Como and Lugano Lakes Walking Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Menaggio

You’ll start your hiking tour of Lombardy in Menaggio, a lakeside town with a beautiful mountain view. Take some time to relax in the town centre or take a walk through the neighbouring forest. Villa Carlotta nearby has incredible gardens that are definitely worth your time.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Menaggio
Distance: None
Meals: None

Day 2 Walk from Varenna to Dervio

Start your hiking tour of Lombardy with a more relaxed trip around the eastern side of Lake Como along Sentiero del Viandante, “The Wayfarer’s Path.” The landscape you’ll pass is exceptional, and the views are picture-perfect. You can make a quick trip up to the castle in Vezio, which is definitely worth it!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Menaggio
Distance: 5 hours, 12.4 km, 637m elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 Choice of walks

For the next few days, you can pick between three walks to complete on whichever day you prefer. The first walk is a loop walk that passes through the Val Sanagra nature reserve, a lesser-explored area with a storied history. You’ll walk to Loveno, a villa-clad town, and then along the Sanagra stream, which flows from high in the mountains. Resist the urge to take a dip- it’s chilly! Next, you’ll explore Barna, a hamlet with an incredibly peaceful, slow pace of life.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Menaggio
Distance: 15.5 km, 40m elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 Choice of walks

The next walk you can choose starts in Breglia, and then continues up two of the highest peaks in the area, Monte Grona and Monte Bregagnino. This means you get birds-eye views of the three lakes in the area and the surrounding villages. On a clear day, enjoy the view of the Alps in the distance.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Menaggio
Distance: 6.5 hours, 14 km, 1000m elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 Choice of walks

The final walk you can choose for days 3-5 follows the Antica Strada Regina on the west side of Lake Como. The route was built by the Romans, and connects Lake Como with several alpine passes. You’ll walk along cobblestone to Rexxonico, where the views of the lake are exceptional.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Menaggio
Distance: 3 hours, 9 km, 330m elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 Walk from Cavargna to Porlezza

Start the morning with a private transfer to Cavargna, which sits high on a hill. You’ll climb up to the Church of Saint Lucio, which straddles the border of Italy and Switzerland. Pop over to the other side and snap a photo! Then, you’ll hike to Monti, a remote hamlet normally only accessible by land rover. Descend to Molzano, where the trail is flanked by mountains and leads to clear views of Lake Como and Lake Lugano.

The last section of today’s hike follows a trail through the woods and meadows to Porlezza, and this section of the path is spectacular. Soak it in and make sure to snap some photos, as this is one of the highlights of the area!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Porlezza
Distance: 5 hours, 16.5 km, 600m elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 Walk from Porlezza to San Mamete

The final full day of the Lombardy Cuomo & Lugano Lakes Tour takes you up into the mountains above Lugano Lake. You’ll pass waterfalls, forests, and small villages almost too perfect to be real. The ascent is tough, but you’ll be rewarded with excellent views from Alpe Vecchio, the mountain hut on the plateau. If your knees hold up on the way down, you’ll make it back to San Mamete with time to relax a moment before the bus takes you to Porlezza for the night.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Porlezza
Distance: 5 hours, 11.3 km, 1100m elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 Arriverderci, Porlezza!

Savour a last breakfast in Lombardy looking over the lake before starting your travels home.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast