Italy and Switzerland Day Trip: Lake Como, Bellagio & Lugano from Milan
4.5
Italy and Switzerland Day Trip: Lake Como, Bellagio & Lugano from Milan
By City Wonders
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About
See two of Europe’s most picturesque lakes—Como in Italy and Lugano in Switzerland—on one day trip from Milan. Cruise Lake Como, and have free time to explore pretty lakeside towns on either side of the Swiss-Italian border. Travel by bus and ferry along the way instead of stressing about driving and navigation. Hear commentary about Como, learning more about the area than you would on your own.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 55 per group
Duration: 10h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
- Visit Como, Italy, and Lugano, Switzerland, in one day
- Get out of the lakeside towns and onto the water on a Lake Como cruise
- Have enough time to explore Bellagio and Lugano independently
- Hassle-free, round-trip transportation from Milan
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional, English speaking guide
- Headsets to always hear your guide
- 45 min. Como Lake cruise on a private boat
- Free time in the towns of Lugano and Bellagio
What's not included- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Your morning starts with pickup from central Milan by air-conditioned coach. After the drive to Como, board a boat for a lake cruise. Take advantage of the time spent cruising the water by snapping photos of glamorous villas and listening to guide commentary about the Como area. Next, enjoy free time and lunch (at own expense) in Bellagio, a pretty waterfront town of stone staircases and cobbled lanes also known as “the pearl of Lake Como.” Afterward, reboard the coach for the journey across the Swiss border to Lugano, a picturesque small city on the northern shore of a glacial lake. Explore independently: choosing to browse Swiss chocolate and luxury goods shops, walk along the waterfront, or visit religious sites like the Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angioli. Your day ends with drop-off at the original departure point in the late afternoon.
- Start:
- Stazione Porta Garibaldi, P.za Sigmund Freud, 1, 20124 Milano MI, ItalyAt Milan Porta Garibaldi Train Station, in front of the main entrance. Facing the Milan Porta Garibaldi Train Station Main Entrance, the meeting point is on the left side just outside the station, in front of Bricco Café next to the stairs and under the covered portico
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3731MILANSWITZERLAND- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Most guests will not be required to have a Visa to enter Switzerland; a passport will be sufficient to enter the Country. Please check this website (https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/publiservice/weisungen-kreisschreiben/visa/liste1_staatsangehoerigkeit.html) for more information, and to determine if you may need a Visa (choose your country by selecting the first letter i.e “U” for United States.
- Please be advised that in the case of events beyond our control, we may need to adjust our itinerary to ensure the safety, quality, and satisfaction of your travel experience.
- If you wish to enter a church in one of the cities visited, please remember that knees and shoulders must be covered.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 55 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3731MILANSWITZERLAND
From
₹7,326.51
per adult (price varies by group size)
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Itinerary
- Stazione Porta Garibaldi, P.za Sigmund Freud, 1, 20124 Milano MI, ItalyAt Milan Porta Garibaldi Train Station, in front of the main entrance. Facing the Milan Porta Garibaldi Train Station Main Entrance, the meeting point is on the left side just outside the station, in front of Bricco Café next to the stairs and under the covered portico
- Pass byMilan
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- 825ryand0 contributionsGreat way to see these key landmarksTour was as described - informative, interesting, and little to no waiting. Lara was an engaged and knowledgeable guide who had a warm, funny personality!Written 9 February 2025
- mynameiskarina0 contributionsEducational ExperienceOur tour guide Lara was wonderful! She included cultural and historical components in her tour that we would not have otherwise known. Definitely recommend when visiting Milan.Written 7 February 2025
- Flyer492395043640 contributionsgorgeous trip!Great tour! I loved walking around Lake Como, especially since it wasn’t busy given that it was winter. The best part of the trip was the Bernina train ride from Saint Moritz.Written 4 February 2025
- Passcaro72600 contributionsGreatVery well organized tour, Silva our tour guide was excellent , she was very knowledgeable and entertaining . Last supper was very emotional 🥹Written 30 January 2025
