Sights and Activities in Varenna
Sights and Activities in Bellagio
Map: Stresa & the Borromeo Islands
Commune with nature where Italy is joined to the Alps, in the lovely Italian lakes district. In this land of lakes, the million-euro question is: Which one? For the best mix of accessibility, scenery, and offbeatness, the village of Varenna on Lake Como is my top choice, while Lake Maggiore is a suitable backup. In either place, you’ll get a complete dose of Italian-lakes wonder and aristocratic-old-days romance.
You could spend a busy day side-tripping from Milan (about one hour away by train) to either lake, do some island- and villa-hopping, and be home in time for dinner. But the lakes are an ideal place to slow down and take a break from your busy vacation. Settle in here, and bustling Milan doesn’t even exist. Now it’s your turn to be chiuso per restauro (closed for restoration). If relaxation’s not on your agenda, the lakes shouldn’t be either.
Lake Como (Lago di Como)—lined with elegant 19th-century villas, crowned by snowcapped mountains, and busy with ferries, hydrofoils, and slow, passenger-only boats—is a good place to take a break from the intensity and turnstile culture of central Italy. It seems like half the travelers you’ll meet have tossed their itineraries into the lake and are actually relaxing.
Lake Como is Milan’s quick getaway, and the sleepy mid-lake village of Varenna is the handiest base of operations. With good connections to other mid-lake towns (and Milan), Varenna is my favorite place to stay on the lake. While Varenna has a village vibe, beautiful Bellagio has earned its ritzy allure and feels a bit more like a real city, making it a good alternative.
The hazy, lazy lake’s only serious industry is tourism. Every day, hundreds of lakeside residents commute to work in Lugano, just across the border in Switzerland. The lake’s isolation and flat economy have left it pretty much the way the 19th-century Romantic poets described it: heaven on earth.
Even though there are no essential activities, plan for at least two nights so you’ll have an uninterrupted day to see how slow you can get your pulse. Spend some time exploring your home-base town, take my self-guided ferry tour to take in the scenery (with visits to the lake’s two main villas), and hop off the boat to poke around the town you’re not staying in. With additional time, visit more lakeside villas or go for a hike.
Lake Como is also workable as a day trip from Milan. Take a morning train to Varenna, ride the boat to Lenno (and tour Villa Balbianello), then take a boat to Villa Carlotta to tour the gardens. From there, head either to Bellagio or back to Varenna to linger and explore (or, with more time and energy, see a little of both) before taking the train back to Milan from Varenna. Start early to pack everything in; otherwise, you’ll have to be more selective (with time to see just one of the villas).
By Train via Varenna: From any destination covered in this book, you’ll reach Lake Como via Milan. The quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to get from Milan to any mid-lake town is to take the train to Varenna. From Varenna you can hop on a boat to Bellagio.
At Milano Centrale train station, catch a train heading for Sondrio or Tirano—sometimes the departure board also says “Lecco/Tirano.” (Tirano is often confused with Torino...wrong city.) All Sondrio-bound trains stop in Varenna, as noted in the fine print on the partenze (departures) schedule posted at Milan’s train station. Trains leave Milan nearly hourly at :20 past the hour, with a few two-hour gaps (confirm times at station or online at www.trenitalia.com). Get a second-class ticket, since most of these trains don’t have first-class cars (rail passes accepted). If you plan to head back to Milan on the train, also buy a return ticket. Stamp your ticket in the yellow box or risk a €50 fine. If you run into a problem or need to validate your rail pass at Milan’s train station, find the helpful Trenitalia office on the ground floor.
Leaving Milan, sit on the left for maximum lake-view beauty. Get off at Varenna-Esino-Perledo. (Even though train schedules list just Varenna or Varenna-Esino, Varenna-Esino-Perledo is what you’ll see at the platform.) The long trains that serve Varenna’s tiny station stop only briefly—be ready to hop out. The single platform is very narrow, and your car may actually stop before or after the platform. Look out the window. If even part of the train is at the station, you’ll need to get out and walk. Tips: Board midtrain to land next to a platform. Leave from the door through which you entered, since you know it’s working. If necessary, pull hard on the red handle (or push the button) to open the door.
By Train and Boat via Como: For a less convenient, much slower, but more scenic trip, you can get to Varenna or Bellagio from Milan via the town of Como. Trains take you from Milan to Como (2/hour, 30-60 minutes). From the station in Como, it’s a 10-minute walk to the dock, where you catch either the speedy hydrofoil or the leisurely battello (slow boat—great for enjoying the scenery) for the ride up the lake to Bellagio or Varenna. Boats leave Como about every 2 hours (battello: €11.60, 2.5 hours, last departure about 15:20; hydrofoil: €16.20, 1 hour, last departure about 19:20, fewer on Sun, www.navigazionelaghi.it).
By Plane via Milan’s Airports: Take the Malpensa Express train from Malpensa Airport, the Airport Bus Express from Linate Airport, or any of the buses from Bergamo’s Orio al Serio Airport to Milano Centrale train station (see here or 329), and then transfer to a Varenna-bound train (see earlier).
By Taxi: Taxis between Varenna and Milan or its airports won’t save money over the train, even for groups, but can be worth it for the convenience. Marco Barili (and his wife Nelly) don’t charge extra for baggage or early/late departures (€150 to central Milan or Linate Airport for up to 4 people/€200 for 5-8 people in a minibus, €160/€220 to Malpensa Airport, €130/€180 to Orio al Serio Airport, tel. 0341-815-061, taxi.varenna@tiscali.it).
By Boat: Boats go about every 30 minutes between Varenna and Bellagio (€4.60/hop, cash only, 15-20 minutes, daily approximately 7:00-22:30). If you’re staying in one of these towns, you’ll probably limit your cruising to this scenic mid-lake area. Express boats cost a little more and save only a couple of minutes per leg. Because boats are frequent and the schedule is hard to read, I just show up, buy a ticket for the next boat, and wait. Always ask which slip (pontile) your boat will leave from—it’s not posted, and Bellagio has several docks (boat info: toll-free tel. 800-551-801 or tel. 031-579-211, www.navigazionelaghi.it). On sunny days, long lines can form at ticket booths; don’t dillydally, and consider buying your tickets in advance at a quieter time. The one-day €15 mid-lake pass makes sense only if you take four or more rides—unlikely (pass does not cover fast hydrofoils).
If you’re making more complex plans, pick up a free boat schedule and ask for help to decipher it. It’s a good idea to ask your hotelier to review your possible connections before you set out so you can pace your day smartly. You’ll find the schedule at travel agencies, hotels, and boat docks. Confusingly, the schedule requires you to scan four different timetables to know all the departures; for key terms, see the sidebar.
