Day Trips from Milan by Car

Lake Como

Lake Como is Italy's most well-known lake and a place of beauty and luxury in Europe. Situated just 40 miles (65 kilometers) to the north of the city, Lake Como will be the first place where you want to head to.

Romantic small towns, fun boat rides, stunning villas, gardens, and amazing food await you here. With a car, it's even easier to circumvent boring places and to head to the good ones along the lake.

From Milan, I recommend adding the following 5 Lake Como towns to your itinerary:

• Bellagio — From Milan, I recommend driving over the mountainous Ghisallo near Bellagio for the best Lake Como panoramic views.
• Menaggio — A small, charming town on the western banks of Lake Como. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here because it wasn't that crowded. Park your car in Bellagio and take the ferry across the lake.
• Mandello del Lario — Located on the eastern banks of the lake, this town is beautifully relaxing and the home of the legendary Gucci Motto. Bikers will want to make a stop here.
• Varenna — One of the prettiest and most visited towns on Lake Como. Colorful houses and the walk-path along the lakeside make this a must-see. You can visit Varenna on your road trip or via the Bellagio-Menaggio ferry ride (Varenna is part of the ferry triangle).
• Belano — A barely known town with an intricate labyrinth of tight streets lined with local boutiques. My wife loved this town the most.

You can also hire a private boat tour or join a boat tour to get up close to the stunning villas, such as the Villa Carlotta or to one of the celebrity homes, such as George Clooney's house.

If you love aesthetically pleasing gardens and Italian villas, head to the Villa Melzi D'Eril in Bellagio or the Villa Monastero in Varenna. Just keep in mind to get there early during peak season because the queues can get overwhelmingly long.

If you are just looking for a relaxing drive along the lake, take the eastern Lake Como roadside. That means the Lecco, Mandello del Lario, Varenna, and Bellano stretch because the towns and views are just stunning.

Tirano

Tirano is a little, almost forgotten, town in Northern Italy next to the Swiss border. The village is mainly known as the end station of the UNESCO-protected Swiss Bernina Express train.

This town was on our radar because of the way that train passes right next to the church. It's just something else! Tirano also has a lesser-known medieval center, which was a little surprise to us.

During its peak, rich families from the region built elaborate palaces. The village somehow lost on glamour over the ages, and these palazzi are now all abandoned buildings in the tightly built old town.

The walk takes you across an unapologetic, honest medieval Italian town, which radiates authenticity through and through.

This place is for you if you are looking for an Italian travel gem. If you love historical buildings, the sight of a red train crossing the town, and wine, then go to Tirano.

Park for free near the church, visit the Santuario della Madonna church, have some gelato there, and walk towards the train station and across the Adda River to get to the old town.

St.Moritz in Switzerland

St.Moritz is a luxury ski resort in the Swiss Alps and a two time Winter Olympics host in Switzerland. This lake side-town is just under 3 hours away from Milan, making it a viable day trip option for several reasons.

To get to St.Moritz, you will need to take the scenic Lake Como road, so you can combine the two destinations if you are looking to just briefly stop at one of the towns along the lake.

St.Moritz itself is a place where people go to shop for luxury items, but it's also a charming lake-side town. Winter sports are another great reason why you might want to visit.

For example, the lake freezes completely in winter, and you can actually ice skate on the St.Moritz lake!

We visited in October and just loved walking around the lake with the colorful foliage and ducks giving us company.

From St.Mortiz you can head towards the Bernina Pass for some epic views and a fun road drive. This road takes you to Tirano.

Technically, a day, Milan — lake Como — St.Mortiz — Bernina Pass — Tirano and back to Milan, tour is doable if you leave early in the morning and stick to shorter sightseeing hours.

We did that same tour, and I can only recommend it because you will be experiencing different landscapes and places.

Bergamo

Bergamo surprised us, and it is a must-see when in Milan! Shoutout to Leo, who recommended it to us.

