Table of Contents:
How to get to Varenna from Milan
How to get to Varenna from Bergamo
When to travel to Varenna
Varenna is a wonderful small town located exactly on the shores of Lake Como, on its eastern side. Together with Bellagio and Menaggio, Varenna forms the so-called “golden triangle” of Como towns; you can move between them by ferry; the travel time in any direction takes no more than 15 minutes. All three towns are famous for their architecture and historical monuments, so these places are very popular among tourists.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Varenna. I figured out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to see there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Varenna.
Varenna as well as Bellagio and Menaggio can be visited all year round. Spring, summer and early autumn are very picturesque and colorful seasons on Lake Como and the most of tourists choose exactly this period of the year to travel around the lake. Winters can be quite rainy and cloudy here, but, in general, local climate is rather mild even in winters. According to my research, lake navigation is available all year round as Lake Como does not freeze, but in winter the number of boat trips decreases.
How to get to Varenna
Where do you fly into to get to Varenna? The town of Varenna is connected to the nearest major cities – Milan and Bergamo – by rail and by road. Both Milan and Bergamo have the international airports to fly into. The current flight timetable to these cities can be checked via specialized online services such as Aviasales and other similar ones. I often use Aviasales as it helps me a lot to compare different flight options and choose the optimal one so I can definitely recommend this online service. Then you can use a train or a rented car to get to Varenna from Milan or Bergamo.
How to get to Varenna from Milan
Having examined a map precisely, I can say that the distance between Milan and Varenna is 76 km. You can get to Varenna by train or by car.
By public transport: There are direct trains running between Milan and Varenna. The travel time is about 1 hour. Trains depart from Milano Centrale Train Station every hour during the day. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance, for example, at the Raileurope booking service, or directly at the Milano Central Station. I really like Raileurope as it has a very convenient search, in my opinion. You can also use various filters to narrow down the results as you may need.
By rented car: As an option you can also hire a car in Milan to travel along Lake Como on your own. This option is definitely popular among the travellers. It is recommended to book a car in advance to choose the best available car option. Tourists can use various online services to book a car in advance, for instance, Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. Milan and Varenna are connected with #SS36 road. The travel time by car is slightly more than 1 hour (see on the map). Based on my experience, both online services are very convenient and I can definitely recommend them.
How to get to Varenna from Bergamo
After some map research, I found out that the distance between Bergamo and Verona is 56 km. Tourists can use either public transport or a car to get to the lake town.
By public transport: there are no direct trains between Bergamo and Varenna; you need to make a change in Lecco to reach your destination. The total travel time by train takes you about 1,5 hours. Trains run every hour during the day. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. It is one of my favourite online services for planning trips around Europe. I like its filters that help to compare different available options. For example, you can compare the duration of a trip, number of changes, prices, etc.
By rented car: Travellers can also hire a car in Bergamo to travel to lake Como. Car rental offices can be found either at the Bergamo airport or in the city center. To hire a car, you need to have a passport, a driver`s license and a bank card. You can also use different online services to book a car in advance, for example, Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. Bergamo and Varenna are connected with #SS342. The travel time by car is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes (see on the map). In my point of view, both online services are good so I can totally recommend them.
If you want to visit Bellagio or Menaggio from Varenna, you can get to these towns by ferry. The current timetable of which can be checked on the official website of the carrier Gestione Navigazione Laghi Italia.
Where to stay in Varenna
Although Varenna is a relatively small town, there are quite a variety of accommodation options. These can be standard hotels of all-star categories, bed and breakfast hotels, as well as apartments. As a rule, most tourists coming to Varenna prefer to explore the “golden triangle” in 1 daylight, but such an observation can be rather superficial. By and large, to explore all three towns, you need at least several full days.