By Car: With scarce parking, traffic jams, and expensive car ferries, this is no place to drive. While it’s possible to drive around the lake, the road is narrow, congested, and lined with privacy-seeking walls, hedges, and tall fences. Parking in Bellagio is more difficult than in Varenna. If you do have a car, park it in Varenna, and use the boat to get around (for parking tips in Varenna, see here).
While you can rent cars in Bellagio, for most travelers, it’s best to take the train to Milan and pick up a car there, either at the central train station or at one of Milan’s three airports.
This well-manicured village of 800 people offers the best of all lake worlds. Easily accessible by train, on the less-driven side of the lake, Varenna has a romantic promenade, a tiny harbor, steep and narrow stepped lanes, and some scenic sights (a ruined castle and two villas). It’s just the right place to savor a lakeside cappuccino or aperitivo. There’s wonderfully little to do here, and it’s very quiet at night...unless you’re here during one of the hundred-or-so annual American wedding parties. The passerella (lakeside promenade, well-lit and inviting after dark) is adorned with caryatid lovers pressing silently against each other in the shadows. Varenna is a popular destination with my readers and European vacationers—book well in advance for high season (May-Oct). From November to mid-March, Varenna practically shuts down: Hotels close for the winter, and restaurants and shops reduce their hours.
The TI is near the main square (June-Sept daily 10:00-13:00 & 15:00-18:30; April-May and Oct Tue-Sat 10:00-12:30 & 14:30-18:00, Sun 10:00-12:30, closed Mon; weekends only Nov-March; just past the bank at Via IV Novembre 7, tel. 0341-830-367, www.varennaturismo.com). The Tivano travel agency, located in the train station, also operates as a TI (see “Helpful Hints”). At either TI (or your hotel), pick up the Varenna Tourist Info booklet.
Varenna is small, and pretty much everything is within a 15-minute walk.
By Train: From Varenna’s train station, you can walk along the marked pedestrian lane down to the main road. If you’re heading for the ferry to Bellagio, go straight; otherwise, turn left along the main road and keep rolling into town (a 15-minute walk from the station; watch for traffic where the sidewalk ends). If you have a bag with wheels, avoid using the lakeside promenade, which ends in stairs and cobbles.
A taxi from the station costs about €10. Reliable Marco Barili (or his wife Nelly) can meet you at the train station if you know your exact arrival time. Look for a flashing sign with your name on it (tel. 0341-815-061, taxi.varenna@tiscali.it).
By Boat: The boat dock is close to the train station and a 10-minute stroll north of the main square and old town.
By Car: Avoid on-street parking in Varenna; the few spots are mostly reserved for residents. The easiest (though most expensive) parking option is the spiffy multilevel lot at the south end of town, across from the entrance to Villa Monastero (€2/hour 6:00-22:00, otherwise €1/hour, €20/24 hours).
Parking at the train station is free overnight, but you’ll have to pay from 8:00 to 23:00 most of the year (€1.50/hour, feed coins into meter in center of lot and put ticket on dashboard; €15 day pass available from I Viaggi del Tivano travel agency or Café III Binario at the station).
Travel Agency: Varenna’s travel agency, I Viaggi del Tivano, is conveniently located in the train station. In addition to acting as a TI, they book planes, trains, and automobiles (Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00 & 14:30-18:30, Sat-Sun 9:00-16:00, Oct-April Sat until 13:00 and closed Sun; good place to pick up boat schedules, no service charge for regional train tickets, €5 booking fee for long-distance train tickets, tel. 0341-814-009, www.tivanotours.com, info@tivanotours.com, helpful Cristina and Eleonora). They also offer half-day and daylong bus and boat tours of the region, including Switzerland (April-Sept only, book tours by noon the day before).
Train Tickets: The train station doesn’t have ticket windows, but you can buy tickets at the I Viaggi del Tivano travel agency there (see above). Don’t cut it too close, in case there’s a line. You can also buy tickets at the Barilott bar/tobacco shop downtown, which is also a lively place to buy a panino and/or a glass of wine and use the Wi-Fi (daily 7:00-20:00, closed Sun Oct-April, Via IV Novembre 6, tel. 0341-815-045, Claudia and Fabrizio).
Money: One bank is near Varenna’s main square; another is located inland from the boat dock. Both have ATMs (see the Varenna map in this chapter).
Post Office: It’s at the bottom corner of the main square (Tue and Thu-Fri 8:20-13:45, Sat until 12:45.
Laundry: Lavanderia Pensa Barbara can wash and dry your laundry within 24 hours (priced by weight, no self-service, Mon-Fri 9:00-12:00 & 15:00-19:00, Sat 9:00-12:00, closed Sun, Via Venini 31, tel. 0341-830-478). A self-service machine is tucked in the back of the little “Il Bottaio” shopping gallery facing the harbor (€1 entry voucher covers WC or can be used toward food or drinks at nearby Bar Il Molo, daily 8:00-24:00). Another self-service option is just off the main square, between the recommended Albergo del Sole and the post office (daily 24 hours, Contrada del Prato 10).
(See “Varenna” map, here.)
Since you came here to relax, this short self-guided walk gives you just the town basics.
• Begin by standing in the little piazza next to the...
Bridge Just Below Train Station: This main bridge spans the tiny Esino River, which divides two communities: Perledo (which sprawls up the hill—notice the church spire high above) and the old fishing town of Varenna (huddled around its harbor). The train station, called Varenna-Esino-Perledo, gives due respect to both, as well as the village of Esino, eight miles higher in the hills.
Go down the tree-lined promenade on the right (north) side of the river. You’ll run into the entrance to the town’s public beach—the lido (small fee to enter)—and then cross the cute pedestrian bridge to the small square, which hosts a market on Wednesdays.
The yellow inn facing the ferry dock, Hotel Olivedo, has greeted ferry travelers since the 19th century and is named for the olive groves you can see growing halfway up the hill. Natives claim this is the farthest north that olives grow in Europe.
• Across from Hotel Olivedo is Varenna’s...
Ferry Landing: Since the coming of the train in 1892, this has been the main link to Milan and the world for the “mid-lake” communities of Bellagio, Menaggio (described later), and Varenna. From this viewpoint, you can almost see how Lake Como is shaped like a man. The head is the north end (to the right, up by the Swiss Alps). Varenna is the left hip (to the east). Menaggio, across the lake, is the right hip (to the west). And Bellagio (hiding behind the smaller wooded hill to your left) is the crotch—or, more poetically, Punta Spartivento (“Point that Divides the Wind”). In a more colorful description, a traditional poem says, “Lake Como is a man, with Colico the head, Lecco and Como the feet, and Bellagio the testicles.” (In the regional dialect, this rhymes—ask a native to say it for you.)