- Georgesperson0 contributionsGood tour to acclimate to the areaMaria Erika was outstanding. Very informative. Good pace as we had to be on time for our viewing of The Last Supper I highly recommend this tour. For me, grateful because it was the only way I was going to get to see the painting. Grazie Maria Erika.Written 30 January 2025
- Kristy R0 contributionsEntertaining and informative tourExcellent guide, brought the history of the city to life with entertaining and enlightening information and a sprinkling of local gossip whilst we explored the Duomo and walked though the city to the Last Supper via the Castello.Written 21 January 2025
- jacobwG7718BT0 contributionsGreat Tour!Great tour with Fadiama (might be incorrect spelling)! Very knowledgeable and entertaining tour! As someone who likes walking around and exploring cities by foot this was a wonderful tour.Written 14 January 2025
- santhiar20240 contributionsamazing experience! definitely recommended if you are in Milanoit was a super great experience going in bernina express, the changing sceneries are sooo sooo beautiful. The lush green valleys and the snow capped mountains and the frozen waterfalls are treats to the eye. the guide arrangement and transportation was good.Written 7 January 2025
- PerocCT0 contributionsIMHO not worth itIt was underwhelming at the best. I feel I could have received the same amount of information from a rented audible headset.Written 5 January 2025
- Nancy Q0 contributionsIt was a very expensive walking tour.The tour was just ok. The guide's English was heavily accented and difficult to follow. He was nice and knowledgeable, but so much detail was given that I would lose focus trying to piece it all together. Better to stop and be a little more succinct......just my suggestion. Also, it was expensive for what the tour included.Written 4 January 2025
- Family4RdTrip0 contributionsGreat walking tour, Last Supper with good informationEmma was a great tour guide, very knowledgeable and helpful. We stepped off our flight, drove straight to Milan and met the tour without a hitch. The value in this particular tour was that not only did we see The Last Supper and learn about the artwork, which was fantastic, but we also then had a great tour of the area, extending from Sforza to the Duomo and on to the Teatro. Emma pointed out all kinds of sites in the area and really oriented us to the city, which made it much easier for us when we came back to do more exploring a few days later. Seeing the area in the evening was a different and beautiful option, especially leading up to the winter holidays when the atmosphere was so festive! I would definitely recommend!Written 28 December 2024
- holmesfamily20150 contributionsBest day experience from Milan.Had the best time. The bus ride was comfotable tg here and back and we had enough free time to explore. The train ride was the best. We could move around, open the windows and take the most spectacular photos while enjoying the snow. A must do trip!!!Written 25 December 2024
- herschp20240 contributionsHighly recommend.Really enjoyed this tour. The guide was knowledgable and kind. It was very convenient not to have to wait in line to see The Last Supper.Written 24 December 2024
- B4825RGpauls0 contributionsA worthwhile way to learn about the history, art and culture of MilanA worthwhile way to explore and learn about the history and culture of Milan. The tour guide was a local with lots of interesting stories about Milan. Well worth the experience.Written 15 December 2024
- Z8677SRpennyw0 contributionsLast Minute Cancellation by Operator.We booked this tour 4 months in advance. We were extremely disappointed when 24 hours before the tour was due to begin, it was cancelled. We had x2 more days in Milan and had come from New Zealand.Written 9 December 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
494 reviews
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Suzanne P
Philadelphia, PA40 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
This day trip was a good value and delivered everything advertised. Very beautiful views,;our guide shared cute rid-bits, pointing out the villas used as sets for “House of Gucci”, etc. Bellagio is beautiful and it’s worth €10 to walk in the gardens. Lugano is a lakeside small city. The lake and mountains beyond were picturesque, but the city is full of unacceptably expensive shops (Vitton, Prada), Everyone speaks Italian and, in the 1 hour and 5 minutes we could walk around, it didn’t seem much different from Italy. The total trip time was 9.5 hours. Every single seat in the bus was full, which led to a kerfuffle when several older married couples couldn’t get a seat together because younger single travelers jumped on first and hogged the windows. The majority of the passengers were Americans so no one would give up a window for an aisle. It was embarrassing, but hardly the vendor’s fault.
