Nest by the Lake

WELCOME

Welcome

The lake is small and quiet, the terrace catches the sun from morning on, and the coffee is ready in the kitchen. Take your time.

If you need anything, send us a message — we reply quickly.

Stefano & Elisa

WIFI & CONTACTS

WiFi & Contacts

WiFi

Network

Internet

Password

como2620

Contacts

We're glad to help by phone too — you'll find our number directly in the app you booked through (Airbnb or Booking), in your message thread with us. Write to us there anytime.

Email

info@lakemontorfano.com

Emergency

112

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

Breakfast is in the apartment, ready when you are. You'll find Lavazza coffee for the espresso machine, milk in the fridge, a selection of teas, croissants and biscuits, Nutella, and a few other small sweet things.

This is an Italian breakfast: light, slow, taken at home. An espresso, a croissant, ideally on the terrace if the weather's with you. It isn't a hotel buffet — it's the rhythm of a morning by the lake.

If you'd like fresh croissants, the Crème bakery is 2 minutes on foot. For something more substantial — eggs, bread, fruit — see the Eat & Drink section.

THE APARTMENT

The apartment

Coffee — Lavazza A Modo Mio Deséa

We've left Lavazza A Modo Mio capsules next to the machine. One useful detail: the Deséa takes A Modo Mio capsules only — they aren't interchangeable with Nespresso pods, which are a different shape. Any supermarket stocks them if you run out. The buttons on the machine do the rest: espresso, lungo, and a milk frother for cappuccino.

Air conditioning

Two Mitsubishi units (2024), one in the living room and one in the master bedroom, each with its own remote. Cool to lower the temperature, Dry for humid days. The bunk-bed room has no AC but stays naturally cool thanks to its aspect — if you'd like, we can bring a fan.

Heating

The apartment has radiators in every room. There's a valve at the base of each radiator to adjust the temperature.

Washer and dryer

Two separate machines. Laundry pods are in the drawer between them. A cotton or synthetics cycle at 40°C works for most loads.

Dishwasher

Tablets are under the kitchen sink. An Eco cycle is enough for everything.

Induction hob

Works only with magnetic-based cookware — all the pans in the kitchen are compatible.

TV

Smart TV with Netflix and Prime Video. Our accounts are already signed in — feel free to watch. If it logs you out, send us a message and we'll share the login.

LAKE MONTORFANO

Lake Montorfano

The lake

Lake Montorfano is small: about two and a half kilometres around, never deeper than seven metres, fed by underground springs — which keeps the water clear. Locals call it the lake of fairies, for the slightly out-of-time feeling you get walking around it. It sits inside a regional nature reserve.

The walk around the lake

The loop is about three and a half kilometres and takes under an hour at a relaxed pace. The first stretch runs through shaded woodland to a wooden pier — probably the best single spot to take in the whole lake at once. The return is on asphalt, more exposed to the sun, and cuts through the village before closing the loop.

Along the wooded section you'll pass the ruins of 17th-century ice-houses — small circular structures carved into the rock where ice cut from the lake in winter was stored and sold on through the summer. They look like unexplained ruins until you know what they are.

If you want to see the lake from above, a short steep detour leads up to the oratorio di Montorfano: from there you get the whole lake in one view, and it's five minutes of climb. Worth it.

One practical note: there are no bins along the path. Take a bag with you for anything you pick up.

Swimming

For equipped access there's the Lido di Montorfano, on via al Lago — paid entry, with grass, shade and facilities. But the real charm is the woodland path around the lake: along it you'll find three or four free clearings right on the water, where you can lie in the sun, relax and swim. They're unequipped — no facilities or bar — but in summer they're perfect: quiet, shaded by the trees, and steps from the path. The water is clean, the springs do that work.

Golf Villa d'Este — a hundred steps from the door

A few minutes' walk from the apartment stands one of Italy's most storied golf clubs. The Circolo Golf Villa d'Este was designed in 1926 by the Irish architect Peter Gannon — eighteen holes, par 69, set among thirty thousand trees with the Prealps in the background. It hosted twelve editions of the Italian Open through the twentieth century. This year, 2026, it turns one hundred.

You don't need to be a golfer to visit. The restaurant La Terrazza al Golf, open March to December (closed Tuesdays), is open to non-members: one of the finest dinners in the area, especially at sunset. Reservations recommended — 031 200200.

The Castle and Monte Orfano

Above the village, at about 550 metres, stand the ruins of the Castello di Montorfano — a medieval fortification that once hosted Frederick Barbarossa, destroyed by Charles V in 1530. The path starts on via Mandelli, to the left of the Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista: keep straight, leave the tarmac for the dirt track, turn right at the fork. On clear days you can see all the way to Milan from the top.

