Private transfers to Varenna, Mandello del Lario and Colico: times, prices and what to see

The eastern shore of Lake Como is the quiet side of the lake. Where the central basin narrows between Bellagio and Cernobbio and fills with villas and ferry traffic, the shore that runs north from Lecco to Colico is a ribbon of road between the water and the mountains, with stone villages, olive groves and a wide horizon over the water at the northern end. Varenna sits halfway, hanging on the rock beneath Castello di Vezio; Mandello del Lario spreads a few kilometres to the south, at the foot of the Grigna; Colico closes the lake to the north, where the Adda flows in from the Valtellina and the water opens towards the plain. All three belong to the province of Lecco and are reached along the SS36, the lakeside road that is one of the most scenic drives in Lombardy.

From Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) the road distance to Varenna is around 110 kilometres: allow 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours in normal traffic, along the A8, the tangenziale east and then the SS36 up the shore. From Linate (LIN) it is about 85 kilometres, 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Bergamo Orio al Serio (BGY) is the handiest gateway: barely 65 kilometres, 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, with the airport motorway dropping you onto the plain before the lake road begins. With a private transfer these are door-to-door times: the driver waits in the arrivals area with a name sign, takes your luggage and brings you straight to your hotel in Varenna, your apartment in Mandello or your sailing club in Colico.

At peak hours - roughly 7:30-9:30 and 17:00-19:30 on weekdays - the ring roads around Milan and Lecco can add 10-20 minutes to any journey, and on summer weekends the lakeside fills with day-trippers from the city. A chauffeur service plans the departure with the right margin, follows the traffic in real time and takes the alternative route when it pays. The last stretch between Mandello and Colico runs through tunnels and galleries cut into the rock: beautiful, fast and best driven by someone who knows them.

The shore is also the natural crossroads between the lakes. Bellagio is fifteen minutes away by ferry from Varenna, Menaggio and the western shore lie opposite, Lugano is about an hour to the north and the Valtellina, with Sondrio and its vineyards, begins where the lake ends. For a day that touches several of these destinations the same car stays with you: no timetables to chase, no queues at the ferry with suitcases, no waiting on the pier in the rain.

On board, comfort makes the difference after a flight: business sedans such as the Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series or Audi A6, first-class saloons for those who want the top of the range, vans for families and groups of up to seven passengers and minibuses for larger parties. Wi-Fi, bottled water, USB sockets and air conditioning come as standard, and the driver handles the luggage from the terminal to the door.

Varenna is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and the postcard of the eastern shore. Houses in ochre and pink climb the rock from the small beach to the church tower, the lakefront walk hangs over the water, and above everything stands the castle. The village is small - it is crossed on foot in fifteen minutes - but it contains a whole day: the fortress, two villa gardens, the fishing quarter and the pier where the ferries arrive.

Castello di Vezio rises on a terrace above the village, a medieval fortress that guarded the lake route. A short climb - twenty minutes from the lakefront - opens one of the widest views in Lombardy: the whole central basin, Bellagio opposite, the Grigna behind and, on clear days, the Apennines to the south. In spring and summer the castle is also home to birds of prey that fly free over the terrace, and in autumn the mists rise from the water and give the place its ghostly reputation.

Below the castle are the gardens: Villa Monastero, an ancient Cistercian convent turned patrician residence, with a botanical garden that stretches along the lake for almost a kilometre between exotic plants, statues and cypresses; and Villa Cipressi, with its terraces of flowers tumbling towards the water. Between the two, the Fiumelatte throws itself into the lake from a rock: one of the shortest rivers in Italy, about two hundred and fifty metres, visible only from March to October when its waters run.

The shore keeps its working soul in Pescarenico, the fishing hamlet below the village where the boats still come in at dawn and the trattorie serve the lake's fish. This is the setting Manzoni chose for The Betrothed: the church of San Giorgio, the houses of the fishermen and the river that closes the harbour are exactly as the novel describes them.

Spring is the season of the gardens: Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi open in full bloom, the wisteria falls over the lakefront walls and the paths of the Sentiero del Viandante are passable again after the winter. The days are mild, the villages are quiet before the summer crowds and the light on the water is the softest of the year. Whoever can choose should choose April and May.

Summer moves everything outdoors: swimming and sailing on the wide water of Colico, ferries crossing every half hour, long evenings on the lakefront of Varenna. July and August are the busiest months and on weekends the shore fills with people from Milan: leaving early in the morning and travelling with a driver who knows the road makes even the busiest days smooth. The high season is also the time for boat trips, kayaking below the castle and dinners with the lake outside the window.

Autumn turns the woods of the Val Sanagra and the slopes of the Grigna copper and gold, the chestnut harvest fills the valleys and the villages return to their own pace. It is the season of the quietest stays and of the clearest air: on October mornings the view from Castello di Vezio reaches the Apennines. Winter is mild on the water and cold in the shade, with Christmas lights in the villages, the markets of the lake towns and the spas of San Pellegrino Terme an hour away in the Brembana valley.

The table is the lake and the mountains together. Missoltini - the agone of the lake dried in the sun and grilled with polenta - are the dish of the shore, along with lake trout, perch and the miascia, the old cake of breadcrumbs, dried fruit and apples. A few kilometres inland the cuisine becomes mountain food: polenta uncia, cheeses, mushrooms and, in the Valtellina just beyond Colico, pizzoccheri and bresaola. Our Valtellina guide covers that road.

For those travelling on business the shore works well as a base: quiet hotels on the water, Milan within an hour and a half, and an evening that ends at a fish restaurant instead of a motorway. Our Lecco guide covers the provincial capital at the other end of the road, while for the crossing to the central lake the Bellagio guide has all the details. With a driver at your disposal, a dinner on the shore stays what it should be: a pleasure.

Booking takes a few minutes. Enter the pick-up point - a terminal at Malpensa, Linate or Bergamo, a hotel, a private address or an office - the exact destination on the shore, the date and time, the number of passengers and pieces of luggage. The system shows the fixed fare and the available vehicle classes at once, and our prices page lists the main routes.

The classes cover every need: business for two or three passengers with luggage, first for those who want the top of the range, van up to seven passengers and minibus for larger groups. Child seats, ski or bike carriers and pet transport are available on request: say what you need when booking and the car arrives prepared. The whole fleet is described in its dedicated page.

If you are landing at the airport, enter your flight number: this activates real-time monitoring. Early or late, the pick-up time adjusts automatically at no extra cost, and waiting at the terminal is included. On arrival you will find the driver in the arrivals area with a name sign, ready to take your luggage - the classic meet & greet that saves you the most tiring quarter of an hour of the journey.

Payment is secure, by card or bank transfer, and includes the fare, tolls, airport waiting and meet & greet: no hidden costs and no meter. Cancellation is free up to 48 hours before the service, and changes of time or destination are handled by customer service without penalties. Companies get invoicing and dedicated accounts with travel expense reports, and the airport transfer pages cover the standard routes from the three airports.

Once the booking is confirmed you receive a voucher with every detail and, the day before, the driver's direct contact. On the day of travel everything is simple: the car is at the door at the agreed time, the luggage is handled for you and the road along the lake is only the beginning of the stay. Any special requirement - a stop on the way, a child seat, a delayed train - is easier to solve before departure: our contact page is there for a quick message.