Written 12 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Soph R
18 contributions
The tour was definitely worth the money, taking into account how much it would cost to do the trips on your own.
As described by another reviewer, you take a coach to lake Como, cruising along the lake whilst the guide gives you a description of various sights. First stop is Bellagio where we had about 75 mins for lunch then a short ferry to the other side of the bridge. From there is a coach ride into Switzerland (lugano), where you have around an hour to wander around the city.
Alessandra was our guide and she was such a lovely guide! Her mic had some trouble which meant she wouldn't share as much information along the lake como cruise as we would have wanted, but she was very friendly. She did her best to overcome this and made sure the group knew where to meet at each destination. There were two influencers on our trip who were taking photos on the ferry and didn't get off with the group so missed this announcement, but as long as you stick with the guide you shouldn't have any problems getting lost etc!
I would say there probably needs to be maybe 20 minutes extra in Bellagio because you stop here for lunch at peak lunch time so it is very busy and by the time you have lunch, you don't have much time to explore. Lugano is also a quick stop by the time you disembark from the coach so as long as you're happy to take in the views, buy some chocolate and then head back this is perfect!
Overall we really enjoyed ourselves, saw two places we otherwise might not have been able to fit in, during our Italian summer trip, and found it reasonably well priced for a 10 hour trip! For us, a back up mic/additional guide to look after such a large group would turn this from a 4 star to a 5 star experience!
Either way, I would definitely recommend this tour and it's something I'd book again.
As described by another reviewer, you take a coach to lake Como, cruising along the lake whilst the guide gives you a description of various sights. First stop is Bellagio where we had about 75 mins for lunch then a short ferry to the other side of the bridge. From there is a coach ride into Switzerland (lugano), where you have around an hour to wander around the city.
Alessandra was our guide and she was such a lovely guide! Her mic had some trouble which meant she wouldn't share as much information along the lake como cruise as we would have wanted, but she was very friendly. She did her best to overcome this and made sure the group knew where to meet at each destination. There were two influencers on our trip who were taking photos on the ferry and didn't get off with the group so missed this announcement, but as long as you stick with the guide you shouldn't have any problems getting lost etc!
I would say there probably needs to be maybe 20 minutes extra in Bellagio because you stop here for lunch at peak lunch time so it is very busy and by the time you have lunch, you don't have much time to explore. Lugano is also a quick stop by the time you disembark from the coach so as long as you're happy to take in the views, buy some chocolate and then head back this is perfect!
Overall we really enjoyed ourselves, saw two places we otherwise might not have been able to fit in, during our Italian summer trip, and found it reasonably well priced for a 10 hour trip! For us, a back up mic/additional guide to look after such a large group would turn this from a 4 star to a 5 star experience!
Either way, I would definitely recommend this tour and it's something I'd book again.
Written 17 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chris m
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
Josephine was a fantastic guide, very organised and knowledgeable. Unfortunately Jo could not be responsible for the condition of the bus (multiple broken seats) and crowding on the lake cruise. We were fortunate the group was not fully occupied as there were at least 3 totally unusable seats, a real disappointment considering the cost of the tour. The lake cruise was overcrowded, standing room only, which meant it was impossible to actually see the many points of interest Jo was describing.
Written 12 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marcia494
Ribeirao Preto, SP37 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
The guide was very kind and fulfilled our expectations, but the bus was without air conditioning, the waiter at the recommended restaurant was rude and made us uncomfortable, shouting to the rooftops that we used two of us, a table for four, and the guide told us to enjoy the lunch. We had very little time in Lugano, it shouldn't have been included in the advert, as we barely had time for an ice cream. I don't recommend it for anyone who likes to explore the place by walking and visiting.

