Lake Como Excursions via Funicular and Speedboat

This is going to be a picture heavy post!  On one of the days, we went to Como (the town) and rode the funicular up to the top for some stunning views.  On another day, we rented a motorboat and took it for a leisurely, beautiful spin on the lake.

Michael could barely contain his enthusiasm.  But he was a good bag carrier.

The views from the top, though, were admittedly pretty stunning.

As for the boat rental, it was something that we definitely wanted to do.  The water looks so calm, and is such a huge part of the life there, that it seemed a good idea to see the city and towns from another perspective.  Plus, it looked like it would be really fun.  So on one of the days that looked super sunny and promising, we headed to the boat rental place in Moltrasio.

 And then, with some quick instructions, and a little careful maneuvering... we were off, just the two of us!

 We stalked George Clooney... that's his villa, Villa Oleandra.  But we didn't get too close.

 Just paused long enough to take one quick pic.

 Michael was a really good captain and skipper.  Here he is, the master of our skiff!

 I couldn't stop taking pictures as we headed up the lake, passing all the little towns of Carete Urio, Laglio, Brienno, Argegno, Colonno, Lenno, and finally ending up at just a little bit past Bellagio.

 We saw the Villa dell Balbianello from the water.  This is the really famous villa that was in Casino Royale and Star Wars and probably a bunch of other movies.

 It is beautiful.

 Then we got to a point just past Bellagio, where we decided it was so peaceful and lovely that we had to "drop anchor" and drift for a bit.

The lake was so calm and still.  There were no other boats near us.

I pretended to drive the boat, but obviously there is no wake...

 This guy looks good in aviators, am I right?  Gosh, be still my heart.

 A lot of my pictures on the return were against the sun, so some of them may be less bright or clear.

 We essentially went back down the same way we went up, but hugging the other side of the lake, so we got to see Vergonese and Casate.

 I zoomed in on a seaplane doing stunts right above our heads:

 The contrast of the mountains and the water and the sky... ah, bliss...

...and then you come upon these beautiful little towns nestled into the foothills, carved from sheer rock, clinging to the cliffside but also dangling over the water.

 It's pretty incredible.

 This excursion on the water was a highlight of our trip, and likely Michael's favorite.

 All too soon, we were pulling back into the boat yard.

 We went upstairs to the restaurant above the boat club, where we had a most enjoyable lunch looking out at the water, dining al fresco.

It was one of those truly perfect moments.

 Michael got gnocchi with brown sugar

 and I got an octopus salad with tomatoes, olives and potatoes.

 We finished our meal with double espressos, feeling very Italian as we walked back to our villa.

 It was a wonderful experience, and the beauty here is truly stunning.

We would highly recommend going out on the water in Lake Como.  We took a four seater for just the two of us, and at 40 hp it was more than enough power to get us around.  We rented it for two hours, which feels like a good amount of time as we were able to do a round trip from Moltrasio all the way to Bellagio and back.  If we had realized how calm and placid the water is, we would definitely have packed a picnic and some sparkling wine.  Maybe next time!

We rented from Nettuno, and I thought they were great.  Their boats were in excellent shape.  We were equipped with a full tank of gas and papers for the boat (in case we were stopped by police).  We paid for the trip upon our return (which I thought was rather trusting)!

Nettuno
Via Bellini, 22010 Moltrasio CO, Italy
nettunonoleggiobarche.it
+39 347 305 2335