One of the few cities located on the eastern shore of Lake Como, Varenna, Italy, is considered one of the most picturesque. Located 38 miles north of Milan and about 21 kilometers from the Swiss border, this pretty little fishing village boasts a charming network of cobbled streets, art-filled churches, and spectacular villas. It’s the perfect place to escape the crowds of tourists who tend to flock to the lake’s largest city, Como, or its more famous neighbor, Bellagio.
Here are nine of the best things to do and see in Varenna, Italy:
01
of 09
Visit to the Church of San Giorgio
Direction
Piazza S. Giorgio, 25, 23829 Varenna LC, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 0341 830228
Web
Visit the website
With an unusual three-aisle design and an ebony floor made with Varenna’s famous black marble, the Church of St. George is considered a masterpiece of Lombardy architecture. Located in the main square of the city, the Romanesque and Gothic church was consecrated at the beginning of the 13th century. On its façade there is a portrait of San Cristóbal (the patron of the boatmen). While the basilica is somewhat austere, it still features beautiful old frescoes and other important works of art dating from the 15th to 18th centuries. The red and black marble baroque bell tower and altar were added later.
02
of 09
Stroll through the gardens of Villa Monastero
Direction
Viale Giovanni Polvani, 2, 23829 Varenna LC, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 0341 295450
Web
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Built in a combination of styles (Baroque, Classic, and Moresque), Villa Monastero has one of the most beautiful lake views in the area. The property was founded sometime in the 11th or 12th century and once served as a Cistercian convent before becoming the private home of a noble family. Today, Villa Monastero is home to a museum, lush botanical gardens, and an international conference center.
03
of 09
Contemple el lago desde Castle of Vezio
Direction
Via Del Castellano, 23828 Perledo LC, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 333 448 5975
Web
Visit the website
Floating above the city’s main square, Castello di Vezio is an ancient fortress with views across the lake, toward the Alps looming majestically in the distance. The strategically important site has been occupied since the Iron Age, but the current Torre de Vezio was built in the 11th and 12th centuries. It is open to visitors from March to early November.
04
of 09
Feel Noble at Villa Cipressi
Direction
Via 4 Novembre, 18, 23829 Varenna LC, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 0341 830113
Web
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Built and renovated during the 15th and 19th centuries, Villa Cipressi (meaning house of the cypress trees) is a property with a terraced botanical garden, which seems to spill directly into the lake below. Now it functions as a high-end hotel, with restaurants and bars open to the public. The gardens are also open for public visits, seasonal from April to October.
05
of 09
Picnic at the head of the Fiumelatte
Direction
23829 Fiumelatte, Province of Lecco, ItalyGet directions
This small village and river, less than a mile from Varenna, is Italy’s shortest tributary at just 820 feet long and only flows six months out of the year. Named for the effect and color of the water (which seem as frothy milk or latte in Italian), the origins of the river still remains a mystery today. Fun fact: The river caught the attention of Leonardo da Vinci, who studied its strange, intermittent flow. If you walk towards the head of the river, you will find a picnic area with facilities.
06
of 09
Walk through the Sentiero del Viandante (Way of the Wayfarer)
Since Roman times, Sentiero del Viandante once connected Milan with what is now Switzerland. Today, it stretches along the eastern shore of Lake Como from Abbadia Larian to Piantedo, with a total length of approximately 28 miles. The trail can be divided into three or four stages, depending on training and endurance. It also crosses the rail routes along the Tirano-Sondrio-Lecco-Milano line, making it very possible to take one stage at a time, returning to the starting point of each stage by train. From Varenna, there are three starting points of the hiking trail: Varenna to Bellano, Varenna to Lierna and Varenna to Albiga in Perledo.
07
of 09
Holding hands on the Passeggiata degli Innamorati (Lover’s Walk)
Direction
Largo Enzo Venini, 2-6, 23829 Varenna LC, ItalyGet directions
From the Varenna pier (at the ferry terminal), the picturesque and romantic Passeggiata degli Innamorati (Lovers’ Walk) runs along a lakeside promenade that leads into the heart of the historic center, which is packed with restaurants characteristic, cozy bars and artisan shops. It is a truly delightful walk through a storybook of the Italian lakeside town.
08
of 09
Learn about birds at the Luigi Scanagatta Ornithological Museum
Direction
Via 4 Novembre, 23829 Varenna LC, ItalyGet directions
Telephone
+39 0341 830367
Web
Visit the website
This civic museum houses a rare collection of non-migratory and sedentary bird species found in the Lake Como area. Dedicated to his namesake, Luigi Scanagatta, teacher and scholar of ornithology (the study of birds), malacology (the study of mollusks) and botany (the study of plants), the museum contains a science library containing more than 1,500 volumes.
09
of 09
Attend a summer festival on the lake
Every July the Lake Festival is celebrated, celebrated with a fireworks display and a re-enactment of the famous battle of Comancina Island. The history of this great conflict tells that in 1169, the warriors of Como, led by Federick Barbarossa, set fire to the nearby island, forcing its inhabitants to flee to Varenna. Having been laid off nearly four decades earlier, the townspeople welcomed the refugees with empathy, and in doing so, they became one of the richest communities on the lake.
