After spending two glorious weeks exploring Rome, Florence, and Venice, my wife and I found ourselves in Milan for the final leg of our Italian adventure. While Milan lacks the overwhelming historical grandeur of Italy’s other major cities, it holds its own unique charm – primarily through the awe-inspiring Duomo di Milano and the elegant Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade right next door.
What makes Milan particularly special is its role as a perfect hub for day trips to some of northern Italy’s most beautiful destinations. You can easily visit Lake Como, Cinque Terre, Verona, Bergamo, and other stunning locations from here. In our case, we specifically wanted to combine our Milan visit with a day trip to Lake Como – what we thought would be the perfect plan to experience both urban sophistication and lakeside tranquility within our limited three-day window before continuing on to Switzerland.
I must confess – Lake Como and its surrounding villages completely stole my heart. While this might be controversial to say, I actually enjoyed this region more than the famous Amalfi Coast. The combination of majestic alpine scenery, elegant villas, and charming waterfront villages created an atmosphere that felt both luxurious and authentically Italian at the same time.
Now, I’m the type of traveler who does extensive research before trips, and this preparation usually serves me well. Most of our travels went smoothly because I’d studied routes, schedules, and potential pitfalls in advance. But as any experienced traveler knows, no amount of planning can prevent all mishaps – sometimes the unexpected happens, and how you handle it makes all the difference.
While this story focuses primarily on our experiences in Milan and Lake Como, many of the lessons I’ll share apply to traveling throughout Italy – and indeed much of Europe. Before I get to our own travel blunder, let me share two common mistakes that travelers frequently make in Italy, illustrated through both others’ experiences and our own near-misses.
1. Confusing Similar-Sounding Town Names
During our stay in Florence, we befriended another couple who were traveling in the opposite direction from us (they were heading from Milan down to the Amalfi Coast while we were moving northward). They shared a hilarious story about their own Italian rail mishap that perfectly illustrates this first common mistake.
While in Milan, they had decided to visit Verona – the famously romantic city associated with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. They were particularly excited to see Juliet’s balcony. After purchasing their tickets at Milan’s massive Centrale Station, they checked the departure boards, noted their platform number, and boarded what they believed was their train to Verona.
You can probably guess what happened next. Instead of arriving in Verona, they found themselves in the picturesque lakeside village of Varenna on the shores of Lake Como! At first shocked and confused, they quickly decided to make the best of their unexpected detour. They spent the day exploring beautiful Varenna and even took the ferry to the equally stunning village of Bellagio.
In their own words: “That turned out to be the best day trip we’ve ever taken – and we’re well-traveled people!” While their story had a happy ending, not all such mix-ups work out so well. To help other travelers avoid similar confusion, here’s a list of Italian towns that are frequently mixed up due to their similar names:
• Varenna / Verona
• Torino / Turano
• Nola / Noli
• Riva / Riva del Garda
• Cecina / Cesena
• Latina / Latisana
• Ivrea / Ivria
• Modica / Modena
• Sora / Sori
• Acerra / Aversa
• Crotone / Cotronei
2. Booking the Wrong Train Station for Lake Como
This second mistake is particularly common among first-time visitors to Lake Como. Many travelers assume they should book a train to “Como” – after all, the lake is named after this town. However, this is actually not the best choice for most visitors.
If you’re coming from Milan and want to experience the most beautiful and characteristic parts of Lake Como in a single day trip, you should actually book your train to Varenna instead. Here’s why:
Varenna is a postcard-perfect lakeside village with a train station conveniently located just a 5-minute walk from the ferry dock. From there, you can easily catch ferries to other stunning villages like Menaggio and Bellagio. These three villages form what’s known as the Lake Como “Golden Triangle” – they’re exceptionally beautiful, close together, and easy to explore in a single day. Ferry rides between them are quick, frequent, and affordable.
In contrast, if you go to Como first, you’ll face a long ferry ride of over an hour to reach Varenna. Sometimes you might even need to combine ferries with buses. Moreover, Como itself is more of a small city than a charming village – while it has its merits, it lacks the immediate picturesque quality that makes Varenna, Bellagio, and Menaggio so special.
Unless you have specific business in Como, there’s really no reason to go there first. Save yourself time and hassle by taking the train directly to Varenna – your Lake Como experience will be much more rewarding as a result.
Our Own Travel Mistake
Now for our own story – the mistake that could have ruined our day but instead became one of our most memorable travel experiences.
Thanks to my thorough research, I had successfully avoided the two common mistakes mentioned above. I knew that for regional trains in Italy, you typically don’t need to book tickets in advance – the price remains the same whether you buy them days ahead or minutes before departure. I also knew these trains don’t have assigned seating, unlike the high-speed trains between major cities.
