Lake Como is not just for the rich and famous

As we zigzagged up the narrow roads of Cernobbio, Italy, overlooking Lake Como around every hairpin bend, we almost thought our dreamy-looking rental house was a joke. The restaurant around the corner, Il Gato Nero, advertised George Clooney as a regular on its website and the various lakeside towns were teeming with Fiat Pandas and sleek Ferraris. And yet this supposed playground of the rich and famous on the edge of the Alps was the cheapest part of our European vacation.

Lake Como, located about an hour north of downtown Milan in northern Italy, is the country’s third-largest lake. Distinguished by its inverted Y-shape, it is fringed by towns such as Como (southwest), Lecco (southeast), Cernobbio (where we were staying, north of Como) and Bellagio on the promontory between it all. Driving around one of the most famous lakes on earth, a lake of cinematic beauty and casual stereotypes, I felt like a cheap James Bond. This is, after all, the backdrop for such stylized productions as Casino Royale And Oceans 12Gwen Stefani’s music video for “Cool” was filmed here, and war of stars used the otherworldly atmosphere of the lake for this ill-advised kissing scene between Anakin and Padme in the Villa Balbianello. Even Pliny the Younger was obsessed with this placein the first century. Suffice it to say that Lake Como has a noble reputation.

On our last holiday, which included stops in Switzerland and Milan, Lake Como was the biggest surprise – it debunked preconceived notions about the elite money machine and proved that we too can live like Clooney. Or at least we can do it so easily that we can pretend to. Before my visit, and based almost exclusively on archive images and film stills, I assumed that Lake Como was a posh resort like St. Moritz or aspen. But after recently spending $28 on a latte in Aspen, I can confirm that Lake Como is practically the opposite. For the same amount, we shared a bottle at Castiglioni Winealongside a ton of free tapas and a slice of blueberry pie that’s somehow better than anything I’ve had in the U.S. Even in the more popular, touristy areas of the lake, like the towns of Como and Bellagio, you won’t find the frills of swanky resorts, but rather small shops like this one, where the friendly waiters will recognize your American accent and rave about their love of country music. Or Lebanese bakeries like Crema & Cioccolato, where the owner, an excitable character, insists you try his wife’s homemade walnut and date cake. Or the Mercato Coperto di Como, where locals shop for dinner and chat with friendly vendors while eating arancini with both hands. Lake Como isn’t just for A-list celebs with summer villas, but a welcoming and proud community that supports and celebrates locals, newcomers and travelers alike.

While Lake Como reaches its peak in tourism in the summer, particularly in the more expensive, in-demand months of July and August, the rest of the year remains largely accessible and affordable. Given the mountainous lake’s location, the climate is rainier and milder than much of Italy, with crisp winters and humid summers tempered by breezes. No matter when you come, here’s how to visit Lake Como and how Clooney enjoyed a decidedly not-Clooney budget.

Where to sleep

Just 10 minutes south of Laglio, the noble municipality where the ocean Actor owns a villa on the waterCernobbio offers the same views and beauty without needing an Oscar-winning career to afford it. We booked an Airbnb that abundant in this area special and run the gamut from homes to apartments, all of which are surprisingly affordable. It’s also nice to feel part of the community, like a confident comer as you steer your small car through the narrow streets with tense ankles.

Down towards the city center, Hotel Central offers affordable accommodation — and Meeting room in a stone-lined tavern — in a historic inn from the late 19th century, and the Hotel Miralago offers a front-row view of the lake through its tall windows and a stately, green-tinted restaurant that looks like something out of a Wes Anderson film. In Como, south of Cernobbio, the Villa Flori offers the flair of a grand villa at a fraction of the cost of a typical villa. Located right on the water, the intimate property of less than 60 rooms exudes the kind of romance Anakin and Padme could only dream of. If you want to splurge, you certainly can, as at Cernobbio’s Villa d’Estea five-star property with ballrooms, gardens, huge suites and its own fleet of private boats.

Where should we eat

Start your morning with Americanos and pastries at Crema & Cioccolato, where the friendly owner will surely tempt you to try everything behind the counter. As the place is Lebanese-run, you’ll also find things like hummus and grape leaves here – perfect fodder for a picnic in a lakeside garden, as they say. Nearby, Pasticceria Poletti is a wonderland of cakes, croissants, cream pastries and fluffy focaccia, and in Como, Pasticceria Dolciamo is a sunny little cafe teeming with cannolis, custard tarts and glazed cakes that look like fruity works of art.

