Bellagio Water Sports

Who is behind it

Bellagio Water Sports is the business of Michele Gandola, who lives in Pescallo, the small bay of Bellagio on the shore of the Lecco arm of Lake Como. Gandola has been a rower and coach on the lake and in European competitions: according to his website, he won gold in the four with the Italian national team at the 1993 European Junior Championships, gold in the eight at the 2005 Italian long-distance championship and bronze in the four at the Prince Albert Coastal Rowing Challenge in Monaco in 2008. The company is registered in his name, with its fiscal address at Via Visconti 3 in Bellagio. The website does not say since when it has been running.

Where and what

The base and starting point of the tours is Pescallo beach. From there the kayak routes cross the bay, follow the cliffs the website calls Rockefeller's and reach La Punta; another heads towards Loppia and passes shoreline villas such as Villa Gerli, San Giovanni and Villa Placida.

It offers:

• Small-group kayaking, every day, at 9:00 and 11:30, of about an hour and a half, easy level.
• Sunset kayaking and kayaking past the villas at sunset, Friday to Sunday, late in the afternoon.
• Private kayak or SUP, every day, with a small surprise stop.
• Vintage rowing, in a traditional rowing boat, Friday to Sunday at sunset; here they ask that you know how to row.
• Bike route to the Ghisallo, the cyclists' sanctuary above Bellagio, with road or electric bikes and some prior training.

The website gives different times for some departures depending on the page; confirm them when you book. The prices of what we list are in the offers on this page.

Equipment, children and safety

The kayaks, life jackets and local guide are included. The website says the kayak tours are suitable for families, groups and children, but it sets no minimum age nor asks that you can swim; if you go with kids, ask. It does not publish the guides' qualifications beyond Gandola's track record.

The hours are Monday to Saturday from 8:30 to 16:30 and Sundays from 8:30 to 14:30, apart from the afternoon departures. On Sundays they cut short because of heavy motorboat traffic, which the website considers dangerous for rowing boats, kayaks and boards.

Bookings

Booking is compulsory: they only sail by appointment. You book online, with the website's Rezgo system, or request a tailor-made tour from the contact page. They also answer by phone and WhatsApp (+39 340 39 49 375 and +39 334 19 29 303), with a reply in about two hours, every day from 9:00 to 18:00, and by email ([email protected]). The website does not publish a cancellation or bad-weather policy, and is in English and Italian.