Lake Como · Italy

Como Funicular and Lighthouse: Is It Actually Worth It?

A cramped ride up, a lighthouse walk that underwhelms, and the hilltop restaurant that quietly justifies the whole trip.

Personally verified · October 2024

The Funicular Experience: Cramped and Tense

Buying Tickets and Boarding

The funicular station sits near Como’s city center, about a 10-minute walk from the lake and ferry terminal. You’ll see signs pointing to “Funicolare” or “Brunate” as you navigate Como’s streets.

Ticket office:

Current pricing (October 2024):

The ticketing process itself is fine – straightforward, staff speak English, no real problems. The issues start when you board.

The Crowding Problem

Here’s what the tourism photos don’t show: the funicular cars are small, and they pack as many people in as physically possible. Think rush-hour subway, not scenic cable car with plenty of room to enjoy views.

What I experienced:

The 7-8 minute journey felt much longer when sandwiched between strangers and unable to see anything through the window layers of people.

The Temper Situation

This genuinely surprised me: I saw normally calm tourists get genuinely angry during the funicular ride. In two separate trips (up and down), I nearly witnessed physical altercations.

Incident 1 (going up):

A man with a large backpack kept hitting people as he turned around. Another passenger asked him to remove the backpack. The man responded aggressively, claiming he “paid for his space.” Voices escalated. A third passenger stepped between them. The situation didn’t physically escalate, but it was close.

Incident 2 (going down):

A family with small children tried to position themselves near the window for photos. Other passengers complained they were blocking views. The father of the family started yelling about paying for tickets and having rights to stand anywhere. Staff had to intervene when the funicular reached the bottom.

I’ve traveled extensively and rarely see tourists this close to fighting. The funicular’s cramped conditions combined with tourist entitlement creates a genuinely tense atmosphere.

Is the Ride Itself Scenic?

When you can actually see out the windows (big if), the funicular ride offers nice views of Como city, the lake, and surrounding mountains. The car travels up a steep hillside through residential neighborhoods and forested areas.

Views during ascent:

But here’s the problem: you’re probably not getting window access unless you board early and aggressively claim a window position. Most passengers see the back of other people’s heads and maybe some sky.

Photography reality: Forget about it. You can’t move, you can’t position yourself, and you can’t shoot through layers of people. Save your camera.

The Brunate Hilltop: What’s Actually There

First Impressions

The funicular deposits you at Brunate, a small hilltop village about 720 meters (2,360 feet) above sea level. You exit the cramped car into fresh mountain air and immediately feel the temperature drop (5-10 degrees F cooler than Como below).

Brunate village:

The village itself is pleasant – a nice contrast to Como’s tourist density. But most visitors aren’t here for the village; they’re here for the lighthouse views.

The Walk to the Lighthouse (Faro Voltiano)

From the funicular station, the lighthouse (Faro Voltiano, dedicated to Alessandro Volta) requires a 20-30 minute walk. Tourism materials make this sound like a charming stroll. The reality is more mundane.

The walk:

I found the walk… fine? It’s not unpleasant, but it’s also not the magical mountain hike that Instagram posts suggest. You’re essentially walking through a quiet village’s residential streets uphill for half an hour.

The Lighthouse Itself: Underwhelming

After the cramped funicular ride and the uphill walk, I had high expectations for the lighthouse views. Those expectations were not met.

Faro Voltiano reality:

The lighthouse itself is a fine memorial to Alessandro Volta (Como-born physicist who invented the battery). But as a destination requiring a cramped funicular ride and 25-minute uphill walk? It doesn’t deliver enough payoff.

What you can see from the lighthouse:

What you can’t see:

I spent about 15 minutes at the lighthouse, took a few photos, and thought “That’s it?” The whole experience felt like effort that exceeded reward.

The Hidden Gem: Restaurant with Pristine Views

How I Found It

Disappointed by the lighthouse and not eager to immediately face the crowded funicular return journey, I wandered back toward the village center. About halfway between the lighthouse and the funicular station, I noticed a restaurant with an outdoor terrace.

The restaurant (I didn’t catch the specific name – there are 2-3 options in this area, try Ristorante Bellavista or Ristorante Panoramico) had what the lighthouse lacked: completely unobstructed, stunning views of Lake Como from a comfortable vantage point.

Why the Restaurant Views Beat the Lighthouse

Advantages over the lighthouse:

The restaurant terrace provided exactly what I thought the lighthouse would deliver: that elevated, sweeping Lake Como perspective that makes the hillside trip worthwhile.

What We Ordered and Cost

After the disappointment of the lighthouse walk, discovering this restaurant genuinely improved the entire funicular experience.

What we ordered:

Total: €36 for two people

We sat for nearly 90 minutes, enjoying the views, the mountain air, and actually good food (much better than the Como tourist trap restaurants). The staff never rushed us despite the relatively modest order.

Why This Should Be Your Actual Destination

If you’re considering the funicular, skip the lighthouse walk entirely. Take the funicular up, walk 5-7 minutes to one of the view restaurants, enjoy a leisurely meal or drinks, then take the funicular back down.

