I’ve been to Lake Como more times than I can count. And every time, I tell myself the same thing: this time it’ll feel different. But the truth is, Como is crowded — really crowded — especially during the months most of us can actually travel. The last time I visited, I spent more time queuing for the ferry than I did on the water. That’s when I started asking a different question: where else could I go?
Independent estimates suggest Italy’s small towns alone could account for more than 21 million arrivals and around 80 million overnight stays in 2026.
That number stopped me when I first read it. Not because it’s surprising that people want to explore beyond the big names, but because it confirms what I’ve been feeling for years: travelers are actively looking for alternatives to places like Lake Como. And Italy has plenty to offer.
I started looking into the alternatives because I wanted to keep visiting the Italian lakes without feeling like I was fighting for space. What I found changed how I think about planning a trip to northern Italy entirely.
If you want the beauty of an Italian lake without the crowds and costs of Lake Como, the smaller lakes — Iseo, Orta, Bolsena, Idro, and even quieter corners of Maggiore — deliver the same dramatic scenery, better prices, and a genuinely relaxed pace. You just need to know which one fits your trip.
Italy’s tourism strategy has been shifting for a few years now. The OECD notes that the country’s 2023-2027 tourism plan prioritizes “balanced” development, with a goal of redistributing visitor flows toward lesser-known regions. And it’s working. Italian Ministry of Tourism data shows that small municipalities recorded stronger growth in arrivals and overnight stays than major cities in 2025. The “Luminous Destinations 2026” initiative, presented on a European tourism platform, explicitly awards places that combine cultural vitality with landscape protection while staying off the main tourist circuit.
So the infrastructure and policy support is there. But what does that mean for you, actually planning a trip? It means there are real, beautiful alternatives where your money goes further and the experience feels less managed.
Lake Iseo: the most natural alternative to Como
Lake Iseo sits in Lombardy, about an hour and a half east of Milan, and it’s the closest of the smaller lakes to Como in terms of landscape drama. Vineyard-covered hills roll down to medieval town centers, and the water is framed by mountains that feel just as imposing as those around Como. But the atmosphere is fundamentally different.
The town of Iseo itself has a relaxed, local feel — the kind of place where you can walk along the promenade without weaving through tour groups. The real draw, though, is Monte Isola, a car-free lake island with walking paths, a small fishing village, and views back across the water. A short boat tour from Iseo takes you there. You can check the official Lake Iseo tourism site for ferry schedules and event listings.
Every year, the Festival of European Lakes brings cultural programming and waterfront walks to Iseo, drawing a crowd that’s more local than international. If you’re traveling with kids, the relaxed pace of Iseo and the easy boat ride to Monte Isola worked well for my family — no long queues, no pressure to book days ahead.
Lake Orta: quiet, intimate, and close to Maggiore
If Lake Iseo is the most obvious alternative, Lake Orta is the one that surprises people most. It sits just west of Lake Maggiore, but it could not feel more different. Orta San Giulio, the main lakeside town, has narrow cobbled streets and a view across the water to the island basilica of San Giulio. It’s compact, walkable, and noticeably quieter than even the smaller towns on Como.
Travel coverage describes Orta as having a quiet atmosphere compared to busier Maggiore and Como, and that matches what I’ve heard from readers who’ve made the switch. The activities here are low-impact: hiking on surrounding trails, kayaking on the lake, and visits to family-run artisan workshops in the hills above town. It’s not a place for nightlife or luxury shopping. It’s a place for sitting by the water with a glass of something local and watching the light change.
For travelers who’ve already done Como and want something calmer, Orta makes particular sense. But even for first-time visitors to the Italian lakes, it offers a genuine, unfiltered experience of lake life.
Lake Bolsena: volcanic swimming and Dante’s island
Central Italy has its own lake alternatives, and Lake Bolsena is the standout. It’s the largest volcanic lake in Europe, sitting about a two-hour drive north of Rome, and it’s a popular weekend spot for Romans themselves. That alone tells you something about its appeal.
At nearly 8 miles long and 7 miles wide, Bolsena is big enough to feel expansive, but its fringing black-sand beaches and quiet coves keep it from feeling developed. The water is exceptionally clear — the lake is often cited as one of Italy’s cleanest — and beaches like Capodimonte offer easy access for swimming. A ferry runs from Capodimonte to Bisentina Island, which gets a mention in Dante’s Divine Comedy. Guided tours of the island cover its volcanic topography and ancient chapels.
What I like about Bolsena for a family trip is that it doesn’t require a big logistical setup. You can base yourself in one of the lakeside towns, swim in the morning, and take a boat to the island in the afternoon without any advance booking stress. My family found the black-sand beaches novel enough to keep the kids entertained for hours.
