A good way to access the Italian lakes is to fly to Bergamo (known as Milan/Bergamo) by Ryanair it is only an hour from Milan no further than one of Milan's main airports. The local bus 1C runs every half hour from the airport to the station and on to the funicular, get your ticket in advance. Bergamo itself is a beautiful city with a great tradition for food. It is possible to get to the lakes by public transport but driving would probably be much easier. For all hotel bookings www.venere.com is great to use, they have a big selection of hotels in all main cities and towns.
The first choice is whether you want to stay in the low town or in the high town where there are fewer hotels. Near the Station the Hotel Piedmontese was extremely good value and the good public transport made reaching the high town simple.
The high town is full of places to eat loads with beautiful outdoor settings
Al Donizetti, Via Gombita 17/8 is a great place with outdoor seating in what was the old market which does cheeses and cold meats and other dishes such as guinea fowl and rabbit excellent value €
Ristorante Bernabo Piazza Mascheroni 11 this place does great pizzas and a huge selection of main courses very reasonable €
Café Della Funiculare inside the funicular station has a terrace with great views down to the low town.
There is selection of bars in the old town most doing food
Como has a number of different train stations depending on the train company both the stations and the bus station are walkable from the town centre. The Lake boats leave from the lakefront at Piazza Cavour where there is also the tourist information office. Information on sailings can be got from the timetables readily available.
There are fast and slow boats which have different complicated tariffs but various types of day tickets are available.
If you go up the lake Mennagio is lovely and Bellagio is probably the most beautiful town on the lake, there are loads of expensive restaurants Snack Bar La Laterna, Sallita Sebelloni 15 is fine for a cheap basic pasta dish there is another place at the top of that street on the left with outside seating which looked lovely and very reasonable
Como is an expensive town with a number of big lakeside hotels the rates will obviously depend on the season.
Hotel Firenze Plaza Volta is in the centre of town and is reasonable by Como prices there are lovely rooms facing the square and the staff are very friendly and helpful.
L’Angolo Divino Via Diaz 69 is an enoteca with great food and wine and very reasonable prices €
Ristorante Sociale Via M Comacini 8 (by the Cathedral) appears to be a Como Institution a local bar, with some hotel rooms and a restaurant with an outdoor terrace facing the Cathedral. The food is excellent and reasonably priced and the service is friendly € to €€
I 5 Sensi Art Café Via Diaz 56 is a modern trendy bar but does amazing cocktails at 3€ during its long happy hour and has a good free buffet
Meson Redondo Via Diaz 28 is a Spanish Bar, which does a great selection of drinks and snacks and has very good music
Caffe Nova Comum, Piazza Duomo is a popular evening hang out
Visini Sri Via Ballarini 9 is a grocers, restaurant and wine bar all in one go in and gaze at the wonderful displays of food or have a meal outside or just stand at the bar with a glass of wine and sample the wonderful free buffet if you are lucky enough to be there on a Saturday the locals meet there and Stefano cooks special dishes which he brings out for the customers at the bar to try a wonderful experience
Stresa
If you arrive by train the station is a good twenty-minute walk from the town centre although part of it is a pleasant lakeside stroll. The lake boats go from the lakefront opposite the town hall on the Piazza Marconi with timetables readily available. The Maggiore Express combines two train journeys and a boat journey and takes you into Locarno in Switzerland. The nearby islands of Isola Dei Pescatore (see restaurant below) and Isola Bella should be visited.
Like all Italian Lake side towns there a number of big lakeside hotels with swimming pools and gardens
Hotel Italie et Suisse, Piazza Marconi could not be in a better spot and is reasonably priced most rooms have lake facing balconies.
Restaurants & Bars
Restaurant La Botte Via Manzinni 6 is a great little place with a wide range of food the grilled meats are excellent €€
Al Buscio Piazza Santa Margherita 18 is a great wine bar with a huge and reasonable selection of wines it also does great cold meat and cheese platters at very reasonable prices
Just nearby is an excellent grocers, which does fantastic, made to order rolls with various fillings to take away and also has chilled small bottles of wine for the complete picnic there is a blackboard outside listing the choices.
Enoteca Da Giannino Via Garibaldi 32 is an excellent very friendly wine bar with a good selection and also does various snacks
Albergo Ristorante Verbano, Isolo Dei Pescatore, a the tip of the island facing over to Stresa this beautiful restaurant with a wonderful terrace has wonderful food in gorgeous surroundings €€ to €€€.
