Lake Como commonly referred to as Lario, is a glacial lake in the Italian region of Lombardy. It is the third-largest lake in Italy, behind Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore, with a surface area of 146 square kilometers. The lake's bottom lies more than 200 meters below sea level, making it the fifth-deepest lake in Europe and the deepest one outside of Norway. Since Roman times, aristocracy and wealthy people have used Lake Como as a getaway. Today, it is a very famous tourist destination with many important works of art and cultural treasures. There are numerous palaces and mansions there, including Villa Olmo, Villa Serbelloni, and Villa Carlotta. Numerous well-known people have resided near Lake Como and still do.

Since Pliny constructed his palace on its eastern bank during the Roman era, the affluent have flocked to frolic at glitzy Como, the cover-girl of Italian lakes. Hollywood celebrities now pick it as their getaway retreat. The stylish and picturesque town of Bellagio is located at the point where the long, narrow Como separates into two arms at the southern end, giving it the shape of an inverted Y.

The former Roman city of Como, which is located at the base of the lake and is accessible to Milan by train, is best known for its spectacular Romanesque cathedral and its cable car that ascends to provide views of the lake and the surrounding snow-capped Alps. Lake Como is one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy.

Location: Lombardy, Italy

Italy's largest lake is Lake Garda. It is a well-liked vacation spot in northern Italy, on the edge of the Dolomites, halfway between Brescia and Verona and between Venice and Milan. At the end of the previous ice age, glaciers created this alpine area. The provinces of Brescia, Verona, and Trentino share the lake and its shoreline.

Garda is primarily known as the playground lake, despite the fact that its northernmost portions are almost as stunning as Lake Como. Nearly every freshwater sport is available here, and at its northernmost point, Torbole, you can enjoy some of the best kite- and windsurfing in Europe. The lake's winds make sailing a favorite activity, while kayaking is more common in its calmer southern waters.

The southern portion of the lake has the majority of the nicest beaches, and the nearby mountains feature hiking paths of varying degrees of difficulty. Take the spinning cable car to Monte Baldo's summit and hike along the ridge where there is a botanic garden of alpine plants for tourists who wish to see the mountains without having to travel uphill.

Location: between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan on the edge of the Dolomites

The northernmost towns of Ascona and Locarno are in the Swiss Ticino area, and Lake Maggiore, the second-largest lake in Italy, is shared with Switzerland. However, the majority of the lake, where the best things to do in Maggiore are, is in Italy. The lower end of the lake is only a few kilometers from Malpensa airport, and towns along its western side are directly accessible by train from Milan.

The majority of the top attractions are located on the western side, where you can also find Villa Taranto and Villa Pallavicino's stunning subtropical gardens and park. The latter is one of the most popular family-friendly activities on Lake Maggiore because it features botanical and displays gardens as well as a zoo with exotic animals.

Boat transport visitors to the three Borromean Islands from fashionable Stresa, which serves as a popular base. Rocca Borromeo, the extravagant palace on Isola Bella, is the main draw despite the fact that each of the islands has its own appeal. The majority of the island is covered in magnificent salons and galleries with lavish ornamental flourishes covered in gold, but the highlight of a tour is the much more exquisite formal garden that rises tier after tier above the lake.

Compared to Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore has fewer beaches, although various towns offer canoe and kayak rentals. The finest way to see Angera Castle, lakefront homes, and the ever-changing mountains to the north is to take a tour on one of the lake steamers.

Location: Lombardy and Piedmont, Italy

The next position on the list of the most beautiful lakes in Italy is Lake Orta. West of Lake Maggiore in northern Italy is a lake called Lake Orta. Prior to the 16th century, it was known as Lago di San Giulio in honor of Saint Julius, the area's patron saint, who lived in the 4th century. Its northern end is roughly 6 kilometers south of the Gravellona-Toce railway station, which is situated midway between Ornavasso and Omegna, while its southern end is approximately 35 kilometers by rail to the northwest of the city of Novara.

Despite being only a short drive from Lake Maggiore, Orta is by far the most romantic lake in all of Italy. Nevertheless, it is frequently disregarded. Little Lake Orta, located beneath the forested western slopes of Monte Mottarone, features just one little island, Isola San Giulio, which can be reached by boat from Orta San Guilio.

