One Day In Colico Italy: A More Outdoorsy Take On Lake Como
I made a point to visit Colico Italy, because it was one of the few towns on Lake Como I hadn’t explored yet. I was staying in Bellano for the weekend, and with Colico just 15 minutes away by train, it felt like the right moment to see what was waiting there — not to tick off sights, but to understand the town on its own terms and decide whether it was somewhere I’d want to return to.
I’ve found that some of my favorite travel experiences have come from doing exactly this. Visiting places I hadn’t planned around originally has led me to unexpected restaurants, hotels I still think about years later, and even my wedding venue in the Amalfi Coast. Stepping slightly away from what’s most photographed or heavily covered often opens the door to places that feel more lived-in and more revealing.
Colico felt like that kind of opportunity.
A Town That Connects Two Different Landscapes
One of the reasons I wanted to explore Colico Italy is its position on the lake. Sitting at the northern end of Lake Como, it feels like a natural transition point rather than a destination built solely around the water.
From Milan, Colico is about 1.5 hours by train, making it an easy option for a long day trip or a low-effort base if you’re staying a few nights. Heading north, it’s roughly 1 hour and 10 minutes to Tirano, the departure point for the UNESCO listed Bernina Express.
That location places Colico right between two very different environments. To the south, you have the lake towns along the eastern shore of Lake Como. Inland and north, the landscape shifts quickly toward river valleys, vineyards, and alpine terrain. You feel that transition even while walking around town — the lake is always present, but the mountains and open space play just as big a role.
It’s that overlap that makes Colico feel distinct. Rather than existing purely as a lake town, it sits at the point where Lake Como starts to give way to northern Lombardy and the Alps, which changes how you experience it — and how you move through the region.
How Colico Differs From Lake Como’s Better-Known Towns
After visiting several Lake Como towns in close succession, I often notice how familiar they begin to feel. Colico breaks that pattern. It’s clearly different from Varenna, Bellagio, and Como.
This isn’t a place defined by ornate architecture or shopping streets. If your goal is to experience Lake Como’s most storied villages, Colico may feel understated by comparison. The appeal here lies elsewhere — in open lake views, access to walking and biking paths, and a noticeable sense of space that’s becoming harder to find on the lake.
That difference is both its limitation and its strength.
Walking The Lungolago And First Impressions By The Water
After leaving the station, I walked straight toward the lake. The streets near the tracks feel practical and everyday, but as you move closer to the water, the space opens up. The promenade is wide, with long views across the lake and toward the mountains, and it immediately felt peaceful.
What stayed with me most was the sense of openness. The lake was completely still, almost glassy, and the snow-capped peaks across the water gave the whole area a quiet, wintry beauty. There was nothing crowded or compressed here — just water, mountains, and space. It felt much more like a small town set in nature than one of the busier stretches of Lake Como.
Even in winter, there was life along the lakefront. A few people were sitting outside at Blue River Steakhouse & Pizza, wrapped in coats and drinking coffee, clearly there to enjoy being by the water. Rivareno Gelato was closed for the season, but it looked like the kind of place you’d happily return to when it reopens.
Coming from Milan, the difference in air quality was noticeable right away. Even in the cold, the air felt clean and fresh, and walking along the lake felt genuinely restorative.
The ferry dock sits along the promenade, making it easy to picture using Colico as a base for moving around the lake without relying on a car.
Where I Ate — And Where I’d Go Back
After walking the lakefront, I started looping back through town to check out restaurants rather than committing to the first open place I saw. Colico felt like the kind of town where it pays to look around a bit.
Ovvio immediately stood out. They focus on pinsa — both white and red — and it had a lot of outdoor seating set up, even in winter. It looked like a relaxed place to eat well without it turning into a whole event. Just next door, Ovvio Café had rows of small wine bottles lined up in the window, which usually signals a spot that’s good for a glass or two rather than a rushed drink.
On the main square, Il Bizzarro caught my attention for leaning into regional food. Along with pizza and gourmet burgers, polenta was front and center on the menu. This part of Lombardy takes polenta seriously, and their combinations sounded excellent — Taleggio with peppers, porcini mushrooms with smoked scamorza, sausage, even a bacon-and-egg version. If I were choosing a place to try something local here, this would be it.