Lake Idro: glacial waters and wind sports
For travelers who want a more active lake experience, Lake Idro is worth a look. It’s a seven-mile glacial lake straddling the border between Brescia and Trento, west of Lake Garda. The setting is striking — verdant mountains and meadows rise straight from the water — but what sets Idro apart is what you can do on the lake itself.
Speed restrictions on motorboats keep the water calm, which makes it ideal for standup paddleboarding and windsurfing. Natural beaches like Vesta Beach have turquoise water that looks more Caribbean than Alpine. On the western side, the Rocca D’Anfo military fortress, built by the Venetians in the 15th century, offers a historical stop. At the northern end, the Baitoni provincial nature reserve has boardwalks for spotting migratory birds.
The lake is accessible from both Milan and Verona airports, making it a practical option for a multi-stop northern Italy trip. For families with older kids or teens who want to paddleboard or windsurf, this was the lake that surprised me most — it has the scenery of the bigger lakes but with a fraction of the people.
Lake Maggiore: familiar but noticeably calmer
Lake Maggiore doesn’t qualify as hidden — it’s the third of Italy’s big northern lakes, after Como and Garda. But it operates at a different pace. The towns of Baveno and Stresa, on the western shore, serve as gateways to the Borromean Islands and offer a quieter base than anything on Como’s central basin.
Travel advisors increasingly point clients to Maggiore as a deliberate alternative for visitors who want the northern lake experience but prefer to sidestep the busiest promenades. The luxury hotel scene is thinner here than on Como — rates at the top end run from about EUR 700 to EUR 2,500 per night in May 2026, compared to EUR 1,500 to EUR 6,000 on Como — but the historic properties like the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees carry their own kind of grandeur. And the transfer from Milan-Malpensa airport is shorter: roughly 45 to 55 minutes to Stresa.
Maggiore works best as a second or third visit to the Italian lakes, or for someone who wants the classic lake experience without the peak-season intensity of Como. It’s also the easiest of these alternatives to reach, which matters if you’re on a shorter trip.
Making the switch: what to know before you go
These smaller lakes don’t have the same density of hotels, restaurants, and transport links as Como. That’s part of the appeal, but it requires a shift in expectations. Many of these towns have seasonal ferry schedules, limited parking, and shorter restaurant hours, especially outside July and August. The best time to visit is during the shoulder seasons of May, June, and September, when the weather is reliable and the villages are still fully open but the crowds haven’t arrived.
Getting around often requires a car, particularly for lakes like Idro and Bolsena where public transport is infrequent. For Iseo and Orta, regional trains get you close, but you’ll want a rental car for the final leg into the hills or to reach more remote beaches. If you’re flying into Milan, the three-day itinerary I put together covers the city efficiently before you head to the lakes.
On the lakes themselves, look for trattorie without English menus — that’s where you’ll find the regional specialties that haven’t been adjusted for tourist palates. And consider staying at an agriturismo (farm stay) rather than a hotel. It keeps your spending in the local community and gives you a better feel for the landscape.
The data backs up what I felt visiting these lakes: travelers are voting with their feet, choosing quieter experiences over crowded ones. And the lakes themselves are adapting, with local regulations and seasonal limits designed to keep them from going the way of Como.
Which lake fits your trip
The choice comes down to what kind of trip you want. Iseo gives you the closest experience to Como — dramatic lake views, good food, a car-free island — but without the crowds. Orta is smaller and quieter, better for a contemplative couple’s trip. Bolsena works as a Rome side trip or a family base, with swimming and boat excursions that don’t require planning. Idro is for active travelers who want to get on the water. And Maggiore is for those who want a familiar lake experience with a noticeably lower intensity level.
The Italian tourism data confirms what many travelers already suspect: the big names are straining under their own success, and the smaller lakes are ready to absorb visitors who are willing to trade a bit of infrastructure for a lot more space. That trade-off, in my experience, is worth making. If you’re curious about how other lake destinations compare, I’ve also written about Lake Balaton in Hungary as a more affordable alternative to Como, and about Ascona on Switzerland’s Lake Maggiore for another lakeside option with Italian character.
Sources and further reading
National Geographic. “Italy’s best hidden waterways to rival the country’s famous lakes.” 🔗
The Traveler. “Italy’s hidden lakes and coasts lure 2026 travelers.” 🔗
The Traveler. “Italy’s hidden lakes and coasts lure 2026 travelers.” 🔗
Luxury Travel Standard. “Italian Lakes 2026 hotel openings.” 🔗
Related reading on Emily in Italy
Cycling the Adige River Through Italy’s South Tirol — another active outdoor experience in northern Italy that pairs well with a lakeside stay.
Campgrounds in Sardinia: Beaches and Culture — for travelers who want to combine lake time with a coastal camping trip elsewhere in Italy.
Your Essential Guide to Staying in Bari — a practical city base in the south for travelers who want to explore Puglia’s coastline as an alternative to the northern lakes.