Written 30 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melissa G
12 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
My guide and driver were great. The tour itself was "ok". I felt rushed at both stops.
Lugano was a big letdown, but that's not the fault of the company. However, the "private" tour was an absolute joke! I literally paid an extra $700 so I can have a driver and guide catch up with the bigger tour. All it did was allow me not to be on the bus, whereas normally a "private" tour allowed time for the guide and guests to personalize tour, do things on their own and not rely on catching up with the bus or boat. It was never told to me or written in your description on your website that this is how the private tour is handled. I could've saved a lot of money or gone with a private guide that would cater to me which is what I was expecting. When I reached out on their chat, the person who responded said "this is how we handle these tours".
Lugano was a big letdown, but that's not the fault of the company. However, the "private" tour was an absolute joke! I literally paid an extra $700 so I can have a driver and guide catch up with the bigger tour. All it did was allow me not to be on the bus, whereas normally a "private" tour allowed time for the guide and guests to personalize tour, do things on their own and not rely on catching up with the bus or boat. It was never told to me or written in your description on your website that this is how the private tour is handled. I could've saved a lot of money or gone with a private guide that would cater to me which is what I was expecting. When I reached out on their chat, the person who responded said "this is how we handle these tours".
Written 15 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JPEZ2013
Phuket, Thailand34 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
The worst travel experience we have ever had and we have travelled extensively. The small group of "less than 25" which we paid a higher price for was 63 people. They even turned away people who had booked and arrived at the departure point. They must haven taken money from 80+ people for this "small group" tour. Only 1/4 of people on the bus wore face masks even though it is still mandatory in Italy. Bellagio was horrific. We walked from restaurant to restaurant for 2 hours because they were all full. They tour company could have told you in advance what to expect so you could have pre booked lunch. There was nowhere to even buy fruit or sit. The "cruise" was a public ferry not a smaller private boat you would expect for the price and it was like an apocalyptic movie being shoved forward in the large criwd in the heat on to an oversold ferry for 2 hours where you couldn't see past the crowds to see Lake Como. Everyone on the trip complained about the misleading by the tour company. Best advice. Get a train to Como have a nice meal and then hire a water taxi to cruise Lake Como. Avoid Bellagio. It is not Capri. It is very chaotic. The Switzerland part of the trip was good except for the more than double people on the trip.
Written 28 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear JPEZ2013,
Thank you for sharing your feedback on Trip Advisor.
We are sincerely sorry to hear that the tour did not live up to your expectations.
As it is the high season some stops on this tour could get really crowded due to their popularity.
Like many companies in the travel industry, City Wonders faced an unprecedented post-pandemic surge in demand during the past few weeks. This combined with Covid-related impacts caused operational issues, which we are working around the clock to resolve as quickly as possible. Therefore, we are sorry if the group was much bigger.
Please contact us directly at customer.service@citywonders.com to share more details with us ( your booking reference number and full name) so that we can further assist you in this matter.
We wish you safe Travels
Kindest Regards
Chadia
City Wonders
Written 29 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Robert P
3 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
Amazingly packed day of activities, well worth the cost as the tour guide Maria Erica was very knowledgable not only about italian history but also the history of Milanese culture. Mum and I loved every bit of the tour guide's work. Seeing Lake como from the boat was honestly an unforgettable experience and it was also exciting to see something totally different in Lugano. Ensure you bring your passport if you're on this tour!
Written 21 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelsey S
Boca Raton, FL10 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
The overall trip in itself was fine. It feels rushed from city to city and the tour guide did not communicate very much throughout the tour. The bus pick ups were poorly coordinated to the point that we were waiting 20-30 mins for the driver to pick us up, so we lost time in Lake Lugano. The boat ride on the lake was nice and walking around Bellagio was beautiful.