The stone structures of a convent and the Basilica di San Giulio, which is thought to have been constructed by the saint himself in the 12th century, encompass almost the whole area of the island. The frescoes and the church's elaborately carved marble pulpit are its highlights. The Way of Silence winds beneath the convent's walls and through the historic structures.

Location: Piedmont, Italy

A glacial lake called Lake Lugano lies on the boundary of southern Switzerland and northern Italy. Due to historical and geographic anomalies, only a small, isolated portion of Lake Lugano, towards the center, is in Switzerland; the rest is in the Italian-speaking Ticino area. The only significant settlements are Lugano in Switzerland and Porlezza in the far eastern end of Italy, except for the few villages that cling to its shore. Another area of the lake's coastline is rocky, vertical, and heavily forested, giving it a tranquil, untamed sense that is complemented by the gorgeous mountains that provide the lake's backdrop.

Drive from Menaggio to Porlezza at the Italian end of Lake Lugano to access the lake, or for a genuine adventure, traverse the network of mountain roads from Argegno on Lake Como to Osteno on Lake Lugano. You don't need to go back because a road leads directly from here to Porlezza along the lakefront. You'll cross the Grotte di Rescia caverns as you walk down the beach.

Porlezza is a well-liked destination for families because of its swimming beach and a good selection of campers. You can rent boats in Cima, close to Porlezza, to tour the lake on your own, or you can take one of the well-liked steamers from Lugano.

Location: Ticino, Lombardy, Italy

Lake Iseo, like Lake Orta, is frequently disregarded since it is sandwiched between and overshadowed by the larger, more well-known lakes of Garda and Como. Iseo is surrounded by mountains and is known for its water sports, which include paragliding, kitesurfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, canoeing, and kayaking.

Modest lakeside communities offer tourist services and attractions, such as a 12th-century Romanesque church and a small castle near the village of Iseo. The sole island in the Alpine lake rises sharply in the Monte Isola's forested slopes, not far from the town of Sulzano. The Madonna della Ceriola shrine is located at the peak, over 600 meters above sea level. You arrive at the tiny island fishing community of Peschiera Maraglio via ferry from Sulzano.

Plans are in motion for a new installation named Your World, by modern artist Lorenzo Quinn, in Sulzano on the eastern side. In 2016, The Floating Piers exhibit allowed people to walk on the sea. The Earth will be supported by two huge hands that emerge from the water, and the five continents will be depicted in green to symbolize forests. It will feature floating walkways, just like the 2016 project.

Location: Lombardy, Italy

Pragser Wildsee, also known as Lago di Braies in Italian, is a lake that was produced by a landslide from the nearby Herrstein and is surrounded by Dolomite peaks in the German-speaking South Tyrol region of Italy. Any time of year, the sight of the deep blue and emerald waters surrounded by lush greenery and craggy mountain peaks is stunning. It is one of the most photographed locations in the Dolomites because of this and the tiny lakeside chapel on the shore that reflects in the water.

Pragser Wildsee, at the base of the 2,800-meter Croda del Becco and the paths in the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park, serves as a starting place for hikers, adding to its aesthetic attractiveness. On the west side of the lake, a trail is wide and mostly flat; on the east, it is shorter and steeper. Alternately, take the trail's commencement to the Seekofel, a lovely stroll amid the mountain beauty.

Boats can be rented as well if you want to see additional scenery from the water. On the ice throughout the winter, you might see a curling match in progress. Pragser Wildsee is one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy.

Location: South Tyrol, Italy

A volcanic and tectonic lake, Lake Bolsena is located in central Italy. It is the biggest lava lake in all of Europe. The Vulsini volcano last showed signs of activity in 104 BC, according to Roman historical records; since then, it has lain dormant. Following the collapse that produced the depression, underwater eruptions in the southern half of the lake produced the two islands.

Bolsena, Europe's largest volcanic lake and located to the north of Rome, was built in the caldera left behind by a volcano's eruption 370,000 years ago. The two islands in the lake, Bisentina, and Martana, were formed by later underwater eruptions, but the volcano hasn't been active since the Romans first noticed it in 104 BC. The lake's extensive beaches are made of smooth black sand, which is a result of its volcanic origins.

