“When you look at the sky over Lake Como, it’s clear that god exists.”

— Robin Williams

Lake Como in spring, with Bellagio in the background

Winters are mild, summers are cool at Lake Como: that’s why people around the world say our place is a paradise.

It may sound like a publicity stunt to promote the lake to tourists, but it’s a true story.

Lake Como is often defined a unique oasis because the wide surface of its water behaves like a thermal reserve: the huge mass of water absorbs the sun's heat during the summer and gradually release it gradually during the winter.

But that’s not all: the high mountain ranges embracing the lake act as an insulating shell to help the thermal process.

The result? The average annual temperature is higher on Lake Como than elsewhere in the Northern Italy.

Interestingly, thanks to this mild climate (and due also the humidity, that characterizes the whole year), at Lake Como you can see many tropical and sub-tropical plants throughout the year, like palms and banana trees, to name but two.

Since roman times, many mediterranean trees have flourished here, especially grapevines and olive trees.

Basically, it’s safe to say that the best period of the year to visit Lake Como is from April to October. Talking about temperatures, we can say they range from -5 to +5°C in winter to 25 – 30°C in summer.

Spring on the lake means azaleas, wisteria, camellias and bougainvillea. Literally an explosion of pastel colors!

July and August are by far the hottest (and driest) months of the year: the temperatures reach 30 degrees, so it’s the best time to go to the beach or cruising the lake. Consider that in summertime the ferries work until late at night!

Remember that August is THE holiday month for the majority of Italians, so if you don’t want to have too many people around, avoid it like the plague and change the dates of your vacation!

An ordinary summer day in Menaggio, Lake Como

May and October definitely boast the milder temperatures, but these months can also be quite rainy.

Winter temperatures are also reasonably mild: they range around 5 °C to 12 °C in December.

January is the coldest month, with temperatures dropping down to 1° C (often below the 0° during the night).

Snow can occur between December and March, but it’s become quite rare in the last years.

In winter the lake gets incredibly bright and clean, and its color reaches the strongest intensity of blue.

There are many advantages in visiting the lake in wintertime: first, the prices of accommodations drastically drop; second, there are less crowds around, so you can have the chance to better experience the real local lifestyle; third, the traffic on Strada Regina (the narrow street along the western coast) is derisory; fourth, the quality of service in restaurants is much better.

After October, you could find many restaurants and cafes shuttered. Ferries still run, but their schedule is far more restricted (their “normal” schedule tends to be from the beginning of June to end of September).

If you come in December, plan a day trip to the Alpine village of Bormio (two hours from Menaggio), where you’ll find a luxury wellness resort, Bormio Terme. We’re sure you deserve to relax in a outdoor hot tub overlooking the Dolomites peaks!

Best Time to Visit Lake Como: Its Weather Month by Month