Varenna Things to Do

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Varenna is an interesting village to explore on foot. From the train station, it's a downhill walk. There is a pleasant pathway around the lakeside (pics 3-5) with interesting views, reached from the ferry port - part is on the flat - suitable for wheelchair users/prams etc, but then there are steeper parts

I enjoyed seeing the narrow lanes winding from the lakeside (pics 1-2)
I would have liked to explore further, but we had other places to visit -I've seen enough to give me 'a taster' and hope to return one day.

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The passarella, the lakeside path from Olivedo to Varenna, is really very pretty indeed.

It meanders its way between cliff and shoreline, under overhanging branches, across a little bridge, through restaurant patios and past little (very expensive) shops towards the main square. Numerous stepped and cobbled alleyways lead from it up to the road.

It gives excellent views of Varenna, the lake and the mountains beyond and (despite being obviously popular with both dogwalkers and other visitors) it is a most pleasant way to approach the village. And very romantic too, I imagine, at the right time and with the right person.

A 'must-do', either on your way to Varenna or on your way back to the station.

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The church of S Giorgio presides over the main village square (named after the church).

It was started in around 1200, although it has no written mention until 1313, and has obviously undergone many changes over the centuries. But you can still see fragments of its earlier incarnations in the form of frescoes which have been uncovered and one or two chunks of carved stone.

It is probable that the whole church was frescoed between the end of the 1200s and the beginning of the 1300s, and some of these frescoes are still visible. There are saints on the pillars, their narrow faces staring gravely down at the congregation, decorative patterns o the arches and, on the wall facing the altar, a barely-visible depiction of either Hell or the Apocalypse, its dismembered bodies reminiscent of a Hieronymous Bosch painting.

The bell tower dates from the 1600s, when the church building was also extended.

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You could so easily miss this very ancient church.

It's tucked away in the corner of Piazza San Giorgio, almost on the lakeside. No tower, and nothing to see from the piazza apart from a curving grey wall.

S Giovanni dates from at least the 1100s, although was probably built on the site of an earlier Christian building.

It's a small church, and you can only see it by poking your head through the open doorway. There's no access to the interior. But you can see the remnants of some lovely ancient frescoes, one of which (St Christopher) is thought to date from the very early 1300s, more being slightly later and one or two from the 1500s.

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If you are feeling energetic you could spend a lot of time going up and down the numerous stepped and cobbled alleyways which are indicators of Varenna's fishing-village past.

I didn't feel very energetic on my visit, I'm afraid, but did very much enjoy exploring one or two and having a quick look up (or down) several more. I liked the glimpses of real life which they offered..people's washing, people's pot plants, piles of logs for the fire and so on and so forth.

It was nice to see that the vast majority of alleyways were not defaced by graffiti (that is not always the case elsewhere in Italy).

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A good way to spend the day on Lake Como is to get the all day ferry pass and hop around the lake, visiting the other towns. Bellagio is a short ride away, as is Menaggio and Lenno. At each place you will find opportunities to shop, eat, or visit villas.
One of my favorite stops was seeing the Villa Balbianello. I took the ferry to Lenno and from there walked to it. It is a fairly long walk, along the waterfront of Lenno, then a hike up thru the hillside and out to the Villa on the point. Very picturesque. You can pay to just wander the grounds, or pay for a tour of the Villa itself. You may recognize it from some scenes filmed there for Star Wars and Casino Royale Movies.

Situated along the eastern side of Lake Como, the garden is the result of age-long work which transformed the steep slopes into a scenic design.

A very peaceful and relaxing place to wander or sit under the arbors and picnic.

Please refer to my Lago di Como travelogues for more photos.

Varenna is easily walkable from end to end, and the main square is home to Hotel Olived (pictured), and the ferry dock where you can catch a boat to Bellagio (regular departures several times a day). It's a quaint, old-fashioned town that doesn't shout touristy, but caters well to those who are lucky enough to stay here.