Property for Sale in Lake Como

Lake Como, and the other lakes in the region – Lake Orta, Lake Maggiore, Lake Varese, Lake Lugano, Lake Iseo, Lake Idro and Lake Garda – stretch across northern Italy from east to west, where the Alpine meltwater flows into the plains of Lombardy and Veneto. Some are partly in Switzerland, as the border curves round the mountains like a novice skier.

Property for sale in Lake Como (Lago di Como) and the lakes region combines the very old (of course, this is Italy), with neo-classical villas from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Art Nouveau and more modern chalet styles.

Lake Como is around 20 miles long and in an inverted Y shape. The city of Como, population 85,000, is on the very southern tip, 55 kilometres from Milan. There are homes for sale in Como for as little as €50,000, but for something you would be proud to invite friends over to, a more realistic starting budget is €100,000 for a one- or two-bedroom apartment.

At the other end of the budget, this is a millionaires’ playground with no shortage of lake-view villas well into eight figures. Famously, George Clooney has a home here, in Lagio, a little further up Lake Como’s western shore. It’s one of many lovely villages on this side of the lake, including Tremezzo and Menaggio. From here you can cross on the ferry to Bellagio or Varenna.

You’ll have a good choice of property for sale on Lake Como’s western shore in the south, from €200,000. AS you move further north, there are more towns on the eastern side of the lake, particularly apartments.

In general with Italy’s lakes, the further north you go the land gets more mountainous and homes for sale relatively sparse. Travel a little distance away from the lakes and you’re very soon into the mountains, and pretty mountain villages. Again, property for sale in Lake Como’s nearby villages isn’t expensive compared to, for example, Tuscany’s more famous villages.

Another advantage with buying property here is the relative cool of the climate. While it can get very hot, the altitude tends to cool things down a bit and there is always a cool swim in a lake available.