The farthest ridges high above the right hip mark the border of Switzerland. This region’s longtime poverty shaped the local character (much like the Great Depression shaped the outlook of a generation of Americans). Many still remember that the Varenna side of the lake was the poorest, because those on the Menaggio side controlled the lucrative cigarette-smuggling business over the Swiss border. Today, the entire region is thriving—thanks to tourism.
• Walk past the ferry dock and the small playground to Varenna’s elevated shoreline walk, called the...
Passerella: A generation ago, Varenna built this elegant lakeside promenade, which connects the ferry dock with the old town center. Strolling this lane, you’ll come to the tiny, two-dinghy, concrete breakwater of a villa. Lake Como is lined with swanky 19th-century villas; their front doors face the lake to welcome visitors arriving by boat. At this point, the modern passerella cuts between this villa’s water gate and its private harbor. Just around the bend, enjoy a good Varenna town view. These buildings are stringently protected by preservation laws; you can’t even change the color of your villa’s paint.
Just over the hump (which allows boats into a covered moorage), look back and up at another typical old villa—with a private passerella, a lovely veil of wisteria, and a prime lakeview terrace. Many of these villas are owned by the region’s “impoverished nobility.” Bred and raised not to work, eventually they were unable to pay for the upkeep of their sprawling houses. Some of these villas have now been bought by the region’s nouveau riche.
• At the community harbor, walk to the end of the pier for a town overview, then continue under the old-time arcades toward the multihued homes facing the harbor.
Varenna Harborfront: There are no streets in the old town—just the characteristic stepped lanes called contrade. Varenna was originally a fishing community. Even today, old-timers enjoy Lake Como’s counterpart to Norwegian lutefisk: missoltino, air-dried and salted lake “sardines.”
Imagine the harbor 200 years ago—busy with coopers fitting chestnut and oak staves into barrels, stoneworkers carving the black marble that was quarried just above town, and fishermen dragging boats onto the sloping beach. The little stone harbor dates from about 1600. Today, the fishing boats are just for recreation, and residents gather here with their kids to relax by the lake.
At the south end of the harbor (in front of the recommended Bar Il Molo), belly up to the banister of the terrace for a colorful town view. Another traditional ditty goes, “If you love Lake Como, you know Bellagio is the pearl...but Varenna is the diamond.”
• Continue straight, leaving the harbor. A lane curves around Hotel du Lac (its fine lakeside terrace welcomes even nonguests for a drink), finishing with an unexpected hill. Finally you’ll reach the tiny pebbly town beach below. From here, climb the stairs and go through the yellow arch to the square called...
Piazza San Giorgio: Several churches face Varenna’s town square. The main church (Chiesa di San Giorgio) dates from the 13th century. Romantic Varenna is an understandably popular spot for weddings—rice often litters the church’s front yard. Stepping inside, you’ll find a few humble but centuries-old bits of carving and frescoes. The black floor and chapels are made from the local marble.
Just past the church and the municipal building is the TI and the Ornithology and Natural Science Museum, with a small collection of stuffed birds and other wildlife (small fee to enter, same hours as TI).
The Hotel Royal Victoria, also on the main square, recalls the 1839 visit of Queen Victoria, who registered herself as the Countess of Clare in an attempt to remain anonymous.
The trees in the square are planted to make a V for Varenna. The street plan survives from Roman times, when gutters flowed down to the lake. The little church on the lake side of the square is the baptistery. Dating from the ninth century, it’s one of the oldest churches on the lake, but is rarely open for visits.
Our walk is over. Facing the church, you can head right to visit the gardens or to take a demanding hike up to the castle (both described next, under “Sights and Activities in Varenna”). You can go left to get to the train station or ferry dock—or for a less-demanding but still steep hike to the castle. Head back downhill to enjoy the beach (take either of the lanes flanking the Hotel Royal Victoria down to the water).
A steep and stony trail leads to Varenna’s ruined hilltop castle, located in the peaceful, traffic-free, one-chapel hamlet of Vezio. Take the small road, Via per Vezio (about 100 feet south of—and to the right of—Hotel Montecodeno), and figure on a 20-minute walk one-way. Arriving in Vezio, follow castello signs. You’ll reach a bar (with drinks, light food, and WCs) that serves as the castle’s ticket desk. Once inside the grounds, the views are the main attraction: Follow the little loop trail on the lake side of the castle for vistas down on Varenna’s rooftops and the adjacent lakefront community of Pino. The castle itself is barren—a courtyard protecting an empty tower, where you can cross a drawbridge and climb 62 rickety wooden steps to earn 360 degrees of Lake Como panoramas.
Cost and Hours: €4, Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-19:00, June-Aug stays open one hour later, March and Oct closes one hour earlier, closed Nov-Feb and in bad weather, mobile 333-448-5975, www.castellodivezio.it, Nicola.
Falconry Shows: The castle hosts low-key falconry shows, usually around 15:30—but check the website or call in the morning for times.
Hiking Back Down: You can hike back the way you came or make a loop by continuing down to the east end of Varenna, on a steeper, narrower, less-manicured trail. From the castle gate, turn right and follow signs for Varenna Scabium and Sentiero del Viandante. You’ll wander past some backyards and some scenic tennis courts, then start to gradually descend, popping out at the parking garage for the Hotel Eremo Gaudio. From here, head down to the right to walk back into Varenna, passing the entrances for both Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi (described next) on your way to the main square.
Two separate manicured lakeside gardens sit next door to each other just a short distance from the main square. First are the small but lush terraces of Villa Cipressi; just beyond are the more interesting, open grounds of Villa Monastero, which also admits visitors into the former residence of the De Marchi family, now a museum filled with overly ornate furnishings from the late 1800s. It’s the handiest look inside one of the old villas that line the lakeshore, but the lack of information makes the place feel sterile. While the villas and gardens elsewhere on the lake are more magnificent (see “More Sights on Lake Como,” later), these are a sufficient substitute if you’re staying around Varenna.
Cost and Hours: Villa Cipressi—€5, daily 8:00-sunset, closed Dec-April, www.hotelvillacipressi.it; Villa Monastero—gardens-€5, gardens and museum-€8; gardens open daily 9:30-19:00, closed Nov-Feb; museum open Fri-Sun 9:30-19:00, closed Mon-Thu—except open daily in Aug, closed Nov-Feb; bar in garden serves snacks, tel. 0341-295-450, www.villamonastero.eu.
