Tour of the Historic Villas of Lake Como: Melzi and Carlotta

Lake Como, Italy

7 to 9 hours (approx.)
Group discounts
Offered in: English

Overview

Explore the historic villas of Lake Como at your own pace with this private tour. Admire the gardens of Villa Melzi in Bellagio, and the statues of Villa Balbianello, then jump aboard a private boat and soak up views of the elegant lakeside hamlets as you cruise to the art-filled Villa Carlotta. Afterward enjoy a delicious tasting lunch in Bellagio.

Skip the rush of large tour groups and explore at your own pace
Pack more into half a day at Lake Como and visit select villas
Enjoy unobstructed, sweeping views as you cruise on Lake Como
Cruise across Lake Como in style on board a private boat

What's Included

Entry tickets of the gardens of Villa Carlotta
Entry tickets of the gardens of Villa Melzi
Ferry Ticket
Qualified private guide
Tasting lunch in a local restaurant in Bellagio
Private transportation

Private round-trip transfer from your accommodation

Anything not specifically mentioned under "included"
Any gratuities and extras of a personal nature

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

I Giardini di Villa Melzi
Via Lungo Lario Manzoni, 22021 Bellagio CO, Italy

End point

22021 Bellagio CO, Italy

Operating hours
.10:00 am

Itinerary

Villa Carlotta

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

I Giardini Di Villa Melzi

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

Most travelers can participate
Please notify in case of food allergies and intolerances
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.4

based on 14 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Stunning Villas, disappointing “tour”

Coral_C, Jun 2024

Both Villa Carlotta and the gardens were stunning! Just be aware that this is a self-guided tour with no guide to share the history and you will have to navigate the ferries and all transportation yourself. Skip the hefty fee and tour and you will get the same experience minus the lunch (which we skipped).

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you for your review. We will take a cue to add a guidebook, in addition to the printed one we already send, to help those taking the tour with transportation management.

Donʻt Waste Your Money on this tour

Rhea_L, Jul 2023

We booked the Tour of the Most Beautiful Villas of Lake Como through Viator hosted by Lake Como Tours. Our tour included a private boat taxi between the Villas on Lake Como, & an entrance to each Villa. A private English-speaking tour guide was included to give information about each Villa. The tour guide spoke poor English, and we could not understand her communication. We even missed part of the tour of the Villa Carlotta due to a lack of understanding. Frustrated, we contacted Lake Como Tours to cancel the last half of the tour. Very disappointing for the cost.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

We apologize for your experience. We are actually known for our great attention to detail, and our customers are never dismayed with our services. When we examined the matter, you explained to us that the boat tour was fantastic and the captain was friendly, and you had to cancel the last half of the tour since you couldn't understand the private guide and there were numerous miscommunications. This, we entirely understood and which we sincerely apologized for. We collaborate with a tour guide company for so many years, and they always send experienced, English-speaking guides. This is actually the first time we have encountered this kind of issue. We refunded you solely for the cost of the guide as it was the main problem. Other services, such as boats and villas, unfortunately could not be refunded. Please understand that your circumstance was an exception. As evidenced by numerous positive review, we are known for taking control and genuinely caring about our consumers. We constantly strive to provide a fantastic experience, and we are devastated when we fall short. Thank you for taking the time to alert us to this. We will use your feedback to improve and guarantee that this does not happen again.

Best Villa/Lake Tour

Dominic_B, May 2022

Truly fabulous experience. We were on our honeymoon, so we wanted a private tour of a few villas around the lake, along with some time on the actual lake by boat. This tour checked every box for us. We enjoyed lunch at the il Perlo hotel beforehand, with delicious food and a panoramic view of the lake. From there, we met our guide and captain and were taken for the villas tour by boat. We toured the three villas with an extremely knowledgeable guide, and our experience wouldn’t have been the same without her. Although on the pricier side, this tour was worth every penny. We felt like we were in a movie: aboard a boat on Lake Como, bouncing from Villa to Villa. First class service, 10/10, would do this again in a heartbeat, no hesitation.

Response from Host, May 2022

We are very happy that you enjoyed our villa tour and that it matched your honeymoon! It was really a pleasure for us to have clients like you! We wish you a happy life together and hope to see you soon in Lake Como!