Seaplane Flight from Como

You take off from the water in front of Como in a Cessna 206 seaplane and in half an hour fly over the lake to the Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio triangle, returning via Argegno. It is expensive, but it is the only way to see the whole Y of the lake at once, with the villas and villages like models at the foot of the mountains.

What it is and who runs it

The flights are operated by Como Seaplanes, which works with the Aero Club Como and has its base on the city's lakefront. The aircraft is a high-wing Cessna 206, so the view downwards is not blocked by the wing. It seats up to five passengers with a maximum total weight of 320 kg.

The take-off and splashdown are the most special part: the plane runs over the water throwing up spray and lifts off in front of the city, with the cathedral and the Brunate funicular to one side.

The flights

• Panoramic tour, 30 minutes: Como, Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio, Argegno and back to Como. From €480 for two people.
• Lake and mountains tour, 60 minutes: adds the north of the lake, with Piona abbey, Colico and Dongo. From €960 for two.
• Grand tour of the lakes, 90 minutes: the whole lake and, on the way back, Lecco and the small lakes of the Brianza: Annone, Pusiano, Alserio and Montorfano. From €1,440 for two.

Prices are published for two passengers; if you are more, the plane takes up to five and the flight may be shared with other passengers.

How to book

You book on the Como Seaplanes website, choosing day, time and number of passengers. Payment is made when booking and the place is not confirmed until the confirmation email arrives. If the flight is cancelled because of bad weather or maintenance, you get the full amount back. Flights can also be given as gifts.

The website does not publish a fixed season or timetable: flights depend on the weather and daylight. For questions, call +39 351 594 2877 or write to [email protected].

Meeting point

The base is at Viale Massenzio Masia 44, in Como, on the lakefront west of the centre. From Piazza Cavour you can walk along the shore. By car, park in one of the paid car parks in the centre; in the promenade area parking is scarce.

When to go and what to bear in mind

Choose a clear day: with low cloud or haze you lose the view of the Alps, and with wind or storms the flight is cancelled. Morning light is usually cleaner and end-of-day light warmer on the mountains. In spring and autumn the air is usually more transparent than in high summer.

Bring sunglasses and a phone with battery; to photograph through the window, press the lens against the glass and you will avoid reflections. If you get seasick easily, take something beforehand: it is a small plane and you feel turbulence.

With children

The website sets no minimum age; ask when booking if you are travelling with small children. For them it is an experience they remember, but think about the engine noise in the cabin and the price, which is per seat.

If you prefer to see the lake from the water and more cheaply, the boat between Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio costs from €3 a trip. To see it from above without flying, the Brunate funicular leaves a few minutes from the base.