Feeling prepared, my wife and I woke up early on our chosen day and arrived at Milano Centrale station by 7 AM. I confidently purchased our round-trip tickets to Varenna at one of the Trenitalia kiosks. Our outbound train was scheduled for 8:10 AM, giving us plenty of time to spare.
Here’s an important tip about Italian train stations: For trains, the platform information typically doesn’t appear on the departure boards until about 20 minutes before the train’s scheduled departure. With time to kill, we decided to have breakfast at one of the station cafés, enjoying cappuccinos and our favorite pistachio cornetto (Italian croissants).
At about 7:50 AM – with 20 minutes until our scheduled departure – we went to check the big departure boards. This is where things started going wrong. We scanned the board looking for “Varenna,” but couldn’t find it listed anywhere. My wife double-checked, thinking maybe I’d missed it, but she couldn’t find it either.
We had purchased our tickets from a Trenitalia kiosk, but there didn’t appear to be any Trenitalia trains going to Varenna at that time. We waited a few more minutes, thinking it might be a delay in updating the boards, but still no listing appeared.
With time ticking away, we realized we needed help. We approached one of the Trenitalia staff members and explained our situation. Her response sent us into a panic: “Your train is about to leave! Hurry to platform 3 if you want to catch it!”
I couldn’t believe it. Here we were, at the station with plenty of time to spare, and now we were in danger of missing our train because we couldn’t find the right information. The thought of losing both our money and precious time at Lake Como was devastating.
What followed was a mad dash through the station – two out-of-breath tourists sprinting with our day packs, desperately trying to reach platform 3 before the train departed. Somehow, we managed to throw ourselves through the doors just as they were closing – with literally seconds to spare.
But our ordeal wasn’t over yet. As the train started moving, I realized I wasn’t entirely confident we were on the correct one. I approached a nearby passenger and asked, “Is this train going to Varenna?”
The look on their face told me everything before they even spoke. “Varenna? No, this train is going to Tirano!”
My heart sank. Before we could react or try to get off at the next stop, the train had already left the station. We found two empty seats and collapsed into them, equal parts frustrated and amused by our predicament.
My wife, ever the optimist, asked, “Do you think we’ll have one of those happy accidents like the couple we met in Florence?” I was less hopeful: “I think we might be the unlucky ones who just end up wasting half our day.”
Then another worry struck me – ticket inspections. We’d already been fined once in Rome for not validating our bus tickets properly (a common rookie mistake), and I didn’t want to face another penalty. I decided to be proactive and went to find the train conductor.
Remembering the importance of politeness in Italian culture, I began with a cheerful “Buongiorno!” before explaining our situation: “My wife and I meant to go to Varenna with these tickets, but we accidentally got on the wrong train. Please don’t fine us.” (I nearly added, “We’ve already paid our fair share of Italian fines,” but decided against it – humor doesn’t always translate well, especially with language barriers.)
To our immense relief, the conductor examined our tickets and said, “No problem. This train stops in Varenna before continuing to Tirano.” All I could manage was a heartfelt “Grazie mille!” before rushing back to share the good news with my wife.
The Silver Lining
What could have been a disastrous travel mistake turned into one of our most wonderful days in Italy. Just like the couple we’d met in Florence, we ended up having an unforgettable experience. Varenna was every bit as charming as promised, and we spent a magical day exploring its winding streets, colorful waterfront, and scenic vistas. We even took the ferry to Bellagio, completing our own version of the “Golden Triangle” experience.
Lessons Learned
- Regional trains often only display their final destination on departure boards – intermediate stops (like Varenna on a route to Tirano) typically aren’t shown. Always confirm with staff if you’re unsure.
- Trenitalia tickets may be valid on other operators’ trains – this is especially common with regional routes. Don’t assume your train will necessarily be operated by the company you bought the ticket from.
- When in doubt, ask for help early – Italians are generally very helpful if approached politely. A simple “Scusi” or “Buongiorno” before your question makes all the difference.
- Travel mishaps often make the best stories – while stressful in the moment, these unplanned adventures frequently become the most memorable parts of your trips. Embrace both the good and the bad – it’s all part of the experience.
Final Thoughts
Lake Como absolutely lives up to its reputation as one of Italy’s most breathtaking destinations. By heading straight to Varenna rather than Como town, you’ll maximize your time enjoying the lake’s most picturesque spots. And if you do find yourself on the wrong train? Take a deep breath – you might just end up with an even better story than you planned.
As for us, would we change anything about that chaotic morning at Milano Centrale? Not a chance. What seemed like a potential disaster turned into one of our favorite travel memories – the kind we’ll be retelling for years to come. After all, isn’t that what travel is really about? The perfect blend of planning and serendipity, where even the mistakes can lead to magic.