Varenna

About this place

Varenna is a small town on the eastern shore of Lake Como in the province of Lecco, Lombardy, northern Italy, about 27 km northeast of Como in a straight line and about 60 km north of Milan. Local fishermen founded Varenna in 769, and it later allied with Milan. Rival Como destroyed it in 1126, and it then took in refugees from Isola Comacina, which met the same fate in 1169. Its main sights include the Castello di Vezio on the hill above the town and the lovely gardens of Villa Monastero, now a museum and botanical garden, founded as a monastery in the 11th or 12th century. Bellagio and Menaggio face it across the lake. Varenna's yellow, pink and red houses step down the slope to the water, with narrow stone lanes and steps running down to the lake between them. The town looks out over blue water and the green mountains around it, and gardens and trees line the shore. Visitors arrive by train at Varenna-Esino-Perledo station on the Tirano–Lecco line. They wander the lanes and the lakeside and visit the Villa Monastero gardens and the Castello di Vezio. It gets busy in summer, so mornings are quieter.