Fishing

For anyone who wants to try: a day permit costs five euros at Bar Roma or the Edicola Nero su Bianco, both in Piazza Roma. The lake holds perch, tench, carp, pike and eel.

Early morning

The light is best in the first hours, before the village wakes. An espresso on the terrace, a slow walk along the path — the lake at that hour is a different thing.

BREAKFAST & MEALS IN THE VILLAGE

Breakfast & meals in the village

The village is small and everything is on foot. It divides cleanly into two areas — the square and via Cantù.

Piazza Roma — the heart of the village

La Cicala · Piazza Roma 4
A long-standing pizzeria with slow-fermented dough and a good selection of seafood dishes. Good for groups and families. Booking recommended on weekends.

◉ Map

The square also has the pharmacy, and two spots for fishing permits (see The lake): Bar Roma and the Edicola Nero su Bianco.

Via Cantù — towards the lake

Crème · Via Cantù 2
The morning stop: espresso, warm croissants, a couple of tables outside when the weather holds. Also a decent spot to work for an hour with a laptop.

◉ Map

Groceries

Next to Crème you'll also find a few small shops — homeware and clothing, worth a look if you're passing.

DINNER WITH THE CAR

Dinner with the car

All about ten minutes away — our favourite places in the area, ordered by occasion.

The most special — Crotto del Sergente

Como (Lora) · Via Crotto del Sergente 13 · 031 283911 · crottodelsergente.it
An antique osteria set inside an 18th-century crotto — stone walls, low vaults, a cellar with over two hundred labels. Lombard cooking with contemporary touches, slow-cooked meats and homemade pasta their strong suit. The kind of dinner you'll talk about afterwards. Open daily, lunch and dinner. Booking recommended.

◉ Map

Lakeside in summer — La Limonaia

Characterful — Antica Trattoria della Pila

Fine dining — Il Cantuccio

Elegant — Gnocchetto

Tavernerio · Via Primo Maggio 56 · 031 426133 · gnocchetto.it
A family at it since 1926 — turning one hundred this year, like Villa d'Este Golf. Refined room in wood and iron, seasonal kitchen, a substantial wine list. Wednesday and Thursday evenings, a four-course menu with wine for €38. Listed in the Michelin guide.

◉ Map

Informal, broad menu — Elvis

Seafood — Da Rosa

Seafood — Delfino Blu

Something quick — Mystic Burger

DAY TRIPS

Day trips

Lake Como is only small on the map — every shore is a different world. Below, a mental map to orient you, from places a half-hour away by car to destinations worth a full day.

Como city — 10 minutes by car

The main town is worth a slow afternoon. The Duomo and Piazza Cavour on the lakefront, the Tempio Voltiano dedicated to Alessandro Volta (a Como native), the Life Electric monument by Libeskind on the breakwater. The funicular to Brunate rises in seven minutes and offers one of the widest views of the lake — on clear days, from the Volta lighthouse, you can see as far as Monte Rosa. Villa Olmo and its park for a walk. The Basilica of Sant'Abbondio, Romanesque, often nearly empty, is worth a quiet stop. For the fashion-minded: the Silk Museum, since Como remains Italy's silk capital.

Lake Como — eastern shore, the closest

Torno · 25 minutes by car
A tiny, beautiful hamlet, with the church of Santa Tecla perched over the water. Here you eat at Ristorante Vapore — a historic lakeside hotel-restaurant with a terrace at water level. Lake Como specialities: missoltini, risotto with perch, grilled lavarello. Reopened in 2026 after renovation.

Lido di Faggeto (MiAmiLaryo) · 20 minutes by car
A golden-sand beach with loungers, umbrellas, a bar, and a wooden pier, on a stretch of lake that's always swimmable thanks to the mountain springs. It faces Laglio — Clooney's villa is on the opposite shore. Good for a whole day in summer. Booking a spot is recommended.

Nesso · 30 minutes by car
A village clinging to the rock, famous for the Orrido di Nesso — a waterfall that descends between the houses. Steep stairways to the mouth, but the effort repays.

Bellagio · 40 minutes by car, or 1 hour by ferry from Como
The pearl of the lake at the tip of the triangle. Elegant, with Villa Melzi and Villa Serbelloni. Very touristy in high season — best early morning or September.

Varenna · by train from Lecco, or ferry from Bellagio
On the eastern shore of the Lecco arm, less crowded than Bellagio but just as lovely. The Lovers' Walk along the lake, Villa Monastero and its gardens. The classic loop: Como to Varenna by train, back by boat via Bellagio.

