Location
Varenna stands on the headland where the Esino stream flows into the eastern branch of the lake, facing Bellagio and Menaggio.
History
From a fishing village to an international destination: perhaps the only town on the Lecco branch to have reached a level of tourist fame comparable to that of the Como side. The first traces of settlement may date back to the Iron Age. In 1169 Varenna took in refugees from the Isola Comacina, razed to the ground by the people of Como: to this day, on the first Saturday of July, that exodus and the welcome it received are re-enacted.
What to see
- Villa Monastero, a house-museum with fourteen rooms and two kilometres of lakefront botanical garden, terraces and staircases looking towards Bellagio.
- Villa Cipressi, a historic park now run by public bodies, a short walk from Villa Monastero.
- The churches of San Giorgio (12th century) and San Giovanni Battista, facing each other on the same square.
- Fiumelatte, Italy’s shortest river (250 metres): it flows from a cave with a distinctive milky colour, reachable on foot from Villa Monastero towards the cemetery.
- The Passeggiata degli Innamorati (Lovers’ Walk), a walkway cantilevered over the lake linking the village to the lido.
What to do and excursions
Above Varenna, in the municipality of Perledo, the Castello di Vezio offers a 360° view over the lake. It’s also the starting point for some of the best-known stretches of the Sentiero del Viandante: the leg towards Bellano and Dervio, about 10 km with 600 m of ascent, passes the Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime — details in the dedicated itinerary linked to this page. Those looking for a shorter route can follow a stretch of the new Greenway dei Patriarchi towards the outlying hamlets.
Getting there
In high season the train is the best option: Varenna-Esino-Perledo station, on the Milan-Lecco-Sondrio line, is about an hour from Milano Centrale. By car you arrive via the SP72; parking in the village is limited, and it’s best to leave the car outside the historic centre — for example towards Fiumelatte — to avoid the ZTL. Details in the practical guide linked to this page.
Festivities
24 April, Saint George, patron saint of Varenna.
