When to shoot on Lake Como: months, light and crowds

Half of what makes a Lake Como pre-wedding shoot work is the location. The other half is timing. The same lakeside path is creamy soft light in May and blown-out white at noon in August. We have photographed here for seven years and kept notes on every month; here is the practical part first.

May to June, September to October: two golden windows

Temperatures sit between 18 and 26°C, so a wedding dress stays comfortable, and the lake often carries a thin morning mist. In May the rhododendrons and wisteria are still out and the villa gardens are at their richest; by September the water level is stable, ferries run on schedule and the evening breeze is gentler, so a long veil actually moves. July and August are not impossible — the light between 11am and 4pm is simply too hard, which pushes everything into early morning and late evening and makes the day tight.

The two best hours of the day

From 6 to 8am the lake is a mirror and the villages are almost empty — the best window for wide views and long arcades. At dusk, light starts leaving 40 minutes before sunset and the warm colour lasts only ten to fifteen minutes, so positions have to be scouted in advance. The hours in between are for changing outfits, eating and taking the ferry across — no need to force photographs.

Ferries, transport and crowds

• Varenna to Bellagio takes about 15 minutes by ferry and runs frequently — ideal for linking the two villages.
• Ferries queue at weekends and at midday in August; avoid 11am to 3pm on shoot days.
• Most villa gardens on the northern shore require advance booking, so timings must be exact.

Practical notes for the day

• Bring flat shoes: the stone stairs and cobbles are harder than they look.
• Sheer and long veils look best in morning mist — leave them at home at noon.
• Pack a light jacket; the day-to-night difference is often more than 8°C.

If you are already looking at next year's dates, see our Lake Como portfolio for real shoots in different months, then tell us your dates and we will plan a route around that month's sunrise and sunset.