Lake Como — western shore

Cernobbio · 20 minutes by car
Home of the Grand Hotel Villa d'Este — a hotel straight out of a history book. Elegant lakefront promenade, cafés with a view.

Argegno + Pigra cable car · 40 minutes by car
From Argegno leaves Italy's steepest cable car (after Sacro Monte di Varallo): four minutes of ascent, 650 metres of elevation, gradients up to 95%, ending in the small village of Pigra. From up there, the widest view you'll get over the lake. Open Friday/Saturday/Sunday and holidays until June 30, then daily. Check updated hours before setting out.

Villa del Balbianello (Lenno) · 45 minutes by car
One of the most photographed villas on the lake — it appears in Star Wars Episode II and Casino Royale. Terraced gardens over the water, reached on foot or by taxi-boat. Online booking recommended in high season.

Villa Carlotta (Tremezzo) · 50 minutes by car
One of Italy's finest botanical gardens, azaleas and rhododendrons in spring. 18th-century villa with sculpture collections.

Menaggio · 1 hour by car
Elegant lakefront, main square lively in summer. A good base for ferries to Bellagio and Varenna, or hikes into Val Menaggio.

Lecco and the eastern arm

Lecco town · 40 minutes by car
Less touristy than Como, rougher, more authentic. The atmospheres of Manzoni's Promessi Sposi are still readable along the lakefront and in the old quarters. Piazza XX Settembre for a coffee.

Abbazia di Piona (Colico) · 1 hr 15 by car
An 11th-century Cluniac abbey on a peninsula at the lake's northern tip. Silence, cloister, liqueurs made by the monks. A long trip but a memorable one.

Piani d'Erna (cable car from Lecco) · 50 minutes by car + cable car
For walkers: from 1370 metres, trails open up on the Resegone.

Milan — 40 minutes by train from Como S. Giovanni

The train is easier than driving (Milan parking is a headache). Duomo, the Galleria, La Scala make the classic half-day. If you have more: the Pinacoteca di Brera and its neighbourhood, Fondazione Prada for contemporary art, the Navigli for evening aperitivo. The Museo del Novecento in Piazza Duomo is underrated — Italian Futurism and 20th-century work, rarely crowded.

Switzerland — Lugano — 45 minutes by car

The border is a few kilometres away. Lugano has a very pleasant pedestrian old town, a polished lakefront, and a museum — LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura — among the finest in Ticino. The funicular to Monte Brè or Monte San Salvatore for the view. Valid travel documents required.

SWIMMING IN LAKE COMO

Swimming in Lake Como

Yes, you can swim in Lake Como — the water is swimmable in many spots and in summer it's one of the loveliest things to do. Every beach below is reachable by car from the apartment, from twenty minutes to about an hour.

Close to the apartment

Lido di Faggeto (Faggeto Lario) · ~20 min
Golden sand, loungers, a bar and a pier. One of the finest beaches on the first basin (see also Day trips).

Lido Villa Olmo (Como city) · ~15 min
Pools and lake access in the grounds of Villa Olmo, steps from central Como. Convenient and well-equipped.

Lido di Cernobbio · ~20 min
Elegant and quiet, on the Cernobbio lakefront, with views of the villas.

Worth the drive

Riva Bianca (Lierna) · ~50 min
One of the most beautiful beaches on the lake: pale sand, clear water, an almost Caribbean feel on bright days.

Careno Beach (Nesso) · ~35 min
A small pebble cove below the hamlet of Careno, wild and striking. You walk down to it.

Lido di Bellagio / San Giovanni · ~45 min
Beaches on the tip of the triangle, to pair with a day in Bellagio.

For the full list of the lake's beaches, shore by shore, a good guide is lakecomotravel.com/lake-como-beaches.

OTHER LAKES

Other lakes

Beyond Lake Montorfano and Lake Como, the area is full of small, quiet lakes — perfect for half a day away from the crowds.

Lake Pusiano

One of the Brianza lakes, set between Erba and the hills, about twenty minutes by car — head towards Erba, then Pusiano. Smaller and quieter than Lake Como, it's the right place for a simple day out.

Swimming. There are lidos and equipped beaches along the shore — the best known is at Bosisio Parini, with grass, water access and a bar. The feel is that of a village lake: calm and family-friendly.

The walk. A flat cycling-and-walking path runs along part of the lake through the reeds: easy, shaded in places, lovely with children or by bike. Herons and swans on the water; the profile of Monte Cornizzolo behind.

At Merone, right on Lake Pusiano, you can eat at La Limonaia — lake view and tables outdoors (see Dinner with the car).