Written 26 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cici
10 contributions
Jan 2025 • Family
Very nice tour even in winter. We were lucky as it was sunny the whole day. We especially loved Lugano and wish that we could have spent more time there. We also would have preferred more quite time to enjoy the surroundings - the tour guide kept talking non-stop. She did provide good information but felt the need to repeat everything at least 5 times (no exaggeration). Don't stop to eat at the first restaurant as it is touristy and very expensive. Have a walk around. Even in winter we found a few places open.
Written 20 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kayle Smith
Tampa, FL17 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Complete false advertisement!! This tour advertises a small group of 25 or less, their were 60 people on our tour bus!! This was by no means a small private group. The 2-hour lake como water ride is a PUBLIC ferry that goes port to port , with 700 people on it!! It is not a nice “water cruise” like advertised on the page. The ferry was incredibly hot and muggy and made for a miserable ride. You could walk to the “open air” top of the boat , however every seat was full so you could not see the views of the lake. The boat ride was a waste of 2 hours.
The tour guide was amazing and I have to say that the views of Switzerland and Bellagio were amazing, however I would have never chosen this tour given the fact it was such a large amount of people.
For 115 dollars a person , we were transported from Milan , dropped off in Switzerland for 2 hours (on your own), dropped off in Bellagio for 3 hours (on your own) and then sat on a ferry for 2 hours. It was not worth the money at all.
Others on the tour were also disappointed as this was not what any of us signed up for.
I understand that a post covid surge could cause for slight overbooking, however this was completely advertised incorrectly and honestly deceitful.
If you’re looking for a small personable tour this is NOT the tour to book. We were highly disappointed as we chose this tour over others and felt like it was a waste of a day.
The tour guide was amazing and I have to say that the views of Switzerland and Bellagio were amazing, however I would have never chosen this tour given the fact it was such a large amount of people.
For 115 dollars a person , we were transported from Milan , dropped off in Switzerland for 2 hours (on your own), dropped off in Bellagio for 3 hours (on your own) and then sat on a ferry for 2 hours. It was not worth the money at all.
Others on the tour were also disappointed as this was not what any of us signed up for.
I understand that a post covid surge could cause for slight overbooking, however this was completely advertised incorrectly and honestly deceitful.
If you’re looking for a small personable tour this is NOT the tour to book. We were highly disappointed as we chose this tour over others and felt like it was a waste of a day.
Written 15 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Kayle S,
Thanks for your review.
We are very sorry about your experience. Like many companies in the travel industry, City Wonders faced an unprecedented post-pandemic surge in demand during the past few weeks.
This combined with Covid-related impacts caused operational issues, which we are working around the clock to resolve as quickly as possible.
What you experienced is not the typical excellent service that City Wonders is known for, and we truly apologize.
Please contact us directly at customer.service@citywonders.com if you still need assistance or would like to share more details with us.
Kind regards,
Federica
City Wonders
Written 16 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hello, does the trip includes Villa Del Balbianello?
Written 2 February 2025
Hello, does the trip includes Villa Del Balbianello?
Written 2 February 2025
Hi, I was just wondering why one day could be £76 per person and then the following day is £453 per person!
Written 24 January 2025
I have 21 days and I am planning to visit the south Italy and Milano from chamonix What is the best route .traveling by car
Written 13 January 2024
Hi - I see you guarantee a full refund if cancelled 24 hrs before the trip, but when I read your terms and conditions, it says you provide a travel voucher that is good for 18 months. Do you not offer cash refunds? I will not be back to Italy in that timeframe. Thank you.
Written 10 June 2022
I see that your site mentions a full refund if cancelled 24 hrs in advance, but when I read your terms and conditions, it says that the refund comes in the form of a travel voucher that is good for 18 months. Do you not give cash refunds? Thank you.
Written 9 June 2022
Can this be a one way from Milan to Luga but no return?
Written 31 May 2022
hi, i need to reach back to the hotel (starhotel ritz) at 5 pm, is it possible if i follow the itinerary? thanks
Written 6 May 2022
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