Locals and visitors alike are drawn to the beaches and the kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, fishing, water skiing, paragliding, and sailing options. Campgrounds, B&Bs, and agritourism hotels are also available. At several locations around the lake, you can rent canoes and sailboats or go on a sailing tour.

More than a dozen kinds of birds that nest in reeds along the shore and fish in the nearby waterways make Bolsena a favorite destination for birdwatchers. The largest island, Bisentina, is reachable by ferry from Capodimonte and is well worth a visit to see the gardens, oak forests, and murals in the Cappella del Crocifisso from the fifth century.

Location: Province of Viterbo, Central Italy

32 kilometers northwest of Rome, in the Italian region of Lazio, is a lake with volcanic origins called Lake Bracciano. It is one of Italy's largest lakes and the second-largest lake in the area. Its circumference is about 32 kilometers. It receives its inflow from subsurface springs, precipitation runoff, and percolation, and the Arrone is where it exits.

A significant tourist destination is a lake. Since 1986, it has been under management to prevent water pollution because it is a reservoir for the city of Rome's drinking water. Bracciano is one of the cleanest lakes in Italy thanks to the severe prohibition on watercraft use and the construction of a centralized wastewater system for all the neighboring towns. Swimming, canoeing, and sailing are encouraged by the lack of motorized navigation.

The Renaissance Orsini-Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, which is located on a hill overlooking the lake and has its own attractions in addition to its furnished chambers, has a museum of medieval armor and weapons. Explore the network of stairways and little alleys that surround the castle to get to the lake.

Location: Northern part of the Province of Rome, Lazio, Italy

The little Alpine Lake Ledro is located at the northernmost point of Lake Garda, not far west of Riva del Garda, amid an unspoiled setting of forests and mountain peaks. Swimming, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, and fishing are all popular activities in crystal-clear, almost iridescent blue-green waters. A 200-kilometer network of walking and hiking routes also round the picturesque lake and leads to Alpine heights.

Another attraction in Lake Ledro is for those who are interested in history. The pile buildings of a Bronze Age hamlet were exposed as the lake level dropped when a hydroelectric project was being built near Riva del Garda in 1929. In addition to the homes, a variety of intact daily objects were discovered. Lake Ledro is also one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy.

The settlement has been rebuilt, and Bronze Age relics have been used to decorate the homes. The most significant pile-dwelling site in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Museo delle Palafitte di Ledro (Ledro Pile Dwellings Museum), located near Molina di Ledro. This location is well-liked by families because of its workshops and activities.

Location: Trentino, northern Italy

Lake Vico covers the caldera of a dormant volcano close to Viterbo and is accessible from Rome. A nature reserve guards its northern coast. The slopes of the close-by Cimini Hills, a range of mountains rising to a height of around 1,000 meters, are home to some of Europe's southernmost beech woods. At 510 meters, the lake is one of the highest in Italy.

The woodlands, where some of the trees grow to a height of 40 meters, are listed as a component of the Primeval Forests of Carpathian Beech UNESCO World Heritage List.

Despite being only a little more than an hour from Rome, its beaches and shoreline are tranquil. The lake is well-known for sailing and fishing in addition to swimming in clean, deep waters; motorized boats are not permitted. Along the southern edge of the lake, there are benches, picnic tables, and a few restaurants. On the northern shore, La Bella Venere Hotel is a beach resort with lake views, family-sized rooms, and kid-friendly amenities.

Location: Lazio, Italy

At the base of the Dolomites near Belluno, there is a small lake called Alleghe that is of natural origin but is incredibly intriguing for its characteristics. Deep within the Dolomites of northern Italy, the settlement of Alleghe and Monte Civetta is reflected in the stunningly green waters of Lago di Alleghe. The most popular activities around here, besides swimming, include fishing, windsurfing, sailing, and renting a pedalo in Alleghe. One end of the lake transforms into an ice rink in the winter.

The lake has been surrounded by a smoothed road for simple strolling, and the views are breathtaking from wherever along the coast. Take the funicular up to the high Alpine meadows above for additional mountain vistas.

The Alpine lake that visitors enjoy today was created when the valley was filled with water. It is not difficult to get to Lake Alleghe because it is precisely in the same location as the village of Alleghe in the Belluno region. There are parking spaces nearby where you can leave your car and continue on foot along the perimeter or towards the various local routes.

Location: province of Belluno in the Italian