The Primo Bacino takes you by ferry across Lake Como… It is pleasantly busy in Como today. Day trippers and locals stroll through the streets, chatting. Shopping, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying a glass or a small bite on Sunday. It must be said, Como has done its utmost to immerse the city in a magical Christmas atmosphere. Lights, many lights illuminate the streets. A Christmas market in the shadow of the duomo, a large ice rink on Piazza Cavour and the smell of pannetone. The bars, enotecas and restaurants are lavishly decorated and do great business. Como is buzzing! A lot of energy and money is invested to attract tourists and day trippers. Also consider the Città dei Balocchi light festival.
We enjoy what the city has to offer. Even more, we (re)discover Como and are amazed by the many shops, nice addresses and cozy eateries.
Our legs still feel the half marathon we ran this morning. Stiff legs and irritated muscles beg us to spare them a little. Fair deal after a tough run from Como to Laglio and back. We decide to take the boat: that means enjoying the surroundings with minimal effort. With its Primo Bacino, the Navigazione Laghi offers a kind of introduction to the ferry boats of Lake Como. For 8.9 euros the ferry takes you to a few villages a little further away where you can hop on and off to your heart’s content. Today the boat goes from Como to Tavernola, Cernobbio, Moltrasio, Blevio and back. During the high season, Torno or Carate Urio are added. The offer changes pretty much throughout the year.
The Primo Bacino tour departs from Como at Piazza Cavour. They are working hard here on a new quay wall. On the one hand, it will be necessarily raised to prevent the square from flooding when the water level is high, and on the other hand, it will be redesigned as a wide boulevard along the water. One half is still a construction site today, the other half is as good as finished. The result is impressive.
The ticket counter of Navigazione Laghi has also been completely renovated. We buy two tickets and five minutes later we are comfortably bundled up on the bow of the ferry. The ship’s horn is pulled and the roaring engines propel us forward.
The cold breeze hits our faces. The sky is beautiful blue. The winter sun colors the villages in beautiful contrasting shades. There is a first layer of fresh snow on the tops of the mountains. The hum of the boat fades into the background due to the deafening silence that hangs over Lake Como. This is enjoyment!
At the first stop in Tavernola we stay on the boat. A large shipyard and the home port of the ferry boats, there is nothing more to do in Tavernola. Prossima fermata Cernobbio… We get out. The clerk who sold us the ferry tickets tipped us about the Christmas market in Cernobbio. Many Christmas stalls on Piazza Risorgimento but all still closed. Unfortunately, the Christmas market only appears to open from December 7. We continue walking through the streets of Cernobbio. The legs soon start to protest. We appease them with a glass of prosecco in the Olde England bar.
From Cernobbio we sail on to Moltrasio and Blevio. Despite the fresh breeze, we remain seated on the deck. We enjoy being outside and looking from the water at the villages and beautiful villas along the water’s edge. Just when we enter Como, the sun disappears behind the mountain peaks and it quickly becomes dark. The lights of Como light up and that is our signal to quietly walk back to our accommodation for this weekend, Palazzo Mazzini.
Depending on where you get on and off, the Primo Bacino takes about 2 hours. When you are in Como, this tour is highly recommended. For little money you can sail to some nice places without parking stress. Hop on and hop off, very efficient for sightseeing. Visiting villages, having an aperitif and another aperitif… The captain is guaranteed to put you back safely on shore.
