Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano and Lake Como lie side by side along the Swiss–Italian border, close to Milan, which is about 329 km and 3 h 50 from Geneva Airport. Once you reach the first lake, the drives between them are short, so five days give one or two nights on each shore. AirportsTransfers.ch can drive you over the Simplon from GVA to Maggiore, link the three lakes and take you back to Geneva, or drop you at a Milan airport.
- Route in: over the Simplon Pass to Lake Maggiore, or via Milan
- Reference distance: Milan about 329 km, 3 h 50 from GVA
- Border crossings: the loop crosses between Switzerland and Italy several times
- Structure: Maggiore 1–2 nights, Lugano 1 night, Como 2 nights
- Highlights: Borromean Islands, Monte San Salvatore, Gandria, Bellagio, Villa del Balbianello, Varenna
Three lakes, three characters
These glacial lakes run north–south between the Alps and the Lombardy plain, and each has its own feel. Maggiore is broad and stately, with grand hotels and island gardens. Lugano is smaller and more intricate, its shores folded around steep mountains, with the city of Lugano giving it a Swiss, Italian-speaking urban heart. Como is long and narrow, shaped like an upside-down Y, with villas and gardens tumbling down to the water and villages clinging to the slopes. Seeing all three in one trip shows how varied this short stretch of border country is, and the mild climate means palms, camellias and olive trees grow at the foot of snow-capped peaks.
Days one and two: Lake Maggiore
Coming over the Simplon from Geneva, you reach Maggiore's western shore at Stresa or Verbania. Take a boat to the Borromean Islands: Isola Bella with its Baroque palace and terraced gardens, Isola Madre with its botanical collection and Isola dei Pescatori with its fishing village lanes. The gardens of Villa Taranto in Verbania are worth an afternoon in spring. If you have two nights here, the second day can take in Cannobio and the Swiss end of the lake at Ascona and Locarno.
Day three: Lugano and its mountains
From Maggiore it is a short drive east to Lugano, the largest city in Ticino. Its lakeside promenade, Parco Ciani and arcaded streets around Piazza della Riforma give it a relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere. Two funiculars climb the mountains that frame the bay: Monte San Salvatore, with a summit view over the lake's many arms, and Monte Brè, the sunnier of the two, with a pretty village near the top. Along the shore to the east, Gandria is a car-free village of stone houses built into the hillside, reachable on foot by the Olive Trail or by boat. To the south, Morcote, with its steps leading up to a church above the lake, is another favourite. The border with Italy runs through the lake itself, and the Italian enclave of Campione d'Italia sits on the eastern shore.
Days four and five: Lake Como
From Lugano, the road to Como crosses the border near Chiasso. Como town has a fine Gothic and Renaissance cathedral and a funicular to the hilltop village of Brunate. The most famous scenery lies further up the western shore: Villa del Balbianello on a wooded promontory at Lenno, with its terraced gardens, and Villa Carlotta at Tremezzo, known for its azaleas and art. Bellagio, at the point where the lake divides, is often called the pearl of the lake, with steep lanes, silk shops and views down both branches. Ferries connect Bellagio with Varenna on the eastern shore, a colourful village with a lakeside walkway and the gardens of Villa Monastero. Using the boats between villages is part of the pleasure and avoids the narrow lake roads in summer.
Tips for the three lakes
- The lakeside roads, especially on Como, are narrow and congested in high season; boats are often quicker.
- Villa gardens are at their best from April to June.
- Carry identity documents for the frequent border crossings.
- Italian motorways are tolled and the Swiss ones need a vignette; your chauffeur takes care of both.
To finish, you can return over the Simplon or the Gotthard to Geneva, or end at Milan Malpensa or Linate for a flight home.
Book your three-lakes chauffeur
Book with AirportsTransfers.ch and see the fixed price per vehicle before paying online by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your chauffeur meets you in Geneva Airport arrivals with a name sign, follows your flight and waits if it is late. A Mercedes E-Class takes up to three passengers and three bags; the S-Class adds comfort for the Alpine crossing; and the V-Class van carries up to seven people with luggage. Child seats are available on request, a chauffeur by the hour can be booked for lake days, and companies receive invoices. Call or WhatsApp +41 78 346 56 77 to plan the loop.
