Lake Como Golf: 2026 Season Outlook
One of Italy's most romantic golf settings reaches a milestone in 2026 as Villa d'Este turns one hundred, anchoring a small but storied cluster of courses in the hills above the lake. Here is the outlook, the courses and the timing.
The headline: a centenary season above the lake
Lake Como golf runs on a spring to autumn calendar, and 2026 carries a real sense of occasion. The season stretches from April to October, with spring and early autumn the most comfortable windows and the lake at its most photogenic in May, June and September. The courses sit in the wooded hills rather than on the shoreline, so mature trees keep play pleasant even in the warmth of an Italian summer.
The compact geography is the appeal. A handful of fine courses lie within easy reach of the lake and of Milan's airports, so a trip here pairs golf with one of the most beautiful settings in Europe without long drives. It suits the traveler who wants golf woven into a wider Italian holiday of food, lake towns and slow afternoons rather than dawn to dusk rounds.
The courses that anchor a trip
The pick of the area is Golf Club Villa d'Este, a Peter Gannon design from 1926 set among centuries old chestnut, ash and pine, a celebrated par 69 that is short on the card but a genuine test of precision, regularly rated among the finest courses in Italy. Nearby, Menaggio and Cadenabbia, founded in 1907 and one of the oldest clubs in the country, winds along the slopes of Mount Crocione with spectacular views over the water.
The cluster has depth beyond the two classics. Monticello offers 36 holes for variety, while La Pinetina and Carimate round out a circuit that can fill several days. For golfers wanting to extend the trip, the neighboring lakes are an easy add, and our guide to the best golf courses in Italy sets the area in its national context.
The 2026 milestone: Villa d'Este at one hundred
The fixed point of the 2026 story is a birthday. Golf Club Villa d'Este was inaugurated in 1926, which makes 2026 its centenary year, a century of golf threaded through the woodland above the lake. A hundred years on, the course remains the standard bearer for Lake Como golf and a reminder that Italy's golfing roots run deeper than its recent Ryder Cup profile suggests.
For travelers, the centenary is a reason to put the course at the center of a 2026 trip rather than treat it as one round among many. A layout that has tested golfers for a hundred years, in a setting this beautiful, is exactly the kind of occasion a golf holiday is built around.
How to plan it for 2026
Lake Como is straightforward to organize. Base in one of the lake towns or fly into Milan and stay within a short drive of the courses, and you can pair a round each morning with the lake and the towns in the afternoon. A natural week combines Villa d'Este and Menaggio with a day at Monticello, leaving room for boat trips and long lunches between.
The practical notes are simple. Aim for the spring or early autumn windows for the kindest weather and the best of the scenery, book Villa d'Este ahead given the centenary interest, and plan a relaxed itinerary rather than a packed one. Green fees move with the season, so treat any quoted figure as indicative for the 2026 season and always confirm directly before booking.
What it means for your trip, and our take
For a 2026 Lake Como golf trip, time it for spring or early autumn, base on the lake, and build the days around Villa d'Este in its centenary year with Menaggio and Monticello alongside. It is golf as part of a wider Italian holiday, and few settings do that better.
Our take is that Lake Como is the European trip for golfers who value setting and history as much as a card and pencil. It will never offer the sheer volume of courses of a links coast or a resort destination, and that is the point: a small, storied cluster in a glorious place, anchored by a course turning one hundred. Plan for the shoulder seasons, book the centenary round early, and let the lake do the rest.
Plan your Lake Como golf trip
From centenary Villa d'Este to historic Menaggio and 36-hole Monticello, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
When is the best time to play golf at Lake Como?
The Lake Como golf season runs from April to October, with spring and early autumn the most comfortable windows. The wooded courses offer shade through the warmer summer months, while the lake settings are at their most beautiful in May, June and September.
Which are the best golf courses near Lake Como?
Golf Club Villa d'Este, a Peter Gannon design from 1926, is the pick of the area, joined by the historic Menaggio and Cadenabbia, the 36-hole Monticello, La Pinetina and Carimate, all within easy reach of the lake.
What is special about Lake Como golf in 2026?
2026 marks the centenary of Golf Club Villa d'Este, which was inaugurated in 1926. The course, a celebrated par 69 set among centuries-old woodland in the hills above the lake, reaches one hundred years in fine standing.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Season, course and access details verified June 2026 from club, tour and golf travel sources; conditions and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.