Like every year, we planned a trip with friends. Five people, one destination. Once a year, we have to play diplomat to settle on where to go. Everyone suggests something different, but on one point we all agree: the experience has to be memorable. Expectations, though, often differ: some of us want to rest, some want fun, and some want to spend the whole day on the water.
In the end, we found a compromise: a boat trip on Lake Como with a captain. No stress, but with just the right dose of adrenaline to make the trip an adventure worth telling about.
Why a Riva boat, and why with a captain
Once the destination was chosen, the options were endless. But the decision could only fall on the Riva yacht, known as the “Ferrari of the Lake” for its design and craftsmanship: lines that never age, an engine you can feel. The Super Aquarama is among the rarest models. And that is the one we sailed on.
Then there was a practical question: drive such a boat ourselves? Maybe, but we didn’t want to spend the day checking routes and moorings. We needed an expert captain, so that everyone could relax. Ours was called Luca.
On board the Riva
Nothing let our expectations down, starting from the moment we stepped on board. It felt like going back to the 1960s, but with the futuristic ideas of the time. We felt like actors in a classic movie.
The boat felt surprisingly spacious. It welcomes up to six guests, and for the five of us there was plenty of room. Luca cast off and took the helm without the slightest effort, while we stretched out on the sunpads. From there, the Lake Como villas look different: villa fronts and gardens you can’t see from the road.
Luca pointed out the villas along the shore, from Villa del Balbianello to Villa d’Este, and told us the stories behind each facade.
The most memorable part of the tour
At some point Luca turned around and asked if we were ready. Of course we were. The boat picked up speed quickly, and it seemed to skim the lake. For a few moments, nobody spoke. Crossing the lake at that speed, with the wind in our hair, the mountains on both sides and the water rushing beneath the hull, is the moment I remember best from the whole trip.
After that rush of adrenaline, Luca slowed down, chose a sheltered bay and dropped anchor. We swam at sunset, with the lake almost still and not another boat in sight. Back on board, with the sun sinking behind the mountains, we opened the bottle of wine included in the tour and toasted, all five of us, to the end of a day without a single decision worth arguing about.
The verdict: the value of a bespoke experience
It’s worth talking about costs, because they are part of the decision. We chose a four-hour tour on the Super Aquarama, which costs €3,500. Split five ways, that’s €700 per person, aboard a luxury yacht with a private captain, including pick-up and drop-off, water, towels and a bottle of wine. For a group, the numbers hold up: the price is split, the experience isn’t.
On a trip with friends, where the challenge is pleasing everyone, a single bespoke activity, well chosen, outweighs many small decisions. That day took our vacation from great to legendary, and we hadn’t planned on it.
Tested & Approved: how to book
If you want to do the same, the Riva boat tour on Lake Como is a luxury private tour with captain, bookable with Lake Como Experiences. Here’s what to know:
- Boats: Riva Tritone (the yellow one) and Riva Super Aquarama (the orange one).
- Duration and price: from 2 to 8 hours. For the Tritone, from €2,500 for 2 hours to €4,600 for 8 hours; for the Super Aquarama, from €2,700 to €5,500.
- Guests: up to 6 people, private tour with an English-speaking captain.
- Included: captain, pick-up and drop-off, water and towels. From 3 hours up, also a bottle of wine. Restaurant meals are not included.
- Departure: your choice of a public dock or your hotel, at various points around the lake.
- Booking: with a deposit; the balance is paid on the day of the tour. The deposit is refundable only if the operator cancels, for example because of weather.
If you want an itinerary all your own, ask the captain: from the length of each stop to the bay where you swim, the tour is built around you.
