
| Como to Bellagio single | €12.00 |
| Como to Bellagio 1-day pass | €27.00 |
| Fast boat supplement | €3.00 to €5.50 |
Como to Bellagio takes about 2 hours on the slow boat and about 45 minutes on the hydrofoil. Buy tickets at the pier, online, or on board (€1 extra if the pier office was open). On the slow boats you can also tap a contactless card with NaviTAP: tap when you board and again before you get off, or you pay the whole-lake day pass.
Ferries run all year. The autumn timetable covers 5 October to 1 November 2026, and the winter timetable had not been published when we checked. Our Lake Como day trip guide has the full fare table and a sample route.
Shared small-group boat tours
A skipper takes a small group, often 8 people at most, along the shore past the villas. Some tours include a glass of prosecco or an entry ticket to Villa del Balbianello. Most leave from Bellagio, with others from Como, Varenna and Lecco.
Tours last 1, 1.5, 2 or 3 hours. As a guide to price, listings show:
- about €35 to €60 per person for 1 to 1.5 hours
- about €120 to €175 per person for 2 hours with prosecco or a Balbianello ticket
- about €110 for a 1-hour sunset aperitivo tour
Read the small print for fuel. Some operators add a fuel contribution of €25 to €35 per person if fewer than 3 people book, and one 3-hour Como to Bellagio tour added a €30 per person fuel surcharge.
Private boat tours with a skipper
You get the whole boat for your party, usually up to 6 to 10 people, with a skipper. You can choose a modern motorboat or a classic wooden boat in the Riva style. Boats leave from Bellagio, Como, Varenna, Menaggio and Tremezzina, and many will pick you up at any pier.
Indicative prices from October 2026 listings:
- Classic wooden boat: about €350 to €450 per hour for 1 to 2 hours.
- Modern luxury boat: about $550 for 2 hours to $955 for 4 hours, sometimes with fuel on top.
- 4-hour wooden boat from Bellagio for up to 10 people: about $820.
Listings mix “per traveler” and “per group” wording, so confirm what the price covers before you book.
For Villa del Balbianello, a paid taxi boat runs from Lido di Lenno by booking only. FAI, which runs the villa, does not operate it and points visitors to Bellagio Boat Service.
Self-drive boat rental: licence rules
Italian law (art. 39 of the Codice della nautica da diporto) lets you drive a boat on a lake without a boating licence if the engine is no more than 30 kW, or 40.8 hp. That is why rental boats on Lake Como are almost all 40 hp. You need a licence for anything more powerful and for any jet ski, whatever its power.
The law sets minimum ages for driving without a licence: 16 for boats under 10 metres. Rental companies usually ask for a driver aged 18 or over with ID.
What to expect:
- Boats: 4.5 to 5.8 metres, 40 hp, for 5 to 8 people.
- Where: Menaggio, Como, Cernobbio, Bellagio, Oliveto Lario and other towns.
- Season: mostly March or April to October.
- Briefing: operators give a 10 to 15 minute briefing before you leave.
Prices run about €90 to €130 per hour, with discounts for a half day (4 hours) or a full day (8 hours). As one example, a Menaggio operator lists a 5.70-metre, 40 hp boat for up to 7 people from €208 for 2 hours, with fuel and insurance included (€450 excess) and no deposit.
Which boat option to choose
- On a budget or on a day trip from Milan: the public ferry and a €17.50 day pass.
- You want commentary without paying for a whole boat: a shared tour from Bellagio.
- A group of 4 or more, or a special occasion: a private boat, where the per-hour price is split across the party.
- You are comfortable at the wheel: a 40 hp rental, which needs no licence.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to rent a boat on Lake Como?
Not if the engine is 30 kW (40.8 hp) or less, which is why most rental boats have 40 hp engines. Above that power, and on any jet ski, a boating licence is required. Rental companies usually ask for a driver aged 18 or over with ID.
Is the public ferry or a boat tour better?
The public ferry is the cheapest way to see the lake, with a central lake day pass at €17.50. A tour adds commentary, closer views of the villas and your own schedule, and shared tours start at roughly €35 per person for an hour.
How much does a private boat tour on Lake Como cost?
Listings in October 2026 show roughly €350 to €450 per hour for a classic wooden boat, and about $550 to $955 for 2 to 4 hours on a modern boat. Ask whether fuel is included.
Where do Lake Como boat tours leave from?
Mostly Bellagio, Como and Varenna, with others from Menaggio, Lecco and Lenno. Many private boats can pick you up at any pier.
When is the boat season on Lake Como?
Public ferries run all year, with fewer boats in winter. Boat rentals and most tours run from about March or April to October.