An hour’s journey is enough to completely change the scenery. So why head back in the evening?
The journey from Milan to Lake Como is surprisingly short. In around an hour, you can leave the city behind and find yourself by the water, surrounded by mountains and an entirely different landscape waiting to be explored.
Yet this very proximity often makes Lake Como feel like a day-trip destination: arrive in the morning, fit as much as possible into a few hours and head back to Milan in the late afternoon.
Staying overnight completely changes the experience. Not simply because it gives you time to add more places to your itinerary, but because it allows you to experience Lake Como at the very moments when most day visitors are already heading back to the city.
Lake Como after 6 pm
One of the most enjoyable times on Lake Como begins as the day starts to wind down.
Ferries become quieter, lakeside promenades feel more peaceful and lights slowly begin to appear along the shoreline. It’s the perfect time for an aperitivo, an evening walk or dinner without having to check the departure time of the last train.
In Malgrate, evenings offer a particularly beautiful perspective: across the water, Lecco and the surrounding mountains are illuminated by the final light of the day.
Start the evening with a cocktail at People Cocktail Bar & Café, followed by contemporary Italian cuisine at Lisander Restaurant or a more informal dinner at Da Giovannino Bistrot.
Going to sleep by the lake and waking up by the lake are two different experiences
Visitors arriving from Milan for just a few hours tend to see Lake Como during the busiest part of the day. Staying overnight means discovering it in the morning too, as the waterfront slowly comes to life and the landscape reveals a completely different atmosphere.
When staying at Hotel Promessi Sposi, the following day can begin right in Malgrate: a walk along the lake, a leisurely breakfast and then the choice of a new destination to explore.
And this is where the advantages of the eastern shore become clear.
Start your second day by train
Leaving the car behind and travelling by train is one of the easiest ways to explore this part of Lake Como.
From Lecco, it takes just a short journey to reach Abbadia Lariana, Mandello del Lario, Varenna and Bellano. It means being able to plan a full day without worrying about traffic or parking, which is particularly useful when visiting the lake’s most popular destinations.
Get off in Varenna to wander through the village and visit Villa Monastero, continue to Bellano to discover its famous gorge, or choose Mandello del Lario for a glimpse of a lesser-known side of Lake Como.
At the end of the day, simply take the train back to your starting point.
Or start your second day on the water
There is another way to turn an overnight stay on Lake Como into a real mini-break.
With the Luxury Boat Experience by Hotel Promessi Sposi, your second day can begin aboard the Cranchi E30 Endurance, with a private itinerary tailored to what you would most like to see.
Bellagio, Varenna, the historic villas of the central lake or simply a few hours spent cruising: setting off by boat means making the journey itself one of the highlights of your stay.
24 more hours, without travelling any further
Perhaps this is the greatest advantage of choosing Lake Como for a short escape from Milan: you don’t need to travel far to feel as though you’ve truly gone away.
One night gives you time for dinner by the lake, a view after sunset, a morning surrounded by mountains and an entire second day to explore.
The eastern shore also offers an especially convenient combination: it is easily accessible from Milan, well connected by rail and provides several ways to reach the central lake, whether by train, ferry or private boat.
Milan is still only an hour away. But for one night, it can feel much further.
