Bellagio Food Tour + Villa Melzi

This is a one of a kind tour in Bellagio. It is perfect for those staying in Bellagio and not just traveling there for a few hours. It lasted 5 hours and took us to spots we wouldn’t have seen on our own. Our favorite was the wine bar where we could have stayed all day. The views at the lunch spot are to die for. Thank you Elena!

Our guide was so knowledgeable and informative about the area and the culture. She personalized the tour to our interests and was happy to answer any questions we had. The food was incredible and the views were stunning!

This was our first time in Italy, and booking a food tour and Villa Balbianello tour with Elena on our first day in Bellagio was a stroke of good fortune. She was an amazing tour guide, the food was incredible, the boat ride bellisimo, Elena is as knowledgeable as she is personable. Would recommend this to anyone who wants a tour from someone who loves her job and loves food. Wear good walking shoes and an appetite, you will need them.

Elena was fantastic, fun and full of energy. This is so much more than a food tour. The food was great, we were full by the time it was over. But she took us to so many great spots that we never would have found on our own and she even taught us a little Italian along the way. She is very knowledgeable and friendly, we had great conversation and wonderful day. I highly recommend booking this very special experience.

We loved Elena. She was fun to hang out with and she taught us so much of the culture and language. We got a nice overview of Bellagio and the surrounding areas. It was so beautiful and we had some delicious food and wine.

Excellent- we started off with pastries, then cappuccinos which were excellent and a local Italian soda, then we stopped at a wine cellar which was beautiful and had fantastic wines and cheese/meats. We liked this so much we went back later that day after the tour. We went to a restaurant and had all types of fish. Most of these things we would have never ordered on our own. Lots of history in between. There was lots of walking (uphill for sure) but it was easy for us, wouldn’t recommend for delicate elderly. Definitely do it!

Elena was awesome! We learned so much and got to experience some of the best views around BELLAGIO. We ate so much food. This was more than just tasting! We learned about history, had great conversation with other travelers and was a great memory to share forever.

The views from the cafe on the hill to the gardens by the water. A nice variety of local foods and wines. Some serious walking up steps and over hills but the guide was careful not to overstress.

We had an amazing tour with Elana! She was super friendly, knowledgeable and so authentic! Her tour really gave us a deep dive into the local culture of Bellagio. The food was excellent! Highly recommend! Thank you Elana!

Elena is an amazing tour guide! It was just her and I for the first half of my tour(the food tour part) and she taught me how to order different things in Italian. She also made a list of phrases and words she taught me and sent them to me so I could continue to practice! We met with another group (that was taking a cooking class) for lunch and then we all continued down to Villa Melzi together. Wonderful experience!

This is an overdue review from our experience with Elena in September of 2022! Elena was absolutely wonderful and our experience in Bellagio was enhanced significantly by going on this tour. We learned SO much about the local environment, the shops, people and places that we otherwise would never have experienced had we not toured with Elena. It started with a little history lesson which was very interesting and her knowledge of the area carried throughout the entire tour. Elena has also made friends with several of the people who own the shops along the tour which enhanced the experience. It was like being a local in Bellagio visiting a neighborhood shop. She also took the time to teach us how to order different things in Italian, in different shops, which was very fun. Elena is also an absolutely wonderful person and our time with her was one of our favorite experiences while vacationing in Europe! Highly recommend!!!

This has to be the biggest scam in italy. Elena took our group of 9 people for a walk, gave us 1 beer, 2 pastries, some meats and cheese, a tiny slice of lasagna, 1 glas of wine and 1 branch of grapes. The rest of the budget dissapeared into their pockets. For 160 euros, you can go to a michelin restaurant and enjoy real italian cuisine. Please do not waste your money on these predators.

Elena, our guide, is so vivacious and truly interested in her guests. We had a wonderful time with her and we would strongly recommend her to anyone else.

Our tour guide was very pleasant and knowledgeable but she was trying to coordinate two other tours at the same time as ours, leaving us a lot of downtime while we waited for her. The walks and shop visits were nice, but as one fellow traveler said, “I’ve never had so little food on a food tour.” The lunch spot had beautiful views. So, for the price, I’d give this a 3. If it cost closer to 30 EUR I’d have given it a 4. Good enough but not a very good value.

We normally take food tours in different countries. This did not live up to our expectations. 1st-guide dropped us off for coffee only to return more than 20 minutes after she said she would return. She explained she had to help another client get on a boat. Then our group of 12 were herded into 3 small stores where she bought food (we didn’t get to eat then). We seldom heard what guide said as there were too many people in a small area. We had no idea what was going on. We are fine with lots of steps and walking uphill, but 75% of our 5,000 steps were serious uphill and steps. Only the two hikers in the group were able to keep up. We went to see a villa, but really it was the gardens, and yup, we walked all the way to the top of a hill before returning to same area. It would have been nice to have been told that. There was one part of day where a van took us up a hill to a restaurant to (eat the food we bought?). However the van could not accommodate 12 people so some people had to stay behind after one group was dropped off. While at the restaurant our guide was again attending to yet other clients. In summary, it felt like this company was trying to make as much as possible on as many people as possible in as little time as possible. We paid over $300 US for two people. I’d never pay that knowing what this ‘food’ tour was. Basically you hike and hike and eat at a place on top of a hill and then hike and hike. Find another way or place to spend your money or pay for a guided hike.

