A smaller, quieter, deeply romantic village on the eastern shore — a car-free lakeside 'walk of lovers', pastel houses, two villa gardens and a castle above. Calmer and better value than Bellagio, with a train station of its own and ferries across; the loveliest base for a slower, more intimate stay.
A look around
What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.
€130–220
typical per night in Italy
The sensible middle
Typical prices for Lake Como — neither steal nor splurge.
Where it sits
The circle is Varenna and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.
How far is everything?
From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.
- Bellagio10 min taxi3.3 km
- A ferry across the lake10 min taxi3.4 km
- Villa Melzi gardens, Bellagio12 min taxi3.9 km
- Villa Carlotta14 min taxi4.8 km
- The Greenway del Lago20 min taxi6.7 km
- Villa del Balbianello23 min taxi7.5 km
- The Brunate funicular78 min taxi26.0 km
- Como's Cathedral & old town81 min taxi27.0 km
On your doorstep
What you’re living next to if you stay here.
- 3.Varenna — Bellagio's quieter, dreamier rival across the water — a tiny fishing village of ochre and pink houses stacked above the lake, linked by a car-free waterside 'Passeggiata degli Innamorati' (the walk of lovers). The most romantic spot on the lake for a slow evening; wander the lanes, walk the lovers' path, and dine at the water's edge.
- 9.Villa Monastero, Varenna — A former monastery turned villa on Varenna's shore, with a long botanical garden stretching nearly two kilometres along the water — citrus terraces, palms, cypresses and statue-lined walks, with the lake shimmering alongside the whole way. A gorgeous, less-crowded garden walk; time it with the lovers' path and a Varenna sunset.
- 11.Lake fish & risotto — The lake has its own traditional table — risotto with 'pesce persico' (perch fillets), 'lavarello' (whitefish), and the local specialty 'missoltini', sun-dried and salted shad grilled and served with polenta. Eat it at an old trattoria on the water in Varenna or a lakeside village; hearty, distinctive and rooted in the lake itself.
- 15.Kayak or swim the lake — In summer the lake is warm enough to swim, and paddling it is magical — kayak or SUP along the shore from Varenna or the lidos, slipping past villa gardens and into quiet coves with the mountains all around. Guided dawn paddles are gorgeous; or just take a dip off a village lido on a hot afternoon.
When are you staying?
Booking.com & Airbnb open searched to Varenna; flights via Google Flights.