The ferries on Lake Como ply back and forth in a triangle between the three towns of Menaggio, Bellagio, and Varenna. Each has its own charm and characteristics. Bellagio is extremely elegant with expensive hotels and shops along the main avenues. Menaggio is a classic lakeside town, with shady piazzas, a small harbor, and cafes along the shoreline. Varenna, however, is perhaps the most rustic and colorful of the three.

It is an ancient fishing village clinging to a steep hillside on the east shore of Lake Como.  As you walk around the town, you get a sense of its rich history. The original village is said to have been established about 770 BC before being inhabited by the Romans. Theodolinda, the Queen of Lombardy who reigned in the 7th century, lived out her years in Castello Vezio, a castle on the top of the hill above Varenna. You can hike to the castle through an olive grove in about 20 minutes and explore the grounds, where a falconer, dressed in period clothes flies his birds every day, taking you back in time to when this was the sport of nobility. Walk up a flight of stone stairs, and cross the drawbridge into the castle from where you will have a 360° view of the lake.

Nearby is the 16th century Villa Monastero, a 500-year-old building set in a magnificent garden, home to exotic trees and flowers; statues, vases and fountains (Baroque to Neo-Classical) accent the beauty of the grounds. Once an ancient Cistercian monastery, it is now an international Conference Center.

Stroll along the lakeside promenade to the Ferry terminal, winding through archways and intriguing steep narrow lanes. In the small piazza stop for a cappuccino overlooking the tiny harbor where a handful of sailboats bob up and down. Climb the stairways that lead from the shore to the town. Pine trees line the few streets where ancient colorful villas stand behind ornate walls. A steep lane off Varenna’s main square leads to Hotel du Lac, an 1823 villa with 16 rooms and a wisteria-canopied terrace where you can sit and enjoy a glass of local wine whilst contemplating the lake.

A half mile south of town is the Fiumelatte. At 800 feet in length, it is Italy’s shortest river, flowing from April to September before disappearing. No one has ever discovered its source even though great men like Leonardo da Vinci have spent some time trying to solve its mystery.

Varenna is a treasure along the shores of Lake Como. It will enchant and bewitch you so that you will want to start planning your next visit before you have even left.

IF YOU GO
It takes about an hour to drive from Milano to Varenna, off the SS36 which runs along the eastern shore of Lake Como. There is also a direct train from Milan to Sondrio/Tirano; exit the train at the Varenna/Esino Lario stop.
Villa Monastero is at 22 Via Statale, Pino;
The Castle of Vezio: check on the website for the most up to date information
Fiumelatte: From Piazza San Gregorio in Varenna, go right until you get to an asphalt road which takes you to a small piazza near the cemetery. From there you will reach a steep staircase that connects to a path; follow this path for about half a mile and you will arrive at the start of the Fiumelatte.

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