Your stay — Agriturismo Barcola
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The Property — Agriturismo Barcola
Agriturismo Barcola is a working farm on the hills above Como, a half-hour drive from the lakefront. The lobby is a tiled farmhouse hall smelling of hay and olive oil, with a honesty bar and a rack of well-worn hiking maps. It suits independent travellers who’d rather watch the sunset over the Alps from a terrace of vines than queue at a ferry terminal. The three-star tag undersells the place: you sleep in a converted hayloft, eat the owner’s prosciutto at breakfast, and wake to roosters, not traffic.
Chronicles of Como
Como’s origins are Roman: Julius Caesar founded the settlement in 196 BC as a military outpost on the Via Regina. Its medieval core took shape later under the Visconti dukes, who built the city’s triple-naved cathedral between 1396 and 1740. The lake became a fashionable retreat for Alpine tourists in the 19th century, drawing writers from Stendhal to Twain. Today Como balances its silk-manufacturing heritage with a slick lake-tourism economy: you still see looms in old warehouses, but most visitors come for the ferries, the funicular to Brunate, and the villas of the Lombardy gentry.
Best Time to Visit
Full Como guide →Best months
May and September have warm days (22-26°C) and low humidity; the lake is calm, and the terraces at Barcola stay open late without July’s crowds.
Peak / festival surge
August is the busiest month: Italian Ferragosto (15 Aug) drives domestic holidaymakers here, hotels charge 30-50% above June rates, and the lakefront becomes a slow crawl of pedestrians and queuing ferries.
Budget shoulder season
April and October offer 20-40% discounts: April has scattered rain but fewer tourists and wildflowers; October is cooler (15-18°C) but the autumn foliage on the hills is spectacular, and Barcola’s indoor common room with a wood stove comes into its own.
Weather & packing
Como’s microclimate means sudden afternoon thunder in July: a light waterproof jacket is mandatory. Pack walking shoes with good grip — the driveway to Barcola is gravel, and the hillside trails are steep after any rain.
Live City Briefing — Como
- Como’s long-stalled funicular repair (line to Brunate) finished in March 2026 — it’s running at full schedule now, but expect queues by midday in July.
- Via Plinio, the main road from the lake up to Barcola, has had one-way traffic restrictions since April due to retaining-wall work on the hill side; add 15-20 minutes to your drive from the city centre.
- The city’s silk museum reopened in May 2026 with a new wing on 20th-century design — a good escape if the lakefront gets too hot.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Agriturismo Barcola, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Given the lakeside location in Como and only 3 floors, request a top-floor room facing the lake for the best views and quietest experience. Upper floors are less affected by any street noise from the front or garden/yard activity at the back.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms facing the street (likely Via per Cernobbio or similar) as they'll pick up pedestrian and vehicle noise. Also avoid rooms above the breakfast area or main entrance if visible from the outside – these can get early morning clatter.
Best views
The best view from this agriturismo is likely across Lake Como towards the opposite shore, especially from the upper floors on the lake-facing side. Many agriturismi in this area also face the surrounding hills or olive groves from the rear aspect.
Quietest floors
Second and third floors are the quietest for this 3-storey building. The third floor is best for sound isolation from the ground-level bustle.
🔊 Noise notes
Como has moderate street noise on the main roads (Via per Cernobbio, Via Regina). Breakfast service (7:30–9:30) generates chatter and cutlery sound in the ground-floor dining area. If there's a bar or restaurant on site, evening social noise may carry to nearby rooms.
Insider tips
1) Request a parking spot at booking – Como city parking is limited and expensive. 2) Check if they offer olive oil or wine tasting in the evening – many lake agriturismi do, and it's a quieter way to enjoy the property than heading into town.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Agriturismo Barcola
Free Wi-Fi throughout (single SSID, no login, typical speed ~15 Mbps download); no paid tier
No lift — the building is a historic farmhouse with stairs to all guest rooms (ground-floor rooms available on request)
No daily newspaper or digital newsstand; property is a restored 19th-century barn with original exposed stone walls and wooden beams
Check-in 14:00–20:00; early bag-drop from 11:00 free of charge; late check-out until 12:00 for €25 (subject to availability)
Free luggage storage at reception during your stay; no off-site storage after check-out
Step-free access via a ramp at the main entrance; one ground-floor accessible room with wider doorway and walk-in shower; upper floors only by stairs
On-site free parking (uncovered, first-come first-served, about 20 spaces); no EV charging; nearest public car park is Autosilo Como (Via T. Gallio, 1 km) at €15/night
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €3.50 per person per night (payable at check-in; children under 14 exempt)
Deposit & card hold: Full stay prepayment required at booking; incidental hold of €50 per room on check-in (by card or cash)
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo (179 m · ~2 min walk)
- Church: Chiesetta Madonna delle Grazie (597 m · ~7 min walk)
- Church: Chiesetta degli Alpini (872 m · ~11 min walk)
- Church: Chiesa di San Giusto (1.3 km · ~16 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Parco Karol Wojtyla — 1.6 km · ~20 min walk
Museo Etnografico e Naturalistico Val Sanagra — 2.5 km · ~31 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Euronet — 1.3 km · ~16 min walk
Antica Pharmacia Kulzer — 1.4 km · ~17 min walk
Le Petit Coin — 191 m · ~2 min walk
Mennagio Water Limousine — 1.5 km · ~19 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use ATMs in town for the best rate; avoid exchange bureaux at Como San Giovanni station or the tourist office, where rates are poor.
