I don’t think that anyone would argue that Lake Como isn’t the most well known of the two lakes. In more recent years, Lake Como has been made famous in part by some of the very famous visitors it has enjoyed. These include George Clooney who owns an impressive 22 room mansion – the 18th century Villa Oleandra – overlooking the lake but over the years it has also included other celebrities such as Richard Branson, Gianni Versace and Madonna. No doubt, these celebrities were all attracted by the opulent lakeside villas, some of which are up for sale or available to rent whilst others have already been converted into luxury hotels. Lake Como has also been the backdrop for a number of films from Casino Royale to Star Wars and from The Bold and the Beautiful to A Month by the Lake.
Lake Como’s popularity is not a recent phenomenon. Further back, in the 18th and 19th centuries, Lake Como attracted renowned poets, authors and composers such as Byron, Shelley, Stendhal and Verdi. It’s not to say that Lake Maggiore didn’t provide literary greats with inspiration – Lake Maggiore did feature in Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms and both Lake Como and Lake Maggiore featured on the Grand Tour – but its influence was arguably less.
These days, both areas are particularly popular with German, Dutch and British holidaymakers. But visitor numbers show that in 2018, 1.4 million tourists visited Lake Como, more than visited Lake Maggiore. However, we think Lake Maggiore definitely holds its own against its more famous neighbour. Here are five reasons why we prefer a stay in an Italian Lakes villa on Lake Maggiore to one on Lake Como:
1. It’s cheaper!
You’ll get much more for your money on Lake Maggiore than Lake Como. Due to the increased number of visitors on Lake Como, you’ll find demand for accommodation that little bit higher which in turn leads to higher prices, not just for a hotel or an Italian Lakes villa or apartment rental, but also for food and excursions. It’s still not unusual to be able to buy an enormous pizza on Lake Maggiore for just 5 or 6 euros! That said, Lake Como does have a wider choice of places to stay with everything from budget hostels to high end luxury hotels.
2. It’s just as beautiful!
Lake Como is famous for its magnificent lakeside villas and incredible gardens but the gardens of Isola Bella and Isola Madre on Lake Maggiore are just as stunning. And the same came be said for its lakeside towns and villages too. On Lake Como, the most famous villages include Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio but we reckon you’ll find Lake Maggiore’s villages – Cannero, Cannobio, Arona and Ascona – just as charming and attractive. Lake Como is arguably more dramatic when it comes to scenery, probably in large part because the mountains seem to almost rise directly out of the lake itself but, in our opinion, this doesn’t make it any more beautiful than Lake Maggiore.
3. It’s more authentic!
Arguably with the exception of Stresa, we find Lake Maggiore that bit more authentic than Lake Como. On Lake Maggiore, more often than not, waiters won’t assume you want them to speak to you in your native language and will hand you a menu in Italian. In Como, you’re more likely to be given a translated menu. Not only that, but Lake Maggiore is less dependent on tourism for income. As a result, you’ll find that if you’re staying in an Italian Lakes villa off-season, there are less villages closed up for the season on Lake Maggiore and more restaurants still open for business.
4. The roads are quieter!
Lake Como’s roads will get clogged up during the peak Summer months. With visitor numbers higher on Lake Como and with the lake roads simply narrower and harder to pass than on Lake Maggiore, Summer traffic queues on Lake Como are pretty much inevitable. On Lake Maggiore, the mountains are set that little further back from the lake which, at a practical level means that roads tend to be wider allowing traffic to move more freely.
5. The lake is easier to access
For us, it’s frustrating being so close to the lake and not be able to jump in! On Lake Maggiore, the crystal clear waters of the lake are wonderful to swim in and you’ll find average lake temperatures in the peak Summer months sitting pleasantly somewhere between 21 and 27 degrees centigrade. Lake Maggiore can boast a number of larger beach clubs and lidos. Our favourite by far is the lido at Locarno which is home to five outdoor pools as well as indoor pools and diving pools. It also has water slides to enjoy, inflatable obstacle courses and much more. However the shoreline all around Lake Maggiore is dotted with small bays and beaches which are easily accessible by car so wherever your Italian Lakes villa rental is, you’ll only ever be a few minutes from the beach. If you rent a boat for the day, you’ll find even more places to enjoy a swim. What is more, in most parts of the lake, the water gently slopes away from the shoreline making it wonderfully safe even for young children.
While Lake Como does have spots around the lake where you can sunbathe and swim – there are lidos in Como, Varenna-Perlado, Menaggio and elsewhere – they’re definitely not nearly as numerous as on Lake Maggiore and tend to be more ‘formal’ beach clubs where you pay for facilities.
All that being said, you won’t go wrong with an Italian Lakes villa holiday on either Lake Como or Lake Maggiore. Both are stunning and both have a timeless appeal that draws holidaymakers and tourists back year after year. Yes, we prefer Lake Maggiore for these reasons, but Lake Como comes a really close second! If you’d like some help finding the perfect Italian Lakes villa, whether on Lake Como, Lake Maggiore or even Lake Garda to the east, then do get in touch with Italian Lakes villa rental specialists, Bookings For You.