I ended up eating at Il Faro Ristorante Pizzeria, which felt like a true neighborhood spot. It’s part pub, part birreria, part pizzeria, and it was full of locals when I was there. I ordered pizzoccheri, a dish I love, and while it wasn’t the best version I’ve had, it made sense for the setting and price. It was tasty, filling, and exactly what you want after walking outside in winter.
Walking Beyond Town And Finding The Sentiero Valtellina
One of the things that makes Colico Italy genuinely different from other Lake Como towns is how easy it is to step straight into open space.
From the lakefront, I walked toward the Sentiero Valtellina, a long-distance path that follows the river and is used for both walking and biking. From Colico, it stretches north toward Morbegno, Sondrio, Tirano, and eventually Bormio.
That afternoon, the path was nearly empty. A few locals passed by, greeting each other as they went, but otherwise I had long stretches to myself. The views opened up toward the mountains, the lake stayed visible in places. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to come back with a bike and take your time moving through the landscape rather than hopping between towns.
Even just walking part of it gave me a good sense of why Colico Italy appeals to people who like being outdoors without needing organized activities or signage to tell them what to do.
Where I’d Stay In Colico Italy
As I walked back toward town, I took a closer look at a couple of hotels.
Hotel Rizzi sits right at the edge of the main square. From the outside, it’s simple and practical, but the location is excellent. It feels like a solid option if you want to be central without paying for lakefront luxury. It also has an outdoor terrace restaurant with great lake views.
The place that really stood out to me was Seven Park Hotel. It’s a four-star hotel laid out on one level, almost motel-style, but done well. The pool area is beautiful, and the Seven Beach Restaurant looked like it would be especially nice in warmer months, opening directly onto outdoor seating. Just next door, you can rent electric boats, which feels like a great way to get out on the water without needing a full-day plan.
If I came back to Colico Italy this is where I’d stay.
Forts, Abbeys, And What I Skipped This Time
Colico Italy has more history than you might expect, though not all of it is easily accessible on foot.
Forte Montecchio Nord is the last military fort built in Italy during World War I and still has its original armaments. It’s about a 20-minute walk uphill from town, but it was closed the day I visited, so I wasn’t able to go inside.
There’s also Forte di Fuentes, dating back to Spanish rule in the area. What remains today is fairly limited, and it didn’t feel like a priority on this visit. Torre di Fontanedo was closed as well, and from the photos I saw, it didn’t call out to me to make the extra walk.
The site I would most like to see next time is Abbazia di Piona. Architecturally, it’s the most interesting of the group, but without a car, it’s difficult to reach from town.
Getting Back — A Realistic Train Note
The return journey from Colico Italy didn’t go smoothly. Two consecutive trains were canceled without advance notice (at the station or on the app); which left me waiting close to an hour in the cold for the next one. Train cancellations have happened to me multiple times this winter on regional routes, and it’s worth factoring in if you’re planning Colico as a short stop rather than an overnight stay.
When this happens, and its not part of a sciopero (a planned strike), it’s hard to know whether to leave the station and come back or wait it out, especially when there’s nowhere nearby to warm up.
Why Colico Italy Makes Sense As A Place To Stay
What makes Colico Italy, especially appealing is how well it works as a base.
By train, it connects easily south along the eastern shore to Bellano, Varenna, and Lecco. Heading inland, trains run toward Morbegno and Sondrio, and onward to Tirano, where the magical Bernina Express begins.
Pair that rail access with long-distance biking routes, open lake views, and noticeably fewer crowds, and Colico becomes a smart choice for travelers who like variety. You can spend one day walking or biking, the next hopping between lake towns, and another heading inland toward wine country and alpine landscapes — all without changing hotels.
Colico isn’t the place to stay if you’re coming to Lake Como for grand villas, ornate streets, and shopping. It is, however, a strong option if you value space and transport access — and if you enjoy seeing how different parts of a region connect once you step away from the most photographed spots.
If you’re planning a trip to Lake Como and want to understand how Colico fits alongside other towns, transport routes, and travel styles, I break everything down in my Lake Como Travel Guide, including where to stay, how to get around, and how to build an itinerary that balances classic lake towns with quieter, more outdoors-focused stops.