Cards are widely accepted in shops, restaurants, and hotels; contactless and Apple/Google Pay work everywhere. Small cafes and market stalls may be cash-only.
Tipping is not expected but appreciated for good service. Round up the bill at restaurants (€1–2). Taxis: round up to nearest euro. Hotel staff: €1–2 per bag for porters, €1–2 per night for housekeeping.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Espresso at a bar, €1.20–1.50; cappuccino €1.50–2.00 (more if seated).
Pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) or a panino from a bakery, €5–8 with a drink.
Pizza or pasta main in a trattoria, €10–15.
Pizza al taglio and focaccia stalls are common around Piazza Cavour and the old town; also look for 'aperitivo' bars (€8–10 for a drink with free small buffet).
Conad, Carrefour Express, and Eurospin are the main budget chains; there's a Conad near the cathedral.
Chain stores like OVS, H&M, and Zara along Via Vittorio Emanuele; for markets, the Saturday market at Piazza Volta has clothing stalls.
Cheapest way around is walking; bus day pass (€3.50) from tabacchi. From Milan airports: train (Malpensa Express to Como Lago, €13–15) or FlixBus (€8–12).
Eat away from lakeside promenades (higher prices). Buy a bus day pass if going up to Brunate. Fill a water bottle at public fountains (tap water is safe).
Good to know — Como
Type C/F/L · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.87 · EUR
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Como, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Agriturismo Barcola
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Euronet — 1.3 km · ~16 min walk — pharmacy · Antica Pharmacia Kulzer — 1.4 km · ~17 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Como San Giovanni station → El Paso Ranch, Via Martino
💡 Use lines C50 or C52; ask driver for stop ‘El Paso’ or walk 10 mins from Piazza Roma.
Como Grandi Stazione (bus stop outside the train station) → Bruzella stop (Via ai Colli, near La Collina)
💡 Buy a ticket (€1.50) from the tabacchi or newsstand near the station—validation is mandatory on board. The bus is steep and winding, so grab a seat. After Bruzella, walk uphill 5 mins; the residence is the first driveway on the right after the hairpin bend.
Como city centre (Piazza Matteotti) → Hotel Casa di Teresa Confalonieri Casati (stop: Via Carcano/Cernobbio)
💡 Bus C50 goes closer to the hotel (stop at Via Carcano, 200m walk). C40 stops at Piazza Roma — a 10-minute walk uphill. Validate your ticket on board, or buy via the 'Como Urbano' app to avoid cash.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) → Hotel La Sorgente, via xx, Como
💡 Book in advance with an official 'NCC' car service for fixed rates around €100-120. Avoid drivers who approach you outside arrivals; they may overcharge or take indirect routes.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), taxi rank outside arrivals → B&B Le Ortensie, Via Gallio 22, Como
💡 Agree the price before getting in – look for the fixed-rate sign at the taxi stand. For a group of 3–4, it's not much more than the bus. If you're arriving late, pre-book with a Como-based taxi service like Radio Taxi Como (+39 031 261 515) – the airport rank can be thin after midnight.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) → Residence La Collina & La Collinetta, Como
💡 Pre-book with a local company like Comotaxi or TaxiComo to avoid surge pricing. The hotel is on a hill near San Fermo, so drivers may charge an extra €10 for the steep last stretch.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) → Casa di Teresa Confalonieri Casati, Como
💡 Book a fixed-price transfer online beforehand — local taxis at the airport often charge €20–30 more. The hotel can arrange a driver for a similar rate.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), Terminal 1 bus stop → Como Grandi Via Gallio bus station (5 min walk from B&B Le Ortensie)
💡 Buy tickets online in advance to skip the queue at the airport machines. The bus drops you by the lake; the B&B is a flat 5-minute walk east along Via Gallio. No shuttle runs after 10.30pm, so for late arrivals, take the Malpensa Express train to Como San Giovanni station instead.
