Varenna, on Lake Como, is one of our treasured locations in Europe

Captivating Lake Como

Visiting the Lake Como region a couple of times, we fell for the relaxed pace, the sounds of the lapping of the lake waves against the shoreline, and the expansive views of the towering Alps spilling down into the glistening lake. All of our five senses were on fire.

Lake Como is the largest of the northern lakes and is an easy train ride from Milan. We rode the one hour train trip from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino for 6.70 euros. You should be on a train that is headed towards Tirano and you need to make sure you sit in the middle of the train cars. The landing in Varenna is very small, so you want to make sure that you have a place to step onto when you depart the train. Also, the stop in Varenna is only minutes. Make sure you are at the door before the train comes to a stop so you have time to jump out. The station does not sell tickets so you need to buy your return ticket at the tabacherie in town or have it purchased before your trip. There are no lockers at the station if you planned to do a quick day trip from Milan.

 

 

We determined that Varenna was a great location to stay and here are our favorite hotels.

Villa Toretta is a beautiful pastel yellow art nouveau style villa built in 1895 right at the foot of the hill, a five minute walk from the train station. And right at the Varenna ferry port. It is part of Hotel Olivedo right next door, and is the check in point. We loved our balcony over the lake, but take note that there is a restaurant at Hotel Olivedo. There will be noise from the guests until the restaurant closes.

olivedo.it, villatorretta@olivedo.it

We wandered past Hotel du Lac off of the passeggiata which winds by the lake and through the edge of Varenna, and we fell in love with their bougainvillea filled courtyard overlooking the lake. I definitely want to stay here.

albergodulac.com

Minutes from the train station and perched above the shore, Albergo Milano is a lovely property with a gorgeous balcony over the lake. We were beholden to them when we arrived on a day trip from Milan and had no place to store our small bags. They welcomed us and kept our bags so we could explore. We will forever be thankful and plan to stay here too.

varenna.net, reservations@varenna.net

Here are several secrets we uncovered about this enchanting region of Italy:

Villa Monastero is on the lake on the southern side of the town. Walk through the square and continue following the sidewalk where you find the Villa on the lake side of the street. It is perfect for a relaxing book read and is spectacular for great numerous photo ops. The gardens are open for wandering.

 

 

Taxiboatvarenna.com is where you go to search for George Clooney. This company has 3 group tours starting at 30 euros and lasting 1 – 8 hours. There are also 4 private tours from 1 – 3 hours starting at 200 euros. However, if you want to view George Clooney’s 18th century Villa Oleandra in Laglio, the private boat tour starts at 460 euros.

Looking for any cooking courses, we discovered Il Caminetto cooking class. Picking us up at the ferry port in Varenna at 10 am, we were whisked up a corkscrew switchback to the village of Perledo where we enjoyed a coffee break before our class began at 11. Moreno, our chef, taught us the art of creating tortellini while we drank bottles of wine. Then we all sat down to our lunch feast. It was totally immersive and we loved chatting with new friends from around the world.

ilcaminettoonline.com

One day we crafted the following itinerary and it was a splendid day:

We took the ferry from Varenna across the lake to Menaggio

Rode the bus to Lugano, Switzerland

Hopped the train to Como

Then rode the hydrofoil back to Varenna for the evening

Each of these towns were different and intriguing and walking the alleys of each village made for such a lovely day.

 

 

We ate at two cafes right on the lake and go back each time we visit Varenna.

Nilus Bar serves the #24 lemon and parmesan sandwich. My mouth salivates right now.

Il Molo creates two sandwiches, #7 lemon sandwich and #5 sauerkraut sandwich. Yum.

Take the ferry to Bellagio for a morning or sunset trip. The town is tiny but it’s so colorful and every corner is a photo op. Make sure to walk the path along the lake for a delightful stroll, stopping at the park benches to watch the swans in the lake and the ferries gliding across the water.

Use this site for Lake Como ferry schedules, navigazionelaghi.it/eng. You can also just walk down to the ferry landing in Varenna and ask questions.

One day you can ride the train up to Alp Grum above Tirano and have lunch. All that’s up there is a station, restaurant and small B&B, all in the same stone building. You’ll have lunch on the terrace of the restaurant with a great view of the Palu glacier over one shoulder and Italy over the other. The only thing you’ll hear besides the other diners is the occasional train whistle, birds and perhaps cows mooing. This makes for a perfect day.

Ferry to Lenno to visit Villa del Balbianello that features secret passages in this maze of a castle. The ending of Casino Royale was filmed on the grounds.
10:00 to 18:00 ex Mon,Wed
fondoambiente.it

Ferry to Bellagio for a visit to Villa Melzi
09:30 to 6:30 daily
giardinidivillamelzi.it

Ferry to Tremezzo for a visit to the 17th century Villa Carlotta with its expansive gardens and a gorge that looks like an overgrown jungle.
09:00 to 7:30 daily
lakecomotravel.com

 

 

Visit Castello di Vezio. The trail begins right off of Via Venini just north of the square in Varenna. There are signs pointing the way. The steep path is great for your glutes, but the terrace views of Lake Como and the village of Bellagio make it worth every second. Savour it as you sit on the benches with their eerie ghostlike creations.

 

 

Ride the funicular from Como at Piazza de Gasperi up to Brunate. Perched above the lake, visit the pink baroque church and then hike onward towards Belvedere.