Lake Como is chic, an A-list favourite and sometimes overcrowded – the mayor of the city of Como, which is on the lake, even considered a daytripper visitor fee. The tourists hotspot in northern Italy has been a holiday resort for centuries (wealthy Romans built villas and baths on its shores), but it is now struggling to cope with its popularity.
Arrivals have grown since celebrities, including George Clooney, Richard Branson and Madonna, snapped up multi-million-euro properties along the water’s edge and films including Casino Royale and House of Gucci were shot on location along the lake.
Taylor Swift is the latest high-profile visitor to enjoy a holiday on its shores. Como could do without the sharp rise in custom that comes with a Swift endorsement. Business boomed for The Black Dog pub in Vauxhall, south London after she apparently named-checked it in a song, her appearance at the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City led to an uptick in ticket sales for its NFL team and First Choice saw a 175 per cent increase in searches for travel to Portugal ahead of her gig in Lisbon.
Swift went mainstream when picking Lake Como for her holiday. In 2023, 4.8 million overnight stays were recorded for on Italy’s third-largest lake. This demand can make the resort costly and congested. But there are plenty of other, quieter lakes in Italy with pretty hamlets, waterside dining – and cheaper places to stay and to eat.
Lake Orta, Piedmont
Lying unobtrusively at the extreme west of Italy’s series of northern lakes is little Lake Orta. Tranquil and unspoilt, it is nicknamed Cinderella by the nearby residents of Milan. The waterbody is hemmed in by forested mountains that are interrupted here and there by a shoreside town or hilltop hamlet.
This pre-Alpine, wild nature lends a contemplative atmosphere to the lake. It is perhaps why its central island Isola di San Giulio was chosen to house a Romanesque basilica and a sprawling monastic complex where there is still an active community of Benedictine nuns.
Above the lake’s main town, Orta San Giulio, visitors can hike for free around one of northern Italy’s principal pilgrimage sites. The Sacro Monte is a series of 20 Unesco-designated Baroque chapels containing sculptural scenes which you can admire from outside. The trail is surrounded by woods with lofty views over the lake.
Where to stay: Hotel Aracoeli is located in the central piazza of Orta San Giulio. Double rooms start from £120 per night, ortainfo.com/hotel-ara-coeli.php.
Lake Albano, Lazio
A 45-minute, €2.10 train ride from Rome Termini station whisks you to the papal paradise of Lake Albano. The Eternal City’s pontiffs used this water-filled volcanic crater as a summer escape for centuries and, before that, it was a getaway for the Roman upper classes.
Castel Gandolfo, the lake’s main town, lies on a verdant ridge overlooking the water and is home to the grand Papal Palace. This seasonal retreat is open to visitors who can look around the interior, which is now a museum, and the manicured Renaissance gardens.
The nearby lakeside town of Ariccia is dedicated to more earthly pleasures. A culinary speciality is porchetta, pork belly and loin slow roasted with garlic and herbs. At Porchetta Cioli, you can eat it in one of the most traditional ways for under a five pounds – inside a crunchy bread roll.
Where to stay: At the four-star lake-view Hotel Castel Gandolfo, doubles start at £100 per night, hotelcastelgandolfo.com.
Lake Trasimeno, Umbria
For a taste of slow, rural Italy, seek out Lake Trasimeno in the region of Umbria. This waterbody is about the same size as Lake Como but has none of the pretension and a smaller price tag.
Around its shores, you’ll find fields of sunflowers in summer, ruined castles and medieval towns. Passignano sul Trasimeno is designated as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy while Castiglione del Lago is protected by imposing fortifications.
Though the water lacks the crystalline appearance of other lakes, it is clean and suitable for swimming – it is regularly monitored by regional authorities. Lake Trasimeno also teems with pike and carp so pack your gear if you like fishing –non-residents of the Umbria region can purchase a three-month licence for €15. You can try lake fish and other Umbrian specialities at Ristorante l’Acquario. Pasta dishes start at €14.50 and second courses are €17.50.
Where to stay: The elegant Isola Polvere Resort lies on an island in the lake. Double rooms start at £130 per night, isolapolveseresort.com.
Lake Resia/Reschensee, Trentino-Alto-Adige, South Tyrol
Like an Italian Atlantis, this lake is known for the medieval bell tower that emerges from its dark turquoise waters just in front of Curon Venosta village. Lake Resia (or Reschensee in German) lies in the German-speaking Alto-Adige region encircled by deep forest and snow-dusted Alps.
Its scenery masks an uglier past. Beneath the waters of the artificial lake is an abandoned village of Curon that residents were forced to evacuate in the 50s to make space for a reservoir. Local legend says the bells, despite having been removed, still ring out on cold winter days.
You can hike or bike along the 15km path that loops around the lake passing by hillside villages of chalets and Austrian-style restaurants.
Where to stay: Hotel Etschquelle is a flower-bedecked chalet on the lake with doubles starting from £110, hotel-etschquelle.com/de/hotel-etschquelle/.
Lake Carezza, South Tyrol
Though just a 300m long and 140m wide speck compared to Italy’s better-known lakes, Lake Carezza in the Alto-Adige Dolomites is one of its most attractive bodies of water. Its turquoise, cobalt and peacock blue water looks like a gemstone sunk into the earth.
Encircled by a thick pine forest and wildflower-covered banks in spring, the clear water reflects the snowy, sharp peaks of the Latemar mountain range. The lake can be reached on foot in less than half an hour from the nearby town of Carezza and there is a 20-minute trail around the water’s edge.
Where to stay: Doubles at the nearby Carezza Lake & River Hotel start from £65, lakeriverland.eu/.