Hotel Royal Victoria 4* is located in a historical building. It features a garden and a wellness center with a sauna, a swimming pool and a steam bath. The hotel has 2 restaurants. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories. Breakfast is included. Some rooms have a balcony with the lake views. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking is provided nearby for an additional fee and upon reservation. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I discovered that the front desk is open 24 hours a day and provides luggage storage and currency exchange services;
Hotel Villa Cipressi 4* is located in a picturesque place, next to the lake and botanical garden. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available in public areas and is free of charge. Public parking is provided nearby for an additional fee. The front desk serves guests 24 hours a day and provides luggage storage services;
Hotel Olivedo 3* is located in a historical building and has a terrace with panoramic views of the lake. There is a restaurant and a bar on site. You can stay in double rooms. Breakfast is included. Each room is equipped with a coffee pot or a kettle. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking is provided on site for an additional fee. Luggage storage services are available at the front desk;
B&B il Bolentino Varenna 3* is located 250 m from the lake and is surrounded with a garden. You can stay in double rooms. Breakfast is included. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Free private parking is provided on site upon reservation. As far as I know the luggage storage area is available at the reception.
What to see in Varenna
Varenna is a rather small town, however, many attractions have been preserved here. The first thing tourists usually do in Varenna is explore its historical center. The most outstanding medieval monument here is the Church of San Giorgio, the construction of which dates back to the 14th century. It is hardly possible to confuse this church with other churches in Varenna, since the pointed bell tower of San Giorgio is visible from almost all points of the town, and even from the water. There are rare works of Italian masters from different periods, exhibited inside the church. The church is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Two other iconic attractions of Varenna are the villas of Cipressi and Monastero, which have been managed to preserve their authentic decoration. Both villas are surrounded with beautiful gardens.
Inside the Villa Monastero, 14 rooms are open for observation, in which authentic interiors and works of art from different times are exhibited. Villa Monastero’s Garden is also decorated with elegant sculptures. There is some useful information for visiting that I discovered:
- Villa Monastero is open to visitors from April to November from 10 am to 5 pm (in summer from 09.30 am to 7-7.30 pm);
- The entrance fee to the gardens is 10 euros, to the gardens and the villa is 13 euros.
You can also visit the gardens of Villa Cipressi, which have a sophisticated landscape design, and the main highlight is the intricately shaped cypress trees. I found out detailed information for visiting the villa:
- A visit to the gardens of Villa Cipressi costs 10 euros;
- The gardens are open daily from March to October from 10 am to 6 pm (until 8 pm in summer);
- You can purchase a combined ticket for Cipressi Gardens + Monastero Gardens for 19 euros.
If you are interested in antiquity, you will definitely enjoy visiting the Castello di Vezio. It has not been completely preserved, but the main building, as well as fragments of the fortress walls, still stand today. You can explore the castle both from the outside and from the inside; in addition, you can go up to the main tower of the fortress, from where you can enjoy views of Lake Como and Varenna. I did some research to collect practical information for visiting and here it is:
- The castle is open from 10 am to 5 pm in winter; to 6 pm in spring and autumn; and to 7 pm in summer;
- The entrance ticket costs 5 euros.
There is an amazing natural attraction of Varenna – the so-called “milk river” located near the castle. In fact, this is a small river, only 250 meters long, which then flows into the lake, but it is notable for the rocky grotto, inside which sky-blue water collects. Please note that from October to March the river dries up, so this natural phenomenon can only be observed six months a year.
Popular excursion entertainment in Varenna are boat trips on the lake, as well as ferries to Bellagio and Menaggio, together with which Varenna forms the so-called “golden triangle” of Lake Como towns. In Bellagio you can enjoy views of the medieval churches and villas of Serbelloni and Melzi. In Menaggio you can see villas Milius, Ricci, Belfagio, Bolza, and also stay for a beach holiday (during the summer time). Menaggio has 8 golf courses, a sports center for children and adults with its own beach and swimming pool, a rock-climbing center and much more.
In general, I can say that Varenna is a popular tourist destination for excursions. Varenna is mostly visited in summer time, when the botanical gardens and beaches are open. The ferry service will allow you to visit not only Varenna, but also travel to other nearby towns. Varenna has a developed touristic infrastructure. To my mind, tourists can find a lot of places for accomondation here as well as a wide variety of restaurants ans cafes of local cuisine.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out a travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerged medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase an insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Ray in Manila
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more…