PARKING IN COMO

Parking in Como

Como's city centre is a ZTL (Restricted Traffic Zone) active on weekdays, roughly 10am to 6pm. Entering without a permit means an automatic fine — even for a wrong turn. The simple rule: park outside the ZTL and walk in — the centre is compact, all of it covered in a fifteen-minute stroll.

Three structured car parks, just outside the ZTL, that work well for an afternoon or a full day.

Parcheggio Centro Lago — via Sant'Elia

356 covered spaces, open 24/7. The most convenient for the lakefront, the Tempio Voltiano and the ferry pier. First-come, first-served — fills up fast in high season. Standard hourly rates.

Autosilo Valduce — via Valduce 3

515 spaces. Near the lakefront on the hospital side, a few minutes' walk from the historic centre. Often has space when the others don't.

Autosilo Auguadri — viale Varese

800 spaces, the largest and usually the cheapest. South of the ZTL, ten minutes' walk from the historic centre. Good if you're not in a rush.

Street parking (blue lines)

Possible but with care. The rate in central zones is about €1.50/hour the first hour, €2/hour after, from 8am to 8pm. Be careful not to drift into the ZTL while hunting for a spot: GPS doesn't always warn you in time.

The elegant alternative: go up to Brunate first

Park at the Faro Volta in Brunate (free parking near the lookout), then take the funicular down into Como. Seven minutes of descent, two glances over the lake, and you arrive already oriented. Works just as well in reverse.

RUBBISH

Rubbish

Italy sorts everything by type — each category has its own bin. For a short stay there isn't much to do: separate according to the guide below, and if you need to empty during the week, the building bins are near the parking.

In the kitchen you'll find bags — biodegradable for organic waste, transparent for the rest.

If in doubt, the Junker app (free, you scan the barcode) tells you where anything goes.

Organic (umido)

Food scraps, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable waste, used napkins. Biodegradable bags only.

Paper (carta)

Paper, cardboard, magazines, Tetra Pak. No plastic, no till receipts.

Plastic & metal (multileggero)

Plastic bottles and containers, cans, aluminium, polystyrene. In transparent bags.

Glass (vetro)

Bottles and jars only. No mirrors, no ceramic.

General waste (indifferenziato)

Everything else — nappies, cigarette ends, plastic cutlery, toothbrushes. In transparent bags.

Batteries, medicines and small electronics go separately — leave them in the kitchen, we'll take them to the collection centre.

SAFETY

Safety

We've left the apartment ready for you — but we'd rather you know where things are, just in case.

Fire extinguisher

Next to the washing machine, in the laundry area.

Gas and carbon monoxide detector

Installed behind the washing machine. It runs constantly, including when you're out: if it ever triggers, the system alerts us automatically and we'll contact you right away. If you hear the alarm, open the windows, leave the apartment, and call us.

Pharmacy

In Piazza Roma, a few minutes' walk. Italian pharmacies post weekend and night-shift rotations on their door — if Montorfano's is closed, the notice tells you which nearby one is open.

Useful numbers

General emergency

112 (ambulance, police, fire)

After-hours doctor

116 117 (non-urgent medical, evenings/nights/weekends)

Ospedale Sant'Anna, Como

Via Ravona 20, San Fermo della Battaglia — 15 min by car

CHECK-OUT

Check-out

Check-out is by 11:00.

Before you leave, just three things:

• Start the dishwasher if there are dishes inside
• Put the keys back in the lockbox (same code as on arrival)
• Close the windows

We'll handle the rest — beds, towels, cleaning. Leave everything as it is.

For longer stays, if you need to take out rubbish during the week, the building bins are near the parking (see Rubbish).

If something didn't go the way you hoped, send us a message before you leave — a quick note in your booking app gives us a chance to make it right. Most things we can sort out fast.

If everything went well, a review on Airbnb or Booking genuinely helps us. Two minutes for you, a lot for us.

Thank you for staying with us.

Stefano & Elisa

CONTACT US

Contact us

If something isn't right, if you have a question, or if you simply want advice on where to go for dinner — we're here.

The quickest way to reach us is the chat in the app you booked through (Airbnb or Booking): we reply quickly, almost always within an hour during the day. We're glad to help by phone too — you'll find our number there, in your message thread.

Email

info@lakemontorfano.com

Web

lakemontorfano.com

We speak Italian and English — for other languages, write to us anyway and we'll find a way.

STAY WITH US

Stay with us

Here by chance and already thinking of coming back — or know someone who'd love this place? The apartment can be booked directly on Airbnb.

Book on Airbnb →

A terrace, green views, the lake a few steps away and central Como ten minutes off. We'd love to host you.