Summer Escapes: 5 Waterside Getaways from Milan
You know Lake Como, but are you familiar with these four other summer water escapes just a train ride away from Milan's bustling city centre?
As we transition to spring, and summer plans fast approach, I am longing to return to the Italian waterfront. There’s just really no place like Italy in the summertime, is there?
I spent just shy of a year and a half living in Milan, while completing my Master’s, and I can tell you one of the biggest perks of the entire experience was hopping on Trenitalia (the Italian train line) for just 5€ and arriving in Lake Como only 30 minutes later.
An aperol spritz in hand, some olives and chips on the table, sun in your eyes… and with that, la dolce vita is unlocked. Cliché as it may be, there is truly no better feeling.
So without further ado, here are my top five easy-to-reach spots from Milan for a dose of water, sun and relaxation.
1. Lago di Como
As popular as it is, there is a very good reason Lake Como is known around the world as a “must-visit” tourist destination. The moment your train from Milan is reaching the town of Como, and you see the hilly landscape with colourful homes wayyy up high, you start to feel like you’re in the middle of a film scene.
Lake Como perfectly encapsulates the beauty and Italian charm of the country’s northern region. Each village around the lake has its own unique lure. If you ask me, I’d say skip Bellagio and, instead, spend your time in one of these three nearby towns:
MENAGGIO
If you’re coming for more than a day trip, I’d recommend staying in Menaggio. It has the wonderful Grand Hotel Victoria and is easily accessible via ferry to both Varenna and Bellagio (if you are really keen to go), just across the water, for more daytime activities.
VARENNA
On the contrary, if you are visiting Lake Como just for the day and arriving to the town of Como by train from Milan, I would recommend taking the slow ferry to Varenna (bonus: it has an outdoor section where you can soak in the sun while taking in the picturesque views of all the small towns you boat by). Once you arrive in Varenna, stop for a bite of lunch, pizza anyone?, and take a short stroll through the village before wrapping the day with a delicious scoop of gelato and sitting by the water’s edge.
BELLANO
If it’s not your first rodeo and you’ve been to Lake Como before, I would instead recommend visiting Bellano. It is a much lesser-visited town by the international tourists, but has an equal amount of charm and, I’d argue, an even more peaceful atmosphere.
2. Lago di Garda
East of Milan, Lake Garda has an entirely different energy than Lake Como. While the tourists tend to flood the village of Bellagio on Lake Como, Lake Garda is where you’ll find many Italians.
My recommendations: Reserve a lounge chair & umbrella (especially if you are pale and subject to bad, I mean tomato-lobster red bad, sunburns like me) at Spiaggia Desenzanino (Desenzanino Beach) online in advance. Once you arrive you can lay back on your orange beach chair and sip on your orange aperol spritz, available at the beach bar (duh it’s Italy after all), in full relaxation mode.
3. Genova
On Italy’s Ligurian coast you will find the city of Genova. Best known for it’s fabulous pesto (my #1 rec for traditional Genovese pesto pasta is Cavour modo21), it is a great base point to enjoy the smaller beach towns in the area.
A fabulous spot to spend the day in the water or wandering around is the old fishing village of Nervi. Taking the train here from central Genova takes just around 15 minutes. It’s a great spot to lounge, swim and bask in the sun. I personally love Spiaggia di Caprafico, a secluded pebbly beach, but there are tons of small beaches to explore at your leisure.
In the evening, my favourite nearby neighbourhood to enjoy the sunset and a great meal is Boccadasse. You can take the train or bus (both of which take less than 15 minutes) to get from central Genova to Boccadasse. Wander around admiring the bright sherbet-coloured homes in the golden hour lighting and then cap off your day with a delicious dinner at Trattoria Osvaldo (a superb spot for seafood while you’re on the coast!).
4. Cinque Terre
There is so much to do in Cinque Terre, I could easily do a full deep dive on it alone! Each of the five villages that make up the area is worth a visit. I’d recommend staying in Riomaggiore for the perfect mix of scenic views and lively vibes. This is a great central spot to stay and take day trips from to reach the other villages (Monterosso - for the postcard beaches, Vernazza - for delicious seafood cones, Manarola - for a great swimming spot, and Corniglia - for a beautiful walk along the seawall).
My must-do rec: Take a sunset boat cruise! It’s a great way to meet other travellers from around the world while sipping Italian wine, swimming in Italian Riviera, and devouring every kind of focaccia you could imagine (classic, olive, sun-dried tomato and even chocolate - weird sounding, but oddly delicious)!
5. Santa Margherita & Portofino
Portofino is widely recognized as a top Italian tourist destination, but have you heard of Santa Margherita? Santa Margherita Ligure is a beautiful town just a 15-minute ferry ride from Portofino. Originally a fishing village, it has grown into a lovely beach town with spectacular views and phenomenal seafood.
You can easily spend a couple of days in Santa Margherita, exploring the town centre and relaxing at the beach. Stop by A Santa Lucia for a fun-filled lunch with limoncello, and end your day at Ristorante Da Alfredo for a yummy seafood dinner.
As for Portofino, I suggest just visiting it as a day-trip from Santa Margherita. It is breathtakingly beautiful, but very small and can easily be well-captured in half a day to a day. The best activities in Portofino of course include yacht-spotting & luxury window-shopping…
However, for slightly more attainable activities, I’d recommend walking up the hill to the panoramic viewpoint “punto panoramico” and indulging in an unforgettable pasta lunch at Ö Magazin.
And, if you’re extra lucky like we were, you may even get a glimpse of a fun celeb, like Stanley Tucci filming his tv show “Searching for Italy.”
I hope you, too, get to explore these wonderful waterfront espaces in Northern Italy. If you’d like a further dive into any of the places mentioned, let me know in the comments!
Happy reading. :)
xo chat soon
so evocative...sighing and dreaming about leaving the chill of late winter for a sunny aperitivo in one of these spots!