Nearby: The Sala De Marchi, across the street from the Villa Monastero entrance, hosts a different exhibition each month through the summer. Ask at the TI or check the posters to see what’s on.
There are three spots to swim in Varenna: the free little beach behind the Hotel Royal Victoria off Piazza San Giorgio, the central lakefront area by Nilus Bar, and the lido. The lido is by far the best-equipped for swimmers. Just north of the boat dock, it’s essentially a wide concrete slab with sand and a swimming area off an old boat ramp. It has showers, bathrooms, a restaurant, a bar, and lounge chairs and umbrellas for rent (€2 entry, tel. 0341-815-3700). Swimming by the boat dock is strictly forbidden for safety reasons.
Taxi Boat Varenna organizes hour-long central lake tours (€30/person), plus a 2.5-hour version that adds a stop at Villa Balbianello (€55/person, price includes villa entry and one-hour tour). They also offer hour-long romantic private tours (€160 for up to 6 people). Ask Luca about his special 3-hour “Tour George.” Book directly on the website (mid-March-mid-Nov only, mobile 349-229-0953, www.taxiboatvarenna.com, info@taxiboatvarenna.com). A similar company works out of Bellagio.
If you want to be your own skipper, Boats2rent is a good option. They offer 40-horsepower motor boats (from €60/hour, up to six people, no license required but €100 and ID needed for deposit) and zero-horsepower kayaks (€10/hour) from the harbor in front of the Nilus Bar (tel. 348-347-2093, www.boats2rent-varenna.net).
The town of Fiumelatte, about a half-mile south of Varenna, was named for its “milky river.” Promoted as the shortest river in Italy (at 800 feet), it runs—like most of the area’s tourist industry—only from April through September (though even then it may be dry, depending on the weather). The La Sorgente del Fiumelatte brochure, available at Varenna’s TI, lays out a walk from Varenna to the Fiumelatte, then to the castle, and back. It’s a 30-minute hike to the source (sorgente) of the river (at Varenna’s monastery, take the high road, drop into the tranquil and evocative cemetery, and climb steps to the wooded trail leading to the peaceful and refreshing cave from which the river spouts).
For a longer hike in the opposite direction with lake views, ask the TI about the Wayfarers’ Path (hike one-way up the lake, about 2-2.5 hours, not quite as steep as Fiumelatte hike). You can return by train or boat from Bellano (check schedule before you go).
Charming chef Moreno of the recommended Ristorante il Caminetto picks you up in Varenna, zips you up the mountain to his restaurant (experience Italian driving!), and then teaches you some basics of Italian cooking. Learn how to handcraft fresh pasta or prep regional specialties. Classes last about three hours, plus time to mangiare (€65 includes trip, lesson, recipes, and lunch complete with wine, cookies, and coffee; Mon, Tue, Thu, and Fri; 10:00 pickup from Varenna landing, return by 16:00, reservations required, tel. 0341-815-127, www.ilcaminettoonline.com, info@ilcaminettoonline.com).
Reservations are tight in August, snug May through October, and wide open most of the rest of the year. Many places close in winter. High-season prices are listed here; prices get soft off-season.
$$$$ Hotel du Lac, filling a refined and modernized 19th-century villa, is the finest hotel in town. From its exclusive private perch on the point, it offers a quiet lakefront breakfast terrace; genteel public spaces; a friendly, professional staff; and 16 delightful rooms—all but three with lake views (air-con, some rooms with elevator access, pay parking, Via del Prestino 11, tel. 0341-830-238, www.albergodulac.com, info@albergodulac.com, Valleria).
$$$$ Villa Cipressi is a sprawling, centuries-old lakeside mansion with 33 basic but modern rooms. Its elegant but understated public spaces are often busy with wedding parties. Rooms without views face the street and can be noisy. The villa sits in a huge, quiet, terraced garden that nonguests pay to see (RS%, some view rooms, ceiling fans, elevator, Via IV Novembre 22, tel. 0341-830-113, www.hotelvillacipressi.it, info@hotelvillacipressi.it, Davide).
$$$$ Hotel Royal Victoria, a central splurge facing the main square, has a classic, grand-hotel lobby, an inviting terrace with a swimming pool just above the lake, and 43 richly furnished rooms with modern amenities (RS%, some lake view rooms, air-con, elevator, pay Wi-Fi, pay parking, Piazza San Giorgio 2, tel. 0341-815-111, www.royalvictoria.com, info@royalvictoria.com).
$$$ Albergo Milano, right in the old town, is graciously run by Egidio and his Swiss wife, Bettina. Fusing the best of Italy with the best of Switzerland, this well-run, romantic hotel has eight comfortable rooms with extravagant views, balconies, or big terraces (ceiling fans, no elevator; from the station, take main road to town and turn right at steep alley where sidewalk and guardrail break; Via XX Settembre 35, tel. 0341-830-298, www.varenna.net, hotelmilano@varenna.net). This place whispers luna di miele—honeymoon (see website for honeymoon deal). Nearby is $$$ Casa Rossa, an annex with five comfortable rooms and one apartment that works well for families (breakfast served at main hotel, nonview rooms are more budget-friendly). Their recommended Ristorante la Vista is worth considering for dinner.
$$$ Hotel Eremo Gaudio stands out with a commanding lake view high above Varenna. Once an orphanage, it became a hermitage run by the Catholic Church, and then—since 2000—a peaceful hotel with awe-inspiring view balconies and a breakfast terrace. Thirteen bright, plain-but-comfy rooms climb up the main building, and 14 less dramatic but equally comfortable rooms huddle below at the foot of the funicular (all rooms have lake views, air-con in summer; from the station, it’s a steep walk up hills and steps—taking a taxi is recommended; 8-minute walk from Varenna’s main square at Via Roma 25, tel. 0341-815-301, www.hoteleremovarenna.it, info@hoteleremovarenna.it).
$$$ Albergo del Sole rents eight simple, comfortable rooms (with partial-lake or piazza views) above a restaurant right on the town square, which can be lively at night. Run by fun-loving Enzo and Francesco (family rooms, open all year, fans, hardwood floors, shiny bathrooms, elevator, Piazza San Giorgio 17, tel. 0341-815-218, www.albergodelsolevarenna.it, albergo.sole@virgilio.it).
$$ Hotel Montecodeno, with 11 decent rooms and no views, is a functional concrete box along the main road. It’s a five-minute walk from the train station and ferries (RS%, air-con, no elevator, attached restaurant, Via della Croce 2, tel. 0341-830-123, mobile 340-356-7688, www.hotelmontecodeno.com, info@hotelmontecodeno.com, Marco).
