Varenna has been etched in my brain in the best way possible ever since visiting. I knew it was meant to be beautiful, but it’s only until you see it with your own eyes do you really understand just how beautiful it is. I felt like I was in a dream strolling through the luscious gardens and swimming in the glittering shores.
Lake Como is surprisingly large. You may think you just catch a train into Como station and be done with it. But there is so much of this beautiful lake to be discovered. Lake Como is shaped like an upside-down Y with the town of Como located at the bottom. Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna, located in the middle of the lake, are known as the Golden Triangle and are often considered the most beautiful spots in Lake Como.
I want to put a spotlight on Varenna because this is hands down one of the most breathtaking places I’ve visited. There’s not a huge amount to do here but enjoy the ‘dolce far niente’ – an Italian phrase that means ‘the sweetness of doing nothing.’ Lake Como is the epitome of this saying. Add in a line here about what you did.
How to get to Varenna, Lake Como
The train is the best way to visit from other Italian cities. You’ll likely be travelling from Milan and the fastest train from Milan Centrale station takes 1 hour to Varenna. I travelled in August and simply turned up at the station and booked a train on the same day – there was plenty of availability and it cost me €11 one way, though some tickets start from €6.80. You can opt to buy your tickets on the day or book ahead online using Trainline, which is incredibly useful and you can keep your tickets all in one place.
Top tip: don’t forget to validate your ticket before boarding your train. Conductors do come through the carriages to double-check. These machines are dotted around stations and you just need to hold your ticket in them until it’s validated.
How to get around Varenna
Varenna is fairly walkable, though it’s helpful to be in fairly good shape since it can be quite hilly. Having a car provides flexibility but finding parking in the summer can be a pain so I’d recommend travelling by train if you can.
If you do end up booking an apartment in Perledo (or anywhere a bit further from Varenna’s lakefront), it’s important to note that there is only one taxi service across Varenna and this is hella pricey! I would avoid relying on the taxi as well – it seems to be one woman who simply drives people around – and understandably, she doesn’t operate during late hours… me and my friend found this out the hard way and had to make the 40-minute uphill journey at midnight full of pasta and Aperol spritz!
The ferry system is the best way to see other islands and towns. The ferries are frequent and journeys between Bellagio and Mennagio are around 15 minutes. A single ferry ticket can cost €4.60 or you can buy an unlimited travel pass valid for one day for €15. Simply purchase your ticket at the ferry terminal – I haven’t come across a way to do this in advance online.
Top tip: if you’re on a tight schedule, make sure to book the ferry schedules you need as soon as possible in the day to ensure availability. We arrived in Bellagio at 5pm only to discover the final ferry down to Como was fully booked so we had to go back to Varenna on a car ferry.
Where to stay in Varenna
Accommodation in Lake Como can be notoriously pricey and can be booked up to a year in advance! Make sure to book ahead with plenty of time. Varenna is quite small so anywhere near the lakefront is a good idea. However, if you have a car or are open to a bit of a walk back to your apartment, then Perledo is also a great option!
Located around 2 miles from Varenna (up the hill), Perledo is a fabulous alternative. It can often be cheaper than staying lakefront, plus, you can enjoy sweeping lake views since it’s up the hill.
The view from our Airbnb in Perledo
How to spend 3 days in Lake Como
Day 1:
Castello di Vezio
Lunch at Il Binario
Lido di Bellano
Dinner at La Veranda dei Pescatori
Start your morning with a hike through the glorious hills of Vezio. Through thick, luscious greenery, the lake sparkles in the distance. Be warned, the walk is steep and cobblestoned in some areas, however, I have a very low fitness level and was wearing Birkenstocks, and I managed fine. The hardest part was the heat (we stupidly started at midday). Start early to avoid the same issue.
Once at the top, there is a cafe, so you can stop for a refreshing beer or soft drink to cool you down. There are also shaded areas for you to enjoy some respite. The castle grounds cost €5 to enter and you’ll be welcomed by the ‘Ghosts of Vezio’. These are sculptures that sit on the edges of Castello di Vezio and I only learned now that these works of art are created each year. Volunteers are covered in gauze and plaster and displayed for as long as they last and the process is repeated each year! Pretty cool.
The ghosts of Castello di Vezio
Next, you’re going to catch the train from Varenna Esino to Bellano. But before you do, grab something to eat at Il Binario. It’s a small cafe next to the train station where I had a lovely pizzette topped with mozzarella, pistachio and tomato and accompanied with a fruity beer.