The Mercado Coperto di Como is less of a market than a feast for the senses. Locals come here to do their daily shopping, stocking up on local meat, fruit and vegetables in between espressos and cheese. The sprawling, grocery-sized complex is well worth a visit, even if just for a snack while you stroll through town.

A postcard village of cobblestone streets and terraced gardens, Bellagio is a tourist destination teeming with charming shops, restaurants and bars. Nandoa cozy restaurant on the steps of an alley overlooking Piazza Mazzini, where most ferries dock. Grab an outdoor table on the steps and share a pizza while watching the boats cruise the shimmering lake. Then stop by Aperitif and Al for a wine tasting with matching charcuterie and meander through the bumpy streets in search of a freshly made scoop of ice cream from the Gelateria del Borgo.

Back in Cernobbio, The Black Cat lives up to its Clooney reputation, with rustic, regional Italian cuisine and stunning lake views from its elevated position in the hills. The cozy, candlelit restaurant has its own wine cellar and an elegant menu of seasonal dishes such as baked artichokes with burnt onion powder, zesty crème brûlée with asparagus and basil granita, and spaghetti with sea urchin butter and red shrimp tartare. Pasta comes in a range of portion sizes and prices, and mains top out at €45 for traditional Milanese-style veal.

At the foot of the hill, Castiglioni Wine is a boutique bottle shop and bar that is so nice we went there two nights in a row. Everything here, from the bottles to the generous portions, is significantly cheaper than most American wine lists or bottle shops. In fact, both wine prices and general real estate prices (because we can’t help but browse Zillow “just for fun”) are much cheaper around here than even anything in Oklahoma City, where we live. Plus, the service is really friendly and snacks – like tomato toasties – are free. Across the street is the cozy Trattoria Laghee serves the best pizza we had in the area. To finish off, a nightcap in the Harry’s Baran institution on the water since 1973, for a glass of Sardinian dessert wine.

What to do

Countless markets keep shoppers busy. Como Market, a weekly open-air spectacle along Como’s historic city walls, offers a dizzying array of vendors and stalls on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. You’ll find everything from food and home goods to toys, vintage items and Italian designer clothing at a fraction of the prices you’d expect to pay in Milan. Or even Oklahoma City. I bought a puffy floral scarf and gray pants, both by Italian designers, for less than a bolo tie back home.

Take a ferry to do some more shopping and eating in Bellagio. Ferry stations line almost the entire lake, offering frequent and convenient departures from places like Como, Tremezzo and Menaggio. Get lost in the stony alleyways and stairwells and stop by Bellagioseta to shop for clothes, shoes and accessories. Azalea silk Ties and bandanas galore, and the Corner Shop has everything from fancy chess sets to dog-themed jewelry.

Aside from the ferries, private boat tours on Lake Como are big business, with companies running the gamut in terms of style and price range. The Medeghino offers private yacht tours, Bellagio Water Limousines lives up to its noble name with a fleet of polished wooden boats and Como Classic Boats offers both classic and electric boats as well as a 007 tour that takes in iconic locations from films such as Casino Royaleand for better or for worse, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. But similar to the prices of pasta, boat rentals also come in different shapes and budgets. There are also Kayak rentalfor something less ornate.

Or if you’d rather just dive in, that’s possible too. Beaches can be found at every access point along the lake, with some of the best – and least crowded – beaches in the central and northern parts of the lake. Keep in mind that the water temperature is usually quite cold even in the height of summer, and you may want to arrive early in the summer months to secure a spot. Some popular options include Lido Villa Olmo in Como, equipped with a beach bar and plenty of umbrellas and chairs; Lido di Cernobbio, which has its own restaurant and beach club; and Careno, a comparatively rustic beach southwest of Bellagio, lined with lawns and pebbles.

Even if you do not remain in a villa, you can at least visit one. From mid-March to mid-November, tours are available at select villas, such as Villa Melzi, Villa Balbianello and Villa Monastero, the latter of which houses a huge botanical garden and museum that preserves four centuries of local history. Unfortunately, Clooney’s villa is not open for tours. But with the right tour, the right restaurants and the right wines, you too will feel like the king of Como.