10 Things to do in Lake Como at Christmas

Magic fills every corner of Lake Como and its surroundings. The regions that stand on the shores of the lake become real Christmas villages, where adults and children can let their imagination run wild with multiple plans to do and enjoy with the family.

That's why a trip to this region during the Christmas season is one of the best things to see and do in Lake Como. Living nativity scenes, handing out letters to Father Christmas, light shows and a long list of amazing things to do are everywhere in Como and the surrounding towns.

This is undoubtedly an excellent season to embark on one of the best tours of Lake Como, especially to tour the historic centre of Como, which, come Christmas, is transformed into the Città dei Balocchi. It is a beautiful open-air light show.

This spectacle is also known as the Magic Light Festival, and is nothing more than a compendium of luminous images that illuminate houses, buildings, squares and every corner of the city. At the same time, the Christmas lights are present in the neighbourhoods of Como, with the Piazza del Duomo being one of the first places to appreciate the spectacle.

In the midst of all the festivities, you can also have fun at certain visitor attractions, such as the skating rink and the Ferris wheel, from which you can better appreciate the spectacle of Como illuminated.

Interesting details

• Price: You can enjoy the festivities for free.
• How to get there: First you will have to go to Piazza Duomo and then continue through the city of Como to see the spectacle.
• Date and time: This show runs from the second week of November to the first week of January.

When it comes to taking a boat tour of Lake Como, there's no better way to do it at Christmas time than by boarding one of the Christmas cruises. When you get on one of them, you will be able to see from the water the other villages overlooking the lake, which are also illuminated according to the season.

These cruises are just the Christmas edition of the Lake Como Summer Light, an event held on Lake Como in the summer. The best time to take a cruise is when the sun sets and you're sure to get the best postcards.

You'll be delighted by the decorations that adorn the villages of Blevio, Faggeto, Torno, Lezzeno, Pognana, Nesso and Careno as the cruise heads towards the centre of the lake. On the way back, you can see the decorations of Sala Comacina, Brienno, Argegno, Colonno, Cernobbio, Carate Urio and Moltrasio. Don't miss the Christmas snacks served on board the Christmas Lights Cruises.

Interesting details

• Price: To enjoy this experience you will have to pay an average price of 40 euros per person.
• How to get there: You'll need to arrive at the port to board, at your own expense, either on foot, using public transport or private car.
• Date and time: There are usually around three to four cruises scheduled throughout the season, departing between December and January. This cruise usually departs at around 18:00 from Como, and returns at approximately 21:00.

In the villages around Lake Como, you can see different living nativity scenes that are organised to commemorate the birth of the Christ child. There are also Christmas markets where you can enjoy the gastronomic offer of the season and buy whatever you need to complete your decorations.

This offer of Christmas markets and living nativity scenes is one of the best things to do in Lake Como, especially after sunset, because the atmosphere becomes magical, ideal for children's entertainment.

You will be able to take many photos on the traditional tree and you can also go skating on the ice rink that is placed in the middle of the celebration every year. You'll love the aroma of roasting chestnuts and enjoying mulled wine, which are part of the region's Christmas gastronomic traditions.

Also joining in the celebration is the sound animation that accompanies the light projections and you will enjoy listening to the narrator of the event announcing all the activities from the Broletto. As if that wasn't enough, you'll want to hop on the Christmas train that will take you through the decorations of Via Garibaldi and Piazza Verdi to see the nativity scenes.

Interesting details

• Price: There is no charge to enjoy the nativity scenes.
• How to get there: This festival takes place in the town of Como itself, so you can walk to the event.
• Date and time: This activity usually takes place between the second week of November and the first week of January. I recommend going to this event in the evenings.

Continuing with the idea of visiting nativity scenes, there is one that is really special and that you will love to see. It is none other than the floating crib of Cernobbio, which you can visit and contemplate when it is inaugurated just after midnight mass.

By now this crib has become a tradition among the things to see and do in Lago di Como in December. You can find it on the Riva di Cernobbio until the arrival of the Three Wise Men on January 6th. It is a very nice activity in which you can participate.

It is a group of people who leave from the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer on the night of the 24th of December and, amidst torches and joy, march to the lake to place the image of the Child Jesus on the crib, which the locals then immerse in the water until the arrival of the Three Wise Men.

In Argegno, on the other hand, you can enjoy a beautiful living nativity scene, whose annual tradition is set for 1 January in the midst of a celebration known as the "Chapel", in which the events of various moments in the life of Jesus are re-enacted. You'll see many figures in period costume and can have your photo taken with them.

Interesting details

• Price: There is no charge to take part in this experience.
• How to get there: The procession departs from the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer in Cernobbio and then walks to the lakeside.
• Date and time: The crib is inaugurated on the night of December 24th and remains there until January 6th, the day of the Three Kings. To see the procession and take part in it, you will have to go during the night of December 24th.

On the 5th of January Bellano celebrates the feast of the Pesa Vegia, a tradition that has been present at Christmas on Lake Como for about 400 years. In the midst of the celebration, the locals recreate bonfires, make kings' cavalcades and gather on the shore of the river, to commemorate a historical event that coincided with the celebration of the Epiphany and is now more than traditional.