$ Albergo Beretta, on the main road a block below the station, has 10 small, basic rooms, several with balconies (and street noise). Second-floor rooms are quietest. Above a coffee shop that doubles as the reception, it feels dated and lacks lakeside glamour, but is a decent budget option (elevator, Wi-Fi in common areas, limited free parking—reserve ahead, Via per Esino 1, tel. 0341-830-132, hotelberetta@iol.it, Renato).
Lavarello, a lake whitefish, is popular on menus. For something more adventurous, consider missoltino, which are salted little fish often served with pasta or local-style polenta (buckwheat is mixed in with the corn). Pizzocchere is a regional pasta dish made with buckwheat noodles, boiled potatoes, greens, and lots of melty cheese—a carb lover’s dream. As with Varenna’s hotels, many of these restaurants close off-season (generally November through February or March).
(See “Varenna” map, here.)
$$$$ Ristorante la Vista, at Albergo Milano, feels like a private hotel restaurant but also welcomes nonguests. On a balmy evening, their terrace overlooking the town and the lake is hard to beat. Egidio (or Egi—pronounced “edgy”) and his staff give traditional cuisine a creative twist, and his selection is great for foodies with discerning tastes. While you can order à la carte, I’d go with his €40 three-course fixed-price dinner (Mon and Wed-Sun 19:00-22:00, closed Sun Oct-mid-May, closed Tue year-round; reservations required, Via XX Settembre 35, tel. 0341-830-298, www.varenna.net).
$$$$ Ristorante la Contrada, with its terrace-side location, is run by the Villa Cipressi and takes advantage of the villa’s elegant garden, trickling fountain, and lake view. Indoor seating glows with a warm and romantic air, and the garden is a delight on warm summer evenings. Fresh daily specialties and professional service make this a worthwhile splurge, but weddings can crowd the place and distract from the service (daily 12:15-14:30 & 19:15-22:00, may close Tue, may close for weddings, Via IV Novembre 22, tel. 0341-830-113, www.hotelvillacipressi.it).
(See “Varenna” map, here.)
$$$ Ristorante il Cavatappi, a classy little place on a quiet lane just off the town square, has only seven tables, so the cook-and-waiter team can connect personally with diners (Thu-Sun 12:00-14:00 & 18:30-21:00, Mon-Wed 18:30-21:00 only, closed Oct-March, reservations recommended for dinner, Via XX Settembre 10, tel. 0341-815-349, www.cavatappivarenna.it).
$$$ Osteria Quatro Pass is a welcoming bistro known for its homemade pasta, lake fish, and meat. It offers 18 candlelit tables under picturesque vaults, plus sidewalk seating. Its fun energy lets you know that it’s a popular spot (daily 12:00-14:00 & 18:30-22:00, closed Mon-Wed in winter, Via XX Settembre 20, tel. 0341-815-091, www.quattropass.com/en; Lilly serves while her son Giuseppe cooks).
$$$ Varenna Monamour’s split-level interior, done up with stone and beams, feels sleek but casual. Their menu has a nouvelle-cuisine flair, and they pride themselves on specializing in seafood—not lake fish (May-Sept daily 12:00-14:30 & 18:30-23:30, shorter hours and closed Tue off-season, Contrada Scoscesa 7, tel. 0341-814-016, www.varennamonamour.it).
(See “Varenna” map, here.)
Along the waterfront in Varenna’s old section are two simple eateries, both with great lakefront seating and relaxed (read: slow) service. Either of these is ideal for lingering over affordable (but forgettable) food in a stunning setting.
$$ Nilus Bar, with a young waitstaff, serves crêpes, pizzas, big mixed salads, hot sandwiches, soup of the day, a few pastas, and cocktails (daily 12:00-22:30, closed Tue off-season, bar open longer, tel. 0341-815-228, Fulvia and Giovanni).
$$ Bar Il Molo, next door, is good for a casual meal on the harbor or a drink with a view (daily 11:00-24:00, tel. 0341-830-070). They also have a room full of gifty edibles for sale.
(See “Varenna” map, here.)
$$ Ristorante del Sole, facing the town square, serves respectable, well-priced meals and Neapolitan-style pizzas. This family-friendly restaurant provides a fun atmosphere, a cozy, walled-in garden in back, and tables on the square. Try their delicious and hearty pizzocchere, a handmade buckwheat pasta with melted cheese, potatoes, and greens (daily 11:00-16:00 & 18:30-late, closed Tue Nov-Feb, free Wi-Fi, Piazza San Giorgio 17, tel. 0341-815-218, www.albergodelsolevarenna.it; Francesco and Enzo).
High Above Town: $$$ Ristorante il Caminetto is a homey, backwoods mountain trattoria in Gittana, a tiny town in the hills above Varenna. Getting there entails a curvy 10-minute drive—they’ll pick you up for free in Piazza San Giorgio, deliver you to the restaurant, and then dish up classic fare at small-town prices. Moreno, Rossella, and daughter Francesca take pride in their specialties, including grilled meats and risotto with porcini mushrooms and berries. This is a good place to set a price and trust your host to bring whatever’s best (€30 three-course fixed-price meal, open Thu-Tue 19:30-21:30, Sat-Sun also 12:30-14:30, closed Wed, reservations mandatory to confirm pickup from Varenna, Viale Progresso 4, tel. 0341-815-127, mobile 347-331-2238, www.ilcaminettoonline.com).
(See “Varenna” map, here.)
$$ Pub l’Orso is the hot spot in town for wine or beer and a light meal. Oozing character, it’s behind Hotel Olivedo in a renovated shed that used to be a joiner’s workshop (closed Mon). The venerable $$$ Vecchia Varenna is the only classy restaurant actually on the harbor (closed Mon). And at $$$ Hotel Olivedo, a grand old hotel facing the ferry dock, you can eat in a classic dining hall.
Pizza: The recommended Nilus Bar and Ristorante del Sole both serve quality, well-priced pizza (see listings earlier). While slightly higher-priced, Victoria Grill (at the recommended Hotel Royal Victoria) offers pizza that you can enjoy on-site or as takeaway.
Gelato: At Gelateria Riva, overlooking the water, get a cup or cone to go, then grab a pillowy seat on the bulkhead. Duilio prepares his gelato fresh every day (ask the day before if you want to watch it being made). Try his nocciola (hazelnut) before making your choice (daily 11:00-19:00, open later June-Sept).
