Varenna, Lake Como: A Guide to the Village, Its History & Top Sights
Some Lake Como villages you pass through. Varenna is one you slow down for. Stacked in ochre and terracotta above a small fishing harbour on the lake’s quieter eastern shore, it has kept the shape of the medieval fishing town it always was — narrow stepped lanes, a waterfront walk barely wide enough for two, and gardens that spill down to the water. It rewards the traveller who wants to feel Lake Como rather than tick it off.
Here is what Varenna is, where it sits, and the five things most worth your time once you step off the ferry.
A brief history
Varenna is old — older than most of its famous neighbours. Local tradition dates its founding to AD 769, when it grew up as a community of fishermen on the steep eastern bank. For centuries it lived from the lake and from quarrying the black marmo di Varenna still visible in its churches and doorways.
Its defining moment came in 1169. When the island town of Isola Comacina was destroyed in the long war between Como and Milan, many of its refugees resettled here, bringing their allegiances and their feuds with them — Varenna sided with Milan against Como, and paid for it when the rival city sacked the town. That layered past still shows in the village: the ruined hilltop Castello di Vezio watching the water, the Romanesque churches, and the tight defensive core of lanes that has barely changed in 800 years.
Where Varenna sits on the lake
Varenna lies on the eastern shore of Lake Como, in the Province of Lecco, roughly at the point where the lake’s three arms meet. It sits almost directly opposite Bellagio and Menaggio, which is what makes it so useful: the three form the lake’s central ferry triangle, each a short hop from the others.
That position gives Varenna two things its rivals don’t. It catches the evening sun full on its façades, and — facing west across open water — it offers one of the finest sunset outlooks on the lake. It’s about 20 km northwest of Lecco and an hour or so by train from Milan, which also makes it the easiest of the classic villages to reach without a car.
The 5 best things to see in Varenna
1. Villa Monastero and its botanical garden
The village’s signature sight. Founded as a Cistercian monastery in the 12th century and later turned into a private residence, Villa Monastero is really about its garden — a two-kilometre ribbon of terraces running along the shoreline, planted with cypress, citrus, agave and palms, and studded with statues and follies. The house museum lets you see how the lake’s grand families lived. If gardens are your reason for coming to the lake, read our guide to the best villas and gardens on Lake Como.
2. Villa Cipressi’s terraced gardens
Right next door, Villa Cipressi tumbles down to the water in a series of romantic terraces named for the cypresses that frame them. It works as a garden visit and, for many travellers, as somewhere to stay — a rare chance to sleep inside one of Varenna’s historic villas.
3. Castello di Vezio
A steep but short climb above the village brings you to the Castello di Vezio, a small medieval watchtower with a falconry display and, more to the point, a panorama that takes in Bellagio, the central basin and the mountains beyond. Go for the view; stay for the quiet.
4. The old town and the Passeggiata degli Innamorati
Varenna is best simply walked. Lose an hour in the stepped alleys of the old fishing quarter, then follow the Passeggiata degli Innamorati — the “Lovers’ Walk” — a slender waterside path on stilts that curves along the lake between the ferry pier and the harbour. It is, deservedly, one of the most photographed corners of Lake Como.
5. Fiumelatte, the “river of milk”
On the village’s southern edge runs Fiumelatte, at around 250 metres one of the shortest rivers in Italy. It flows only from spring to autumn, tumbling white and fast — hence the name — before vanishing into the lake. Its seasonal appearance has puzzled visitors for centuries; even Leonardo da Vinci noted it. A short marked path leads up to the source.
Planning your visit
Getting there. Varenna’s ferry pier connects it directly to Bellagio and Menaggio on the central triangle, and passenger boats run up and down the lake all summer. If you’re arriving by train from Milan or Lecco, the station sits just above the village. For how the ferries, passes and car ferries actually work, see our complete Lake Como ferry guide.
Best for. Couples, garden lovers, and anyone wanting a calmer base than Bellagio — Varenna keeps its evenings to itself once the day boats leave. If you’re weighing where to base yourself, our guide to the best towns and places to stay on Lake Como compares them side by side.
When to go. The villas and Fiumelatte are seasonal, so late spring and early autumn hit the sweet spot of open gardens and thinner crowds — more on timing in the best time to visit Lake Como.
Nearby. Cross the water to Bellagio and Menaggio to complete the central triangle, or ride north to Bellano for its dramatic gorge. Varenna also earns its place among the lake’s quieter corners — see where else to escape the crowds in our hidden gems of Lake Como.
Varenna asks for little and gives a lot: a village you can see in a day but will want longer for, and the kind of slow, luminous evening on the water that people come to Lake Como hoping to find.
Images to use (copyright-free — see Image Pack)
- Hero — Varenna’s coloured houses and harbour from the water. Alt:
Colourful houses above Varenna's harbour on Lake Como's eastern shore - Villa Monastero — lakeside terraced garden. Alt:
Terraced botanical garden of Villa Monastero in Varenna - Passeggiata degli Innamorati — the waterside Lovers’ Walk. Alt:
The Lovers' Walk waterside path along the lake in Varenna - Castello di Vezio — panorama toward Bellagio. Alt:
View over Lake Como toward Bellagio from Castello di Vezio above Varenna