This approach gives you:

The restaurant experience is what the Como funicular should be marketed for, not the lighthouse.

The High-View Perspective: Is It Worth It?

What You Get from Elevated Views

The primary value of the funicular experience is seeing Lake Como from an elevated perspective rather than lake-level. This provides:

Spatial understanding: You see how Como city, the lake, and surrounding mountains relate to each other geographically. From lake level, you can’t appreciate the overall layout.

Photography opportunities: The elevated angle provides different photo compositions than typical lakeside shots. Mountains as backdrops, the lake as a foreground element, city architecture from above.

Scale appreciation: Lake Como feels larger when you can see more of it simultaneously. The elevated view gives better context for how the lake stretches north into the Alps.

Peaceful perspective: Above the city bustle, the hilltop feels calmer and less touristy (until you encounter the funicular crowds).

For California Residents: The Lake Tahoe Comparison

Here’s context for travelers from California: if you’re familiar with Lake Tahoe, Lake Como provides a similar vibe – large alpine lake surrounded by mountains, tourist towns dotting the shoreline, water activities, and hillside views.

The funicular experience is roughly equivalent to driving up to a Lake Tahoe overlook point. Nice views, worthwhile for the perspective, but not a revelatory experience if you’ve seen mountain lakes before.

Lake Como vs. Lake Tahoe:

If you’re from California and Lake Tahoe is your reference point, the Como funicular views are pleasant but not mind-blowing. The historic Italian architecture becomes more interesting than the lake itself.

Practical Tips for the Funicular Experience

Best Times to Avoid Crowds

Based on my observations and local input:

Less crowded times:

Most crowded times:

If you’re set on the funicular experience, go early morning or late afternoon on a weekday.

What to Bring

Weather Considerations

The funicular runs in most weather conditions, but views are obviously better on clear days.

Clear day: Full alpine views, lake sparkles, photography works

Overcast: Muted views, but still provides the elevated perspective

Rainy: Funicular still runs, but pointless to go (can’t see anything)

Windy: Can make the outdoor terrace restaurants uncomfortable

Check Como weather before committing to the funicular. Cloudy/rainy days make this experience pointless.

Alternative Ways to Get Hilltop Views

Walking Trails

If you want elevated Lake Como views without the funicular crowds, hiking trails exist:

These require fitness and time but eliminate the cramped funicular experience and cost.

Villa Gardens

Some Como villas offer elevated garden terraces with views:

These don’t match the funicular elevation but provide some perspective variation.

Are These Alternatives Better?

For most travelers: no. The funicular, despite its flaws, provides the easiest elevated view access. Hiking 90 minutes uphill isn’t appealing to most tourists, and villa gardens don’t offer the same elevation.

The funicular remains the practical choice – you just need adjusted expectations about crowds and lighthouse payoff.

FAQ Section

Q: Is the Como funicular worth it overall?

Yes, IF you go for the restaurant views and skip the lighthouse walk. The elevated Lake Como perspective has value. Just don’t expect the lighthouse to be impressive or the funicular ride to be comfortable.

Q: How long should I budget for the full funicular experience?

Funicular up: 30 minutes (including ticket line and wait). Restaurant meal/drinks: 60-90 minutes. Funicular down: 20 minutes. Total: 2-2.5 hours.

Q: Can I walk down instead of taking the funicular back?

Yes, trails exist. It takes 60-90 minutes depending on your pace and chosen route. The walk is steep and can be hard on knees. Most people take the funicular both directions.

Q: Is the funicular accessible for people with mobility issues?

The funicular itself is accessible (no stairs to board). However, it gets very crowded and you’ll likely need to stand. Brunate village has steep streets and stairs. The lighthouse walk is not mobility-friendly.

Q: Are there bathrooms at the top?

Yes, restaurants have bathrooms for customers. Public bathrooms exist near the funicular station in Brunate.

Q: Can I bring large luggage on the funicular?

Technically yes, but don’t. The crowding makes luggage impractical and you’ll anger other passengers. Leave bags at your accommodation.

Q: Is the funicular safe?

Yes, mechanically safe and well-maintained. The safety issue is crowding leading to temper flares, not mechanical failure.

Q: What if weather is bad after I’m already at the top?

You can take the funicular down anytime. Just keep your round-trip ticket accessible.

Bottom Line

The Como funicular is worth experiencing – but not for the reasons tourism marketing suggests. The lighthouse walk is skippable and underwhelming. The cramped, tense funicular ride is unpleasant but survivable.

The real value: reaching the hilltop, finding a restaurant with pristine views, and enjoying Lake Como from an elevated perspective while comfortably seated with food and drinks. This is what makes the €10.50 round-trip ticket worthwhile.

If you’re expecting a romantic, spacious cable car ride to a stunning lighthouse with Instagram-perfect views, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re expecting a crowded 7-minute journey to access a restaurant terrace with legitimately beautiful lake views, you’ll be satisfied.

Adjust your expectations, skip the lighthouse, find the restaurant, and the Como funicular becomes a worthwhile experience rather than a tourist trap.

Key takeaways:

Last Updated: November 2025

Author Experience: Personal travel experience, October 2024