This celebration has to do with the joy and gratitude of the people of Bellano when around 1600 they succeeded in getting the governor of the region at the time to advocate keeping the old weighing system, or pesa vegia (which was the unit of trade at the time) unchanged, instead of adopting a new weighing system, the pesa nova, which was of no benefit to traders.

The news that the pesa vegia was being retained came just on the eve of Epiphany, the celebration that replaces the Three Wise Men in Italy. And so it was that the sacred and the profane became intertwined in a beautiful tradition. You can take part in the activities and discover the religious soul of the locals.

Interesting details

• Price: You don't have to pay anything to enjoy these celebrations.
• How to get there: To get to Bellano you will have to travel by boat or by land by private car or using public transport.
• Date and Time: You can enjoy this experience on the evening of January 5th, when the locals gather to celebrate another year of tradition.

Among the most incredible Christmas experiences is this train ride, which is the winter version of the Lario Express. It is a historic train organised by the Fondazione FS and departs from Milan to visit the hinterland of Lombardy, and visit each of the villages of Lake Como.

It is a good activity to include in your list of things to do in Lake Como in winter because the old carriages will give you the impression of being stopped in time. You will be able to see from your window, how each village presents its best Christmas decorations contrasting with its landscapes.

Some of the places you will see on the tour are: the minor Basilica of Seregno, the ancient village of Cantù and the Benedictine abbey from the end of the 19th century. You will love to look at the medieval architecture of these places.

Interesting details

• Price: You will have to pay between 5 and 7 euros per person to board this train. The price difference depends on the age of each passenger. If you want to include the boat ride, the price is around 17 euros per person.
• How to get there: The whole trip is done by train, but to get to the boarding point, you will have to do it on your own, either by private car or using public transport.
• Date and Times: This experience is available during the winter season, between November and January. Departures vary in time, but most depart between 8:30 and 11:00.

Until 18 December you have the opportunity to take a trip on the Orione motor boat. This is a magical Christmas experience that you will have the opportunity to enjoy twice a day. The whole boat is decorated with Christmas motifs and offers entertainment for everyone on board, so it's a great plan if you're travelling with children.

One of the most eagerly awaited attractions on board is the meeting with Father Christmas, where children take the opportunity to give him their Christmas wishes. In addition to the tour, the whole area is dressed up for Christmas, especially part of the fleet of ships, which is illuminated for the season.

Interesting details

• Price: You'll have to pay around 80 euros to get on the boat for Christmas.
• How to get there: The whole experience is completed by boat, but to get to the starting point, you will have to do it on your own, either by private car or public transport.
• Date and Time: This experience is generally available between the second week of December and the first week of January.

La Befana is the Italian way of celebrating the Epiphany or the arrival of the Three Wise Men. Throughout the territory the Befana is celebrated as a good witch who brings toys to children and coal to those who have not behaved well during the year.

In the case of Lake Como, the Befana is celebrated in the historic centre of Como, where the locals get organised to dress up, hold celebrations in honour of the Befana and above all place different witches in her representation in some buildings of the city. You will love to participate and watch these shows where children are the protagonists.

In addition to the celebrations, in Lake Como there are also gatherings in the houses where traditional Italian Christmas food is eaten. Another interesting tradition of this celebration is the famous burning of a human-like doll.

Interesting details

• Price: There is no entrance fee to participate in these events.
• How to get there: Generally the Befana celebrations are held in the historic centre of Como.
• Timetable: The burning of the doll takes place in the evening, while the Befana festivities start on the morning of the 6th.

The streets and squares of the centre of Como and the other towns around the lake are filled with Christmas markets, as well as attractions for all ages. If there's one thing that makes the atmosphere that much more magical, it's the decorations and Christmas music.

When you visit the centre in search of the markets, you can stroll around the more than fifty houses in Piazza Cavour where you can find many typical products and handicrafts from Como and the rest of the Lombardy region.

At least twenty of these houses are dedicated to offering street food, so you can enjoy the gastronomy. One of the most beautiful attractions is the Christmas tree that stands in Piazza Duomo and is the most representative symbol of Christmas in Lake Como.

Interesting details

• Price: You don't have to pay anything to enjoy the markets, but you do have to pay for what you want to buy inside.
• How to get there: The markets are located in the centre of Como and also in the historic centre of each of the villages around the Lake, you can get there on foot or by car.
• Opening hours: Generally this activity can be experienced from the first week of December to the first week of January. The Christmas tree is illuminated at night.

Castello di Carimate is a special place in Lago di Como, and during the Christmas season it is even more so. During this season the area is flooded with Christmas markets full of activities for children and adults. You can also find there the creations of different artisans and an endless number of gastronomic offers.

This Christmas market is held here for at least four days, with Father Christmas' house being one of the most popular attractions for children. If you are a lover of Italian cuisine, you can indulge in polenta-based dishes. In fact, going to these markets is an ideal option if you're going for a romantic getaway.

Interesting details

• Price: You don't have to pay an entrance fee to see the markets and experience them, but you do have to pay for what you want to buy inside.
• How to get there: These activities take place at the Castello di Carimate in the town of Como.
• Date and Time: Runs for four days throughout the season, which is usually the week before Christmas. Open from 10:00 to 20:00.