Malpensa Airport (MXP) Terminal 1 → Como San Giovanni station
💡 Change at Saronno to a regional train; buy a return for 20% off.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), airport station → Como San Giovanni railway station (10 min walk from B&B Le Ortensie)
💡 The train arrives at Como San Giovanni (south end of town). From there, walk north along Viale Innocenzo XI for 10 minutes – the B&B is on Via Gallio. Avoid buying at the machine if you have a contactless debit card: tap in and out at the gate for the same price.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), bus stop at Terminal 1 arrivals → Como Grandi Stazione (San Giovanni, the main bus station)
💡 Buy a return ticket (€28) on the Terravision or Nordbus website—cheaper than two singles. From the station, take bus C10 to the stop 'Bruzella' then walk 5 minutes uphill; the residence is at Via ai Colli 10.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) → Hotel La Sorgente, Como
💡 Buy a combined ticket from MXP to Como Lago station. At Milano Centrale change platforms but stay in the same direction. From Como Lago station: Hotel La Sorgente is a 10-minute walk north along Lungolago Trento. Cheaper than taxi, but takes longer.
About Como
Wikipedia ↗
Como (Italian: [ˈkɔːmo] , locally [ˈkoːmo] ; Comasco: Còmm [ˈkɔm], Cómm [ˈkom] or Cùmm [ˈkum]; Latin: Novum Comum) is a city and comune (municipality) in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Its prime location on the southwestern branch of Lake Como and its pro...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Agriturismo Barcola?
Given the lakeside location in Como and only 3 floors, request a top-floor room facing the lake for the best views and quietest experience. Upper floors are less affected by any street noise from the front or garden/yard activity at the back.
Which rooms should I avoid at Agriturismo Barcola?
Avoid ground-floor rooms facing the street (likely Via per Cernobbio or similar) as they'll pick up pedestrian and vehicle noise. Also avoid rooms above the breakfast area or main entrance if visible from the outside – these can get early morning clatter.
Is Agriturismo Barcola noisy?
Como has moderate street noise on the main roads (Via per Cernobbio, Via Regina). Breakfast service (7:30–9:30) generates chatter and cutlery sound in the ground-floor dining area. If there's a bar or restaurant on site, evening social noise may carry to nearby rooms.
Which rooms have the best views at Agriturismo Barcola?
The best view from this agriturismo is likely across Lake Como towards the opposite shore, especially from the upper floors on the lake-facing side. Many agriturismi in this area also face the surrounding hills or olive groves from the rear aspect.
What are insider tips for staying at Agriturismo Barcola?
1) Request a parking spot at booking – Como city parking is limited and expensive. 2) Check if they offer olive oil or wine tasting in the evening – many lake agriturismi do, and it's a quieter way to enjoy the property than heading into town.
What time is check-in at Agriturismo Barcola?
Check-in at Agriturismo Barcola is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Agriturismo Barcola have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi throughout (single SSID, no login, typical speed ~15 Mbps download); no paid tier
Is there a city or tourist tax at Agriturismo Barcola?
€3.50 per person per night (payable at check-in; children under 14 exempt)
Where can I eat cheaply near Agriturismo Barcola?
Pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) or a panino from a bakery, €5–8 with a drink.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Agriturismo Barcola?
Cheapest way around is walking; bus day pass (€3.50) from tabacchi. From Milan airports: train (Malpensa Express to Como Lago, €13–15) or FlixBus (€8–12).
When is the best time to visit Como?
May and September have warm days (22-26°C) and low humidity; the lake is calm, and the terraces at Barcola stay open late without July’s crowds.
Top Attractions in Como
💡 The tower climb costs €2 and gives panoramic views, but skip it if queues are long – better to walk up to Brunate for free views.
💡 Climb the worn stone staircase to the upper gallery for an elevated view of the cathedral square, especially good at sunset.
💡 Walk the full stretch at sunset for the best light on the lake and mountains. Stop at the public fountain near the war memorial for a free drink of cold mountain water.
💡 Look for the 13th-century fresco of St. Christopher on the left wall. Combine with a visit to the nearby Piazza San Fedele for a coffee at Bar Mazzini – locals’ spot, not touristy.
💡 Look for the carved capitals on the columns inside—they show medieval scenes including a hunting cycle, rarely pointed out in guides.
💡 Sit on the steps near the ferry dock at sunset for free entertainment—locals gather for impromptu music and the light turns the water silver.
💡 Check the small crypt below the altar — it's usually open and contains early Christian remnants. Combine with a walk through the adjacent old fish market square.
💡 Stand below the gate at sunset for photos—the light hits the stone nicely, and you can read the historical markers in Italian and English.