A few doors down, Giulia at La Passerella makes tasty gelato, as well as refreshing fruit sorbets. Also on the menu are an enticing array of pastries and sweets (daily 10:30-20:30, longer hours in summer).
Picnics: Varenna’s two little grocery stores have all you need for a tasty balcony or breakwater picnic. The salumeria on the main square is best for meats, cheese, and bread; try their homemade salami (Tue-Sat 8:30-12:30 & 16:00-19:30, Sun-Mon 8:30-12:30 only, Via IV Novembre 2). The grocery store just north of the main square by the pharmacy stocks fresh fruits, veggies, and a few essentials (Tue-Sat 8:30-19:00, Sun-Mon until 12:30; Oct-May daily 7:30-12:30 plus Tue-Sat 16:00-19:00, Via Venini 6).
At the Train Station: $ Café III Binario adds charm and class, offering fresh salads, homemade pizza, sandwiches, pasta, pastries, and even breakfast for those with early departures. Enjoy your food on their terrace or take it to go (daily 6:00-21:00, closes earlier off-season).
Before leaving Varenna, buy your tickets from the I Viaggi del Tivano travel agency in the station. (Or, to avoid lines and stress at the station, buy tickets in advance in the town center at the Barilott bar/tobacco shop just off the main square.) Stamp your ticket in the yellow machine at the station before boarding. If the office is closed and you can’t buy tickets, win the sympathy of the conductor and buy your ticket as soon as you get on board for a small additional fee. (Find him before he finds you—or you’ll face a €50 fine.)
Varenna to Milan: Trains from Varenna to Milano Centrale take about an hour and leave at :37 past most hours (with a few two-hour gaps; confirm schedule at the station or online at www.trenitalia.com). Additional connections require a change in Lecco and an extra 30 minutes.
Varenna to Stresa (on Lake Maggiore): You’ll have to take the train back to Milano Centrale, then connect from there to Stresa (3-4 hours).
Varenna to St. Moritz (Switzerland): Take the train from Varenna to Tirano (1.5 hours), where you’ll have a layover before boarding the scenic Bernina Express train to St. Moritz (another 2.5 hours, 3 connections/day in summer, 1/day late Oct-early May, www.rhb.ch). A quicker, more frequent, but less scenic route is to take the train to Chiavenna (changing in Colico), then transfer to the bus, which takes you over the Maloja Pass to St. Moritz (5-6/day, 3.5 hours total). For times and tickets, stop by the I Viaggi del Tivano travel agency (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier). Don’t forget your passport for trips into Switzerland. For more about St. Moritz and scenic trains, consider picking up my guidebook Rick Steves’ Switzerland.
The self-proclaimed “Pearl of the Lake” is a classy combination of tidiness and Old World elegance. If you don’t mind that “tramp in a palace” feeling, it’s a fine place to shop for ties and umbrellas while surrounding yourself with the more adventurous posh travelers. Heavy curtains between the harborfront arcades create welcome shade and keep visitors and their poodles from sweating. Thriving yet still cute, Bellagio is a much more substantial town than Varenna. And as much as I’d like to disdain a town that gave its name to a Las Vegas casino, I gotta admit—Bellagio is pretty nice.
The TI is at the passenger boat and hydrofoil dock (Mon-Sat 9:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, Sun 10:30-12:30 & 13:30-17:30, shorter hours Nov-March, tel. 031-950-204, www.bellagiolakecomo.com). The TI has free brochures for several well-crafted city walking tours, varying from one to three hours. They also sell a hiking map that shows hikes with a range of difficulty and duration.
Bellagio is best reached by boat from Varenna or Como.
By Boat: Bellagio has two sets of docks a couple hundred yards apart. (When you depart, be sure you’re at the right dock—ask when you buy your ticket.) For more details on boat schedules, see “Getting Around Lake Como,” here.
By Car: Parking is difficult and the center of town is a no-traffic ”ZTL” zone 10:00-18:30—pay attention to signed restrictions. You can try for a spot in the parco comunale (west side of town) near the lake, or in the parking lot at the ferry dock. Spaces marked with white lines are always free, yellow lines are for residents only, and blue lines are pay-to-park (use pay-and-display machines—€1.50/hour from 8:00-23:00, free overnight).
Market: There’s a lakeside market every third Wednesday of the month.
Laundry: La Lavandera is handy. Don’t be discouraged if it looks closed; the lights come on automatically when you enter (coins only, change machine, daily 24 hours, Salita Carlo Grandi 21, tel. 339-410-6852).
If you need a destination, you can visit this park (accessible only with guided tour), which overlooks the town. The villa itself, owned by the Rockefeller Foundation, is not open to the public.
Cost and Hours: €9, required tour Tue-Sun at 11:00 and 15:30; no tours Mon, Nov-mid-March, or when rainy; 1.5 hours, first two-thirds of walk is uphill, show up at the little tour office in the medieval tower on Piazza della Chiesa 15 minutes before tour time to buy tickets, confirm time at office, tel. 031-951-555.
Explore the steep-stepped lanes rising from the harborfront. While Johnnie Walker and jewelry sell best at lake level, the natives shop up the hill. Piazza della Chiesa, near the top of town, has a worth-a-look church (with a golden altarpiece under glittering mosaics; pick up the English handout that describes its art).
North of Town: The de facto capital of the mid-lake region, Bellagio is located where the two legs of the lake split off to the south. For an easy break in a park with a great view, wander right on out to the crotch. Meander behind the rich-and-famous Hotel Villa Serbelloni, and walk 10 minutes up a concrete alley to Punta Spartivento (“Point that Divides the Wind”). You’ll pop out to find a Renoir atmosphere complete with an inviting bar-restaurant (see “Eating in Bellagio,” later), a tiny harbor, and a chance to sit on a park bench and gaze north past Menaggio, Varenna, and the end of the lake to the Swiss Alps.
South of Town: For another stroll, head south from the car-ferry dock down the tree-shaded promenade. Ten minutes later, you’ll pass the town’s concrete swimming area and reach the pleasant Villa Melzi Gardens. This lakeside expanse of exotic plants, flowers, trees, and Neoclassical sculpture was assembled by the vice president of Napoleon’s Italian Republic in the early 19th century. Although not as elaborate as some of the lake’s finer gardens, it has a pleasant, tree-shaded promenade for a lakefront stroll. Gaze across the lake at the Villa Carlotta (straight over, surrounded by greenery—described later, under “More Sights on Lake Como”) and imagine the time when aristocrats tried to outdo each other (and showcase their wealth) by creating unique and immense horticulture collections. At the entrance, pick up the map identifying both sculptures and plants (€6.50, daily 9:30-18:30, closed Nov-March, www.giardinidivillamelzi.it). About 15 minutes beyond the far end of the garden, you’ll reach San Giovanni, with a pebbly public beach (no showers).
