Maria asked about getting to Malpensa from Lake Como for an 11:00 flight. Linda recommended staying at Magenta.

Let me offer the option of staying at Como itself, which is right behind Florence as a must go to city in our view (we are leaving for our 9th trip to Italy in a couple of weeks).

There is good bus service from Como to Malpensa as long as you are not leaving very early, say 8:00. We left from Malpensa last year and took the bus, which left from Piazza Cavour, right near our hotel (the Metropole & Suisse http://www.hotelmetropolesuisse.com/ ) and got there in plenty of time. We once had to catch an early flight so the three of us took a cab, which was somewhat expensive ($60 three years ago), but much less than paying Milan hotel prices which are huge. If you contact a hotel in Como, they can tell you the bus schedule.

Enjoy.

Ira Bernstein Dallas, Texas