The list of big spenders of Italy’s top ten cities where foreigners like to spend the most money, Rome leads the list, followed by Milan, Venice, Florence, Verona, Bolzano, Naples, Brescia, and Turin, with Como finishing the list with over 655 million euros in the year 2012. (+4% from the year before). According to a recent survey, Lake Como received over 700,000 tourists in 2012, an increase of 2.5%, generating 2 million overnights. Luckily the months of June and July saw many arrivals and is picking up rapidly after seeing a strong decline of arrivals in April and May 2013 due to heavy rainfalls and cold weather. But nature is not enough – it needs an entire makeover believes Andrea Camesasca, Vice President of the Hotel Association of Como. “It cannot be that such a lot of reconstructions are still uncompleted and blocking traffic and tourists.” This year for first time, tourists in Como can enjoy a full lake view again. This was not possible for some years, as the lake was barred away by a high wall in order to keep high water out of town. Now, thanks to private enterprises and hoteliers of Como, there is a new waterfront (Lungolago) and delightful corniche. “If we would have waited for public services, we still would have nothing,” explains Roberto Cassani, President of the Hoteliers of Como. “We depend very much on foreign tourists, as Italian tourists have nearly disappeared this year due to the economic downturn. Around 95% of our guests are foreign tourists; we need to give them the maximum. This is not done by closing public parking places in Como, as tourists arriving by car do a lot of shopping here.” But the fascination of Lake Como is unrivaled. It has a unique panorama, and there is no better way than taking a ferry boat from Como and heading to beautiful Bellagio and charming Varenna in the middle of the lake.