With a small stand at the boat docks, Bellagio Water Limousines (run by Australian Jennine and Italian Luca) offers tours and private service in their luxurious and powerful boat. Their basic 2.5-hour tour, guided by Luca, includes a fun hour at mid-lake, with a float-by of Richard Branson’s villa, as well as a stop at Villa del Balbianello, where you’ll take an English tour (€55, 10 percent discount if you reserve directly and show this book, price includes entry and tour of villa, generally runs April-Oct Tue and Thu-Sun at 13:30 and also often at 11:00, different tours Mon and Wed, check blackboard for day’s offerings or call mobile 338-524-4914, www.bellagiowaterlimousines.com, bellagiowaterlimousines@gmail.com).
At Bellagio Water Sports, friendly Michele offers kayaking tours within a 10-minute walk of the town center. His popular two-hour tour (€35) covers the Bellagio coast, while his three-hour tour (€45) includes a stop at Villa Melzi. He also rents kayaks for those wanting to go solo. Book in advance or call ahead to be sure he is there (no tours Sun, weather-dependent late March and Oct, closed Nov-mid-March, located on Pescallo Bay near Hotel La Pergola at Via Sfondrati 1, mobile 340-394-9375, www.bellagiowatersports.com, info@bellagiowatersports.com).
This is a “boom or bust” lake resort, with high-season prices straight through from May to September, plus a brief shoulder season (with discounted prices) in April and from October to November. Bellagio closes down almost completely from December to February and is only half-open in March.
$$$$ Hotel Florence has a prime lakefront setting in the center of town. The 160-year-old, family-run place features 30 rooms, hardwood floors, bold earth tones with splashes of bright colors, and a rich touch of Old World elegance (some rooms with view and balcony, air-con, elevator, Piazza Mazzini 46, tel. 031-950-342, www.hotelflorencebellagio.it, info@hotelflorencebellagio.it, run by the German Ketzlar family).
$$$ Hotel Metropole, dominating Bellagio’s waterfront between the ferry docks, is a grand old place with plush public spaces. Its modern rooms have all the comforts and classic flair. All 42 rooms have lake views, either side or full (air-con, elevator, stunning roof terrace, Piazza Mazzini 1, tel. 031-950-409, www.albergometropole.it, info@albergometropole.it).
$$$ Hotel Centrale, managed with pride and care by Giacomo Borelli, warmly welcomes its guests into a true-blue family operation: Signore Borelli’s two sons help out, his mama painted the art, and grandpa crafted much of the Art Deco-era furniture. The 17 bright, comfortable but dated rooms lack views, but the public spaces are generous (air-con, elevator, Salita Plinio 7, tel. 031-951-940, www.hc-bellagio.com, info@hc-bellagio.com).
$$ Albergo Europa, run with low energy, is in a concrete annex behind a restaurant, away from the waterfront. Its nine basic rooms are harmlessly behind the times but get the job done (no elevator, free parking, Via Roma 21, tel. 031-950-471, www.hoteleuropabellagio.it, info@hoteleuropabellagio.it, Marchesi family).
$$ Il Borgo Apartments offers seven efficient, modern units in the old center. Equipped with kitchenettes, these are a great deal for families or small groups. Easygoing Flavio is available for check-in daily 11:00-14:00, or by appointment (RS%, cash preferred, no breakfast, air-con, elevator, Salita Plinio 4, tel. 031-952-497, mobile 338-193-5559, www.borgoresidence.it, info@borgoresidence.it).
$ Bellagio B&B Apartments rents three units at the top of town, up the street from the gelateria (kitchens but no breakfast, Salita Cavour 37, tel. 031-951-680, www.bellagiobedandbreakfast.com, info@bellagiobedandbreakfast.com). Owner Giulio also has five large apartments a 15-minute walk from Bellagio (toward Como, www.bellagioronchi.com).
South of Town: About a 15-minute walk south of Bellagio, $$ Giardini di Villa Melzi Apartments features three modern doubles and three studios with kitchenettes in the little harbor of Loppia. A free pass allows guests to take a shortcut to Bellagio through the Villa Melzi Gardens (cash only, no breakfast, free parking, Via Melzi d’Eril 23, at the southern entrance to the gardens, tel. 339-221-4394, www.facebook.com/bellagiowelcome, appbellagio@gmail.com or info@bellagiowelcome.com, Ornella).
As with Bellagio’s hotels, many of these restaurants close off-season (generally December through February or March).
(See “Bellagio” map, here.)
The restaurants in these two recommended hotels offer wonderful lakeside tables and, considering the setting, acceptable prices.
$$$ The Florence is nicely situated under a trellis of wisteria across from the Hotel Florence, away from the ferry fumes. This is a lovely perch for a drink or dinner (also simpler lunch menu of salads and lighter fare, daily 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-22:00, bar open all day, tel. 031-950-342).
Hotel Metropole’s $$$ Terrazzo Ristorante, while a mediocre food value, has a full menu and is a relaxing delight with good service. $$ Hotel Metropole Snack Bar, next to the restaurant, with good service in a great location, has simple pastas and sandwiches and fine salads (both open long hours daily, restaurant closes for midafternoon break, Piazza Mazzini 1, tel. 031-950-409).
(See “Bellagio” map, here.)
$$ Trattoria San Giacomo is a high-energy place with traditional cuisine, such as riso e filetto di pesce (rice and perch fillet in butter and sage). It has seasonal specials and inviting €25 fixed-price meals (choose meat or fish) based on regional specialties. It offers fun seating on a steep, cobbled lane or tight seating inside (Mon and Wed-Thu 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-21:30, Fri-Sun open later midday and evenings, closed Tue, Salita Serbelloni 45, tel. 031-950-329, www.trattoriabellagio.it, Aurelio).
Across the street and sharing the same owner, $$ Bilacus Ristorante has a brighter, more open dining room, a fine garden terrace, an emphasis on wine (including some top-quality vintages by the glass), and a menu with a bit more variety beyond local specials (Tue-Sun 11:30-15:00 & 18:30-22:00, closed Mon, Salita Serbelloni 32, tel. 031-950-480, www.bilacusbellagio.it).
$$$ Ristorante Terrazza Barchetta, set on a terrace with no lake view and bedecked with summery colors, puts a creative twist on regional favorites such as lake fish. Don’t confuse it with the street-level bar-trattoria—head up the stairs to the second floor. Reservations are recommended (daily 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-22:15, Salita Mella 13, tel. 031-951-389, www.ristorantebarchetta.com).
