Lake Como

• May
  • Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, Cernobbio, Lake Como
    Held since 1929 and one of the most prestigious concours d'elegance in the world, it takes place each May at Villa d'Este and Villa Erba, organised by BMW Group Classic with the Villa d'Este hotel; around 50 cars compete in eight classes.

Language

Italian is spoken across the Italian Alps and the great lakes (Como, Maggiore, Garda), with important exceptions. The Aosta Valley is officially bilingual in Italian and French, and many locals also speak a Franco-Provençal patois. In South Tyrol German is the majority language (about two-thirds of the population), Italian is spoken by about a quarter, and Ladin, a Rhaeto-Romance language, by about 4 per cent, mainly in Val Gardena and Val Badia; place names appear in German and Italian, and in the Ladin valleys also in Ladin (Ortisei is Urtijëi; Selva is Sëlva). In Cortina and the rest of the Veneto Dolomites, Italian is the language, with Ladin in some valleys. English is spoken in the leading hotels.

Greetings

"Buongiorno" is the polite greeting until the afternoon, and "Buonasera" from mid-afternoon on; greet staff on entering a shop or restaurant. In South Tyrol "Grüß Gott" and "Servus" are used as in Austria, and German is the natural first language in most villages. Friends greet each other with a kiss on each cheek; a handshake is right on first meeting.

Dress

Italians dress with care in the evening, in the resorts as in the cities, and smart dress is expected at dinner in the grand hotels of the mountains and the lakes. Check each hotel's dress code.

Dining and shopping

Lunch is usually served from about 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm and dinner from about 7.30 pm, later on the lakes in summer. Most bills carry a cover charge (coperto) per person for bread and table service; it is legal and shown on the menu. In towns many shops close for a long midday break and on Sundays; in the resorts most open daily during the season.

Tipping

A per-person cover charge (coperto) for bread and table setting is normal and is not a tip, and a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated.

Mountain etiquette

The FIS Rules for Conduct apply on the pistes. Italian law also requires skiers and snowboarders under 18 to wear a helmet, and requires everyone on the pistes to hold third-party liability insurance, which can be bought with the lift pass. In mountain huts (rifugi), book ahead, bring a hut sleeping bag, keep quiet in the evening and take rubbish back down.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.