The town consists of an older medieval walled historical center on a hill and a newer town. You want to see the historical town, as it will take you back in time and make your Italian travel dreams come true.

Your Bergamo journey starts with a ride on the quaint funicular. It takes you to the cobbled walled streets, which is the starting point. From here, walk upwards to the town center.

The most important sights include the Vecchia square and the nearby town hall, the cathedral, the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and the adjoining Colleoni Chapel.

I highly recommend joining a guided historical tour while you are visiting Bergamo. Furthermore, a special food tour makes sense because the city and region is known for amazing local specialties made of polenta.

If the opportunity arises, visit some of the small shops run by actual locals, which are not tourist traps. We bought local Bergamo salami, Taleggio cheese, Gorgonzola cheese (because Gorgonzola town is nearby), and a wholesome polenta variety from the Bottega Fracassetti shop.

Fortunately, Bergamo is only a one-hour drive via the A4 from Milano, making this a top day trip idea if you want to experience the Lombardy province to the fullest.

Lake Garda

Lake Garda is Italy's largest lake, situated to the east of Milan and Lake Como. I compared Lake Garda and Lake Como to help you decide which one to visit.

This lake is rather large, so not every town and village along the lake will be a viable day trip choice.

Yet, you can definitely plan a relaxing road trip around the lake if you are not planning to make long stops to visit town independently. The Forra road is a scenic point on the eastern side that is popular among motorbike riders. A drive around the full lake takes about 2 ½ hours in total.

That said, if you want to see some towns at Lake Garda, visit Sirmione and Peschiera del Garda to the south.

These are just 2 hours away from Milan, and they are pretty to look at with their fortresses and flower decorations. You can also visit ruins of a Roman villa in Sirmione.

If you would like to go for a swim because Lake Garda is crystal clear, head to a beach at Desenzano del Garda.

Boat tours are much cheaper at Lake Garda compared to Lake Como. They offer boat trips with a food and wine tour or a sunset boat trip with a drink.

Families will want to head to the Gardaland theme park, which is situated near Peschiera del Garda.

Verona

Verona is a historical city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Veneto region. It is known for its Roman and Renaissance architecture.

An unmissable landmark is the mighty Roman arena, which is still used 2000 years later. You can visit the arena as part of a guided tour or also special opera events are also held there.

The romantic buildings and little Romeo and Juliet fable have made this fashionable city in one of the most visited cities in northern Italy.

Here you will find top wine to sip on, you will be able to explore upscale boutiques, and you can top it off with a visit to Juliet's house, if you are keen to wait in the tourist queue.

Shakespeare was inspired by this city, and we were enthralled by its beauty and timeless views. Verona is great if you just want to flow and take it easy.

Just a cautious note: Park your vehicle in a safe parking garage in Verona because break-ins are super common. We can recommend the Parking Italia, where the valet will park your car between Ferraris (literally!).

More Day Trip Ideas from Milan

As promised, here are some more day trip ideas from Milan. We didn't visit these places yet, but we have heard great things, and therefore I'm adding these here.

• Lake Maggiore — another breathtakingly beautiful lake near Lake Como. A part of the lake is in Switzerland. Visit charming Ascona, a Swiss lake-side town.
• Lake Lugano — A lake between Lake Maggiore and Lake Como, which is mainly in Switzerland. Here you will find an Italian enclave known as Campione D'Italia.
• Parma — The home of Parma ham and Parma cheese. Food lovers should visit this city. It's not even a 2-hour drive from Milan to Parma.
• Mantua — A Renaissance city surrounded by 3 lakes. This city offers some unparalleled views. It's just about 2 ½ hours to get there from Milan.
• Turin — A city known for its museum, the Piazza San Carlo, and the royale palace.
• Genoa — This city was a medieval trading powerhouse. Today it's known as the home of all good pestos.

Both Venice and Florence can technically be visited on a day trip from Milan, but I don't recommend it because you will be spending more time traveling than seeing these incredible Italian cities.