Private cruises · Lake Como
VABA Boats Lake Como
Step aboard our Venetian-style Riva taxi boat: original mahogany, a fully open deck and a heated cabin, with your own skipper and an itinerary shaped around you. Enclosed, heated cabin always available and included in your tour.
Happy to help with anything: choosing a tour, timing, pick-up or a special request.
Chat with us on WhatsApp
Winter on the lake
1, 2 or 3 hours from Como or Cernobbio, priced per boat with skipper and fuel included. Enclosed, heated cabin always available and included in your tour.
See winter toursPick a day: the booking page then shows only the times still free.
1 hour · Departure from Como
The first basin in front of Como and Cernobbio: Villa Olmo, Villa Erba, Villa d'Este, the Blevio shoreline and Torno.
€300 per boat
30% deposit online €90 · balance on board €210
2 hours · Departure from Como
From Como towards Torno, Laglio and Nesso, past period mansions, stone boathouses and gardens running into the water.
€500 per boat
30% deposit online €150 · balance on board €350
2 hours · Departure from Como
Same 2-hour route, timed so the cruise includes sunset.
Departures that include sunset are marked when booking (calculated time).
€500 per boat
30% deposit online €150 · balance on board €350
Pick-up at other docks: free or +€50 to +€500, calculated when booking. Standard price; booking 3+ days ahead lowers only 5 h: €1,400 → €1,300.
Confirmed as soon as the 30% deposit is paid online. Cancel at least 20 days before: full refund or credit; in unsafe weather: refund, new date or credit. Cloudy skies are not bad weather. Cancellation and weather terms
Enclosed, heated cabin always available and included in your tour. Every boat also has an open deck.
Tours
From a one-hour villas cruise to Bellagio, Varenna and a full Grand Tour, every itinerary is private and built around you.
1 hour for a first look at Como’s villas; 2 hours to reach Nesso’s waterfall; 3 hours for Balbianello and Bellagio. All three are panoramic cruises without landing.
1 hour
The first basin in front of Como and Cernobbio: Villa Olmo, Villa Erba, Villa d'Este, the Blevio shoreline and Torno.
Couples, families and anyone with only part of the day in Como.
Como · Villa Olmo · Cernobbio · Blevio · Torno
From €300 per boat
1–6 guests · departure from Como
Up to 11 guests · 7–11 guests: +€50/hour per boat
Details
2 hours
From Como towards Torno, Laglio and Nesso, past period mansions, stone boathouses and gardens running into the water.
Guests who want the best balance of time, scenery and relaxation.
Como · Torno · Laglio · Nesso
From €500 per boat
1–6 guests · departure from Como
Up to 11 guests · 7–11 guests: +€50/hour per boat
Details
3 hours
The heart of the lake from the water: Villa del Balbianello, the tip of Bellagio and Villa Melzi. Panoramic tour, no landing.
Guests who want to see mid-lake and the most famous places on the Lario.
Balbianello · Bellagio · Villa Melzi
From €800 per boat
1–6 guests · departure from Como
Up to 11 guests · 7–11 guests: +€50/hour per boat
DetailsThe base price covers 1–6 guests. For 7–11 guests the supplement is €50 per hour per boat, not per person. Included pick-ups: Como city, Villa d'Este, Cernobbio, Blevio. Other docks have the supplement shown at checkout; boarding is subject to an accessible, confirmed landing point.
Tours
Choose your tour, the number of guests and your boarding point.
Pick an available date and departure time.
Pay a 30% deposit online; the balance is settled on board.
About us
Genuine wood, classic lines and polished brass: our Venetian-style Riva boat has a fully open deck and an enclosed, heated cabin comfortably seating up to 10 people. Enjoy the lake outside or relax sheltered inside, with your private skipper at the helm. Enclosed, heated cabin always available and included in your tour.
Fleet
Enclosed, heated cabin always available and included in your tour. Every boat also has an open deck.
Destinations
We board in Como, Cernobbio, Bellagio, Menaggio or Varenna and cruise past the villas, gardens and villages that make Lake Como famous.
Photo gallery
Our vintage wooden taxi boats, the varnished decks and the villages of Lake Como, photographed on board and from the air.
Weddings
Bridal arrivals, guest transfers and photo cruises on a vintage wooden taxi. We work with planners, villas and photographers across the lake.
Blog
What to see, how long to cruise and how to arrive at your wedding by boat: our notes for guests and planners.
3 min read
Two more original mahogany Venetian taxis will join VABA during 2027, bringing our fleet to five. What this will mean for private wooden boat tours, weddings and transfers on Lake Como.
Read more
4 min read
A practical layering and packing list for a private boat tour in November, plus how to plan around shorter days without relying on a fixed sunset time.
Read more4 min read
Head count, the per-hour group supplement, one boarding point and a realistic schedule: how to organise a private boat tour for a larger party.
Read moreFAQ
Prices, boarding points, children on board, rain policy and everything else you need to know.
Every tour is private and priced per boat, not per person: the rate depends on duration, pick-up point and extras. You see the exact price instantly in our online booking — choose date and duration and the total appears before you pay. If you prefer, message us on WhatsApp and we confirm everything personally.
We board in Como, Cernobbio, Bellagio, Menaggio, Varenna and at many hotels with private jetties. If you are unsure where to start, we recommend the best option based on your chosen itinerary.
Yes, a private skipper is included in every tour. He speaks Italian and English and knows the shores, jetties and timings of every itinerary well.
Each boat carries up to 11 guests plus the skipper. For larger groups we arrange convoys with multiple boats.
Children are welcome; life jackets are available for all sizes. Pets are usually allowed on covered decks, but please tell us when booking.
Of course. We bring water, ice and towels. On request we prepare a hamper with sparkling wine, cheese and charcuterie, or we can stop at a restaurant with a jetty.
Every tour includes the private boat, your skipper, fuel and water on board.
Book an available tour online and see the exact total before you pay. Confirmation appears immediately on screen once payment is successfully verified; pending payments or bookings under review are not yet confirmed. Prefer to talk first? Message us on WhatsApp.
Happy to help with anything: choosing a tour, timing, pick-up or a special request.
Chat with us on WhatsApp