We had a wonderful afternoon with Elena and our new friends from Singapore. Elena is very warm and friendly and does a very good job with connecting on a personal level with her guests and even teaching some Italian along the way. The food along the tour was fantastic to say the very least. The highlights were both the breathtaking views and the food/wine at the restaurant at the top of the hill and the awe-inspiring beauty of Villa Melzi. Pictures will never do it justice. We certainly enjoyed ourselves to the fullest and would highly recommend any of Elena’s tours. Such a beautiful person inside and out!! Grazie mille Elena per una giornata perfetta!! Ciao ciao!

Awesome tour. Elena’s knowledge and enthusiasm was incredible. We learned a vast amount of cultural fun facts and a little bit of Italian too. Great experience!!!!

An amazing way to experience Bellagio like a local and see the hidden treasures there you might miss on your own. Elena was such a warm and engaging guide that loves life and what she does … she made the whole experience fun while sharing great history and stories as well as having my wife and I interacting with local shop owners and residents. It felt less like a tour and more like having a friend share their hometown. Highly recommend this tour … one of the best I’ve ever taken.

Guide Elena was very good! Food was good. Places we might have missed. Great advice on other activities. Do day 1 if possible.

One of the best tour experiences ever! Sabrina was so kind, genuine and made our day the best. It started with some coffee and Italian soda at a locals cafe. We then picked up some dried meat and cheese for later at a local deli. Then we tried some amazing pastries. We then walked over to the other side of the peninsula, and Sabrina teaching us about the local geography and history. It was just the two of us on the tour, which definitely helped to personalize the experience. We then went up to this restaurant with a view point, had our dried meats and cheese, and also had wine and lasagna. We then finished with a walk through the Melzi gardens. It was truly a delightful tour, and wound 10/10 recommend

The food tour was the highlight of our time in Bellagio. We walked through town, stopping at some places along the way and collecting a picnic to have in the harbor. We viewed the panorama from The top and sampled wonderful local treats , then finished with a tour of Villa Melzi gardens. Sabrina provided fascinating information about the town, the region, the food and more. So worth it!

We had a wonderful tour with the enthusiastic and knowledgeable Sabrina, who was the perfect host. The tour was an ideal way to get acquainted with Bellagio; finding alleys and corners that only a local would know about.

A deliciously decadent half-day tour offered by the most exuberant and friendly hostess, Elena, who has very carefully designed her own tasting tour of Bellagio. Generous amounts of food laid on, more than we could eat, in vibrant la dolce vita style in the most breathtakingly beautiful array of settings. Grazie mille, Elena, for the Italiano gusto and sapori.

Elena was fabulous! We were significantly delayed due to a ferry cancellation, but she waited for us and we had a delightful tour. Elena is full of good humor and experience and wanted to please. We thought we were just stopping at various places and trying local foods - which we did do - and we were very happy with that. But then we stopped for more food and wine at a restaurant up the hillside with a spectacular view overlooking Lake Como! One of our best experiences in Italy. Villa Melzi was a beautiful location, right on the lake. If you aren't staying in Bellagio save plenty of time to explore before or after your tour.

Our family of 4 had a really great time! Sabrina was our guide - she was friendly and knowledgeable. She taught us about the history of Bellagio and of Lake Como, gave us all a chance to practice some Italian and took us to several places to order food. We went on some fun backroads that I’m sure we wouldn’t have found on our own. The place we ate lunch was so beautiful and the food was our favorite of the trip so far. We finished with a walk through the gardens of Villa Melzi. I highly recommend this tour!!

Oh my goodness, it is a challenge to express how much we enjoyed our Bellagio adventure with sweet hearted wonderful Elena. Her enthusiasm and love and joie de vivre shine through her eyes and smile and we will carry it with us. She is such a magical spirit and we are all so lucky to have spent the day with her, tasting and learning and laughing, Ending at the most beautiful view for lunch! She taught us the most important Italian phrases— including the ones we needed to order food and coffees and wine. Next visit to bella Italy we would love to see more special places through Elena’s eyes. With love from your friends from California

Absolutely the most memorable part of our trip to Lake Como. Elena brought us to places we definitely couldn’t have known about on our own or from google and really made us feel at home and was passionate about sharing the culture and customs of the Italians! She even taught me some useful Italian phrases and we had a wonderful day. The food and the winery were out of this world. She introduced us to every store owner and learned a little about each family and history of Bellagio. Truly a magical time <3

Elena met us and was very friendly and personable. She taught us some Italian words which I’ll never forget and brought us around the scenic Bellagio to different shops & bakeries. She took us to places only the locals know about and told us many amazing stories. I will never forget my visit to Lake Como & highly recommend her tour to anyone visiting the area. Thank you Elena!!!

Spending the morning with Rita who knows everyone in town makes you feel like you get to know the real Bellagio not just the Main Street…and you will be well fed!!!!