By Tim Cotroneo
What is a good career move if you grew up in Lake Como, one of Northern Italy’s most popular tourist destinations?
If you are Alessandro Manzi, you create a travel website with the perfect name: Lake Como Travel
Travel Dreams Magazine reached out to Manzi to learn more about his business story, and what he’s learned while helping travelers from around the world plan a better Lake Como vacation.
Q: How did the idea for your Lake Como Travel business get started?
A: Around 2015 I was working as a freelancer on small translation and content writing jobs, in a working world still suffering from the 2008 crisis. Lake Como Travel was born as a personal experiment where I could get my hands dirty with rising jobs, such as SEO, social medias, etc., and at the same time tell the stories of the area I have always loved.
Q: What was your background before becoming an entrepreneur with Lake Como Travel?
A: After the freelancing period, in 2016 I started working in digital marketing within agencies in nearby Milan, where I lived for many years. There I specialized in SEO, that is, strategies to foster content visibility on search engines such as Google; but I also learned many UX, analytics, branding and marketing concepts that I used in parallel to make Lake Como Travel better and better.
Q: Your blog is almost 10 years old, how has it changed or evolved during this time?
A: For the first few years Lake Como Travel was just an informational blog, which I didn’t get to follow much because I was always very busy in the early years of work, especially learning. However, when I started to see an increase in traffic, I wanted to take more care of the project.
Among the first things I did after a few years was a major redesign that included offering experiences and accommodations from the partners I had started working with. Periodically I add new content sections, such as the latest one devoted to hikes and walks, opening up the possibility of new activities and collaborations. And now there is hiLarius, an AI-based trip planner for creating one’s own custom itinerary, which I hope will be appreciated since most of my users plan their own trips independently.
Q: What are the recurring questions you receive from readers looking to visit Lake Como?
A: I get a lot of questions related to the ferry service: which route to choose, what kind of ticket to buy, etc. And I totally get it: the service has several issues, including the system for searching schedules and buying tickets on its website. It is difficult to use and often goes wrong. That is why I have tried to summarize everything in a dedicated page on my website, and that is why I think it is so important to take care of your own online presence by, for example, taking care of the user experience. It would cause much less inconvenience. In other cases they ask me for suggestions on travel plans and itineraries, and again that’s why I thought of creating hiLarius.
Q: Are there some lesser-known spots around Lake Como that you feel like you’ve helped grow through your blog?
A: I think I mainly contributed to raising awareness of attractions and locations crossed by the trails that are often within walking distance directly from popular areas. Within the articles about the most iconic destinations, I have in fact always included alternative destinations – I mean, for tourists – such as the Vezio Castle above Varenna, the Baradello Castle located in Como within the Spina Verde Park, and Val Sanagra, a beautiful valley in the outskirts of Menaggio.
Q: What are your early observations regarding your new AI tool, hiLarius?
A: I think it is still too early to get an idea, but this data collection phase is very useful to be able to apply any improvements as we go along. All I can say is that I am pleased with some of the private feedback I have received, and I hope that most of the users who will use the tool will actually be able to get some real help in making the vacation happen.
Q: What can vacationers do before arriving to make their Lake Como stay special or memorable?
A: I really recommend planning trips as functionally as possible, booking attractions or ride tickets in advance (for ferries, even a week in advance in high season) and possibly even thinking of a plan B if something goes wrong (e.g.: I missed the last ferry ride, how can I get back?). Unfortunately, these mishaps happen and are capable of ruining a vacation, especially for those who plan independently.
Q: Talk about the guide network you’ve developed to help vacationers see the Lake Como sites?
A: The partners I work with offer different types of activities: boat tours, hiking tours, guided tours of historical places, etc.. The experiences they offer are as diverse as the people who visit Lake Como: some activities are better suited to those looking for the more aesthetic and fancy side of the area, while others are more appreciated by those who want to discover its more authentic aspects. Personally, I prefer experiences in nature, so I’d say I tend to feel more in tune with those who offer activities like these.
Q: What are some of the favorite tours that vacationers respond to on your website?
A: Definitely the 2 or 3-hour private boat tours.. people love them! And I totally get it, because the view of Lake Como from the lake is truly one of a kind, with all its little villages and historic villas dotting the shoreline.
Q: What are you most excited about for 2025?
A: I’m about to start working on something new—producing video content focused on specific off-the-path places, in collaboration with the team I mentioned earlier, who have a lot of experience with trails and historic landmarks in nature.
And then… I think I need to take a break and maybe even do a bit of traveling. I’ve already worked way too much this year!
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If you’re planning a trip to Northern Italy, be sure and checkout Lake Como Travel.
