Villa Monastero stands on the Varenna lakefront, next to Villa Cipressi. It is a house-museum with a botanical garden overlooking the lake, a short way off the stretch of the Sentiero del Viandante.
History
The origins of the complex go back to the end of the 12th century, when a Cistercian convent for women dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary was built near Varenna. The convent was suppressed in 1567.
In 1569 the whole property was bought by Paolo Mornico, who had made a fortune from iron mining; the Mornico family turned the complex into a residence. Later owners included Walter Kees, of Leipzig, at the end of the 19th century. In 1936 the De Marchi family donated the villa to the public. In 1953 a conference centre was set up there, hosting international physics courses attended by Nobel laureates, among them Enrico Fermi. Since 2009 the complex has been owned by the Province of Lecco.
What to see
- The botanical garden, which runs for almost two kilometres along the lakefront and holds more than 900 species of native and exotic plants, with collections of palms, citrus, conifers, hydrangeas, wisteria, roses and camellias.
- The house-museum, opened to the public in 2003, with fourteen rooms across the ground and first floors, with original furnishings and decoration.
- The Sala Fermi, where the physicist Enrico Fermi gave his last lectures in 1954.
Getting there
The villa is on the Varenna lakefront, reachable on foot from the centre of the village and from the ferry landing. From the Sentiero del Viandante you descend into the village and continue along the lake to the entrance; a little further on is Villa Cipressi, while the climb to the Castello di Vezio starts from the same old centre.
Practical information
The ticket for house museum and garden costs 15 euro (11 euro for over-65s, groups of more than 20 and TCI, FAI and ICOM members; 9 euro from 15 to 25 years); the garden alone costs 13 euro (10 and 7 euro for the same categories); free up to age 14 and for residents of Varenna. The 2026 hours change every month: in October 10-18, with the house museum closed on Tuesdays; in November and December 10-17, closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; from April to September from 9.30 to 7.30 (to 8 from June to August). The online ticket is non-refundable and cannot be changed: the day is binding, the time is not. There is a cumulative ticket with the Villa Cipressi garden, at 27 euro according to this site. The landing takes boats only to drop off and pick up visitors, after contacting the ticket office (+39 0341 830129). Data read on the official website on 5 October 2026; see the guide Lake Como Villas to Visit in 2026.