(Checking the reviews on this place, it doesn’t seem like the coffee or pastries were any good but I enjoyed sitting outside and having our snack! Alternatively, there are other places to grab some lunch at near to the station)
Lunch at Il Binario
It’s only a five-minute train journey from Varenna to Bellano, and once you disembark, you’re going to head to Lido di Bellano. You can enjoy sitting on the beach for free or you can rent a bed for €14. There is a bar/cafe on site so you can enjoy Aperol spritz served with complimentary crisps and olives.
Lido di Bellano
This was SUCH a wonderful way to spend an afternoon after a morning hike! The beds overlook the beautiful shores of Lake Como and is a perfect, refreshing place to go for a dip.
Afterwards, we made our way back to our apartment to enjoy a wine on our terrace and freshen up for dinner. This dinner spot is just incredible.
We stumbled across La Veranda dei Pescatori on our walk down from Perledo to Varenna and decided to book a table for dinner. And I’m so glad we did! Perched on a hill, the views stretch out across Lake Como and as the sun set, the sky became beautiful shades of purple and pinks. Complimented by a crisp white wine and a bowl of pasta topped with a mountain of fresh truffle, I was in heaven. To top it all off, you can request a free trip back to your hotel (if staying in Perledo) in their auto-rickshaw! Such a fun way to end the evening (and saved up a hike back up!)
Enjoying wine at La Veranda dei Pescatori
Day 2:
Villa Monastero
Lunch at Bar il Molo
Passeggiata degli innamorati and gelato
Dinner and drinks at Al Prato
Start your day at the most stunning botanical gardens. Villa Monastero is filled with vibrant wisteria, hydrangea, peonies, and perfectly landscaped fauna that creates a place that is just magical to walk through. Stroll past orange trees, decorative fountains and intricately carved sculptures and take in the beauty of Villa Monastero.
Tickets for the garden are €10 or if you want to explore the museum here too, the price is €13. There’s a cafe on site here, so I recommend taking the full morning to fully enjoy the grounds here.
Afterwards, head to Bar il Molo for lunch. Situated on the lakefront, try and ask for a table close to the water, as it’s the best seat in the house. Enjoying a bruschetta, salad, or charcuterie board here was perfect. Try their house cocktail, the Molo Spritz, made with gin, prosecco, Angostura, saffron, rosemary and tonic!
As I mentioned, Varenna is one of those places where you can simply enjoy the dolce far niente. Spend this afternoon doing just that. Grab a gelato, sit by the lakefront, rent a boat, wander the Old Town, walk through the Passeggiata degli innamorati, go back to the beach club – it’s up to you! Whatever it is you do, just soak it all in. 
For dinner, try Al Prato, known for its fantastic food and service, this cosy restaurant is well known for its homemade pasta and delicious dishes. Make sure to book in advance!
Day 3:
Take the ferry to Menaggio
Piazza Garibaldi
Viale Benedetto Castelli
Travel from Menaggio to Bellagio
Via Giuseppe Garibaldi
Villa Melzi
Ferry from Bellagio to Como
With so much more of the lake to explore, spend the day shore hopping. Varenna to Menaggio takes just 13 minutes, and the same for Menaggio to Bellagio. In Menaggio, head to Piazza Garibaldi, the central plaza filled with bars, restaurants and gelato shops with lake views.
For picturesque views, stroll along Menaggio’s lakefront – Viale Benedetto Castelli. This is the perfect spot to soak in the beauty of Menaggio, surrounded by vibrant flowers and colourful houses. If you fancy a swim, Lido di Menaggio is the beach spot to go. Grab some lunch and a Spritz here before catching the ferry to Bellagio.
Personally, I didn’t fall in love with Bellagio the way that I did with Varenna but maybe that’s because I didn’t have the same amount of time to enjoy it. It’s worth a stop here regardless.
Head to Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, the famous ‘photo-worthy’ street. There are plenty of smaller side roads lined with cafes and boutique shops, making it a perfect place to mooch and pick up some lovely souvenirs to take home. Then visit Villa Melzi to soak in the beautifully landscaped Italian gardens.
To travel back to Milan, you can either get the ferry back to Varenna and take the train. Or you can opt to take the slow ferry from Bellagio to Como. Make sure to take the regular service (around 2 hours) and not the express service (around 1 hour). The express boats mean you sit indoors and you don’t get the best view, but regular service has open windows and a chance for you to really just enjoy the views of the lake. I think this is a great alternative to hiring a private boat for over €100. From Como, you can take the train back to Milan and continue your onward travel.
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