(See “Bellagio” map, here.)
Wine Tasting: Step into the vaulted stone cellar of the funky $$ Enoteca Cava Turacciolo to taste three regional wines with a sampling of cheeses, meats, and breads (€19 for Rick Steves readers, Thu-Tue 10:30-24:00, shorter hours Nov-Dec and March, closed Wed and Jan-Feb, Salita Genazzini 3, tel. 031-950-975, www.cavaturacciolo.it, Norberto and Rosy). $$ Aperitivo Et Al, slick and jazzy, is a trendier wine bar; it also offers mixed salumi and formaggi plates, big fresh salads, and light lunches. There’s a great selection of wines by the glass (daily 11:30-24:00, Salita Serbelloni 34, tel. 031-951-523).
Gelato: Residents agree that you won’t find the best gelateria in town among the sundaes served on the waterfront. Instead, climb to the top of town to Gelateria del Borgo (daily 10:00-20:00, longer hours July-Aug, Via Garibaldi 46, tel. 031-950-755, Stefania and Gianfranco).
Picnics: You’ll find benches at the park, along the waterfront in town, and lining the promenade south of town. Two little groceries can make sandwiches and also sell a few prepared foods: the fancier Butti Macelleria e Salumeria, on the upper street near the gelateria (Tue-Sun 8:00-13:00 & 16:00-19:00, closed Mon, Via Garibaldi 42, tel. 031-950-333); and the simpler Antichi Sapori, tucked inside the Bistro restaurant, on a cross street below the church (daily 8:30-21:00, Via Centrale 3, tel. 031-950-431).
Punta Spartivento: This dramatic natural park, a 10-minute walk north of town (see “Strolling,” here), is a great place for either a picnic or a meal at the family-run $$ La Punta Ristorante—try the fish; it was swimming in the lake this morning (daily 11:00-22:00, tel. 031-951-888, www.ristorantelapunta.it).
For the best one-day look at Lake Como, take my self-guided ferry tour to get your bearings, and hop off at the towns and villas of your choice. The two main villas worth considering (both described after the tour) are Villa Carlotta—with a sterile, museum-like interior and gorgeous, sprawling gardens—and Villa del Balbianello, a bit harder to reach but with a more striking setting, gardens that are more architectural than botanical, and a fascinating tour of the lived-in interior. If you have time, visit both—they’re complementary. In this section, I also describe two other lake towns: Menaggio and Como, plus how to side-trip to Lugano in Switzerland.
(See “Central Lake Como” map, here.)
The best simple day out is to take the battello navetta (mid-lake ferry) on its entire 50-minute Varenna-Bellagio-Villa Carlotta-Tremezzo-Lenno route (generally departs Varenna at :23 past each hour, confirm times locally; for more information, see here). On the return trip, hop off at any sights that interest you: Lenno (to see Villa del Balbianello), Villa Carlotta, and/or Bellagio. This commentary describes what you’ll see along the way, leaving from Varenna, though it’s doable from Bellagio too.
Leaving Varenna: Looking back at Varenna from the lake, you’ll see Vezio Castle rising above the town, with new Varenna on the left (bigger buildings and modern ferry dock), and old Varenna on the right (tighter, more colorful buildings). The big development high on the hillside is an ugly example of cronyism (without the mayor involved, this would never have happened). Under the castle is a grove of olives—reputedly the northernmost ones grown in Italy. Because the lake is protected from the north wind, exotic flowers grow well in the lake’s many fine gardens. To the right of Varenna’s castle are the town cemetery, a lift up to Hotel Eremo Gaudio (a former hermitage), and a spurt of water gushing out of the mountain just above lake level. This is the tiny Fiumelatte, Italy’s shortest river.
• On your way across to Bellagio, take a look around.
Mid-Lake: The Swiss Alps rise to the north. Directly across the lake from Varenna is Menaggio, and just over the ridge from there are Lugano and the “Swiss Riviera.” The winds alternate between north and south. In preindustrial times, traders harnessed the wind to sail up and down the lake. Notice the V-shaped, fjord-like terrain. Lake Como is glacier-cut. And, at more than 1,200 feet deep, it’s Europe’s deepest lake. You’ll cruise past the Punta Spartivento, the bulbous point that literally “splits the wind,” and where the two “legs” of the lake join (Lake Lecco is on the left/east, and Lake Como on the right).
• Before long, you’ll be...
Approaching Bellagio: Survey the park at Punta Spartivento—it’s a pleasant walk from town. Bellagio has three times the number of hotel rooms as Varenna, as you can see upon approach. The town, with its strip of swanky hotels, is bookended by Villa Serbelloni (five stars) on the left, dominating the lakefront, and the sprawling Grand Hotel Bretagne (four stars) on the right. In the 19th century, aristocratic Russians hung out in the Serbelloni, and well-heeled English chose the Bretagne. These days, the Serbelloni is the second-most-luxurious hotel on the lake after Villa d’Este, while Bretagne is mired in a long renovation project.
• Leaving Bellagio, about half the boats make a stop at San Giovanni, a small, nondescript lakefront community just down the shore from Bellagio. Whether your boat stops here or not, soon you’ll head across the lake for a stop at...
Villa Carlotta: Because of lake taxes and high maintenance costs, owners of once-elite villas have been forced to turn them into hotels or to open their doors to the paying public. Since 1927, this has been an example of the latter. One of the finest properties on the lake, Villa Carlotta has some good Neoclassical sculpture (including works by Canova) and one of the lake’s lushest gardens (see listing below).
• The shortest hop on this route (you could walk it in less than 10 minutes) takes you along to the town of...
Tremezzo: As you leave the dock at Villa Carlotta, notice the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, with its striking Liberty-Style (Art Nouveau) facade and swimming pool floating on the lake. Above the town is a villa built in the 19th-century Romantic Age to resemble a medieval castle (next to the stub of a real one).
After the Tremezzo stop—and just before the Tremezzo church—you’ll see a public park with a fountain and balustrade. When the road separated this land from its villa, its owners gave it to the community. Here the lake is dotted by a string of old villas with elegant landings and gated boathouses. Built in the days before motors, they are now too small for most modern lake boats.
Lenno: This pleasant resort town—with a long, arcing bay sheltering lots of little docks, and a generously shaded promenade—is the boat’s last stop.
It’s decision time: To see the recommended Villa del Balbianello, hop off here and turn to here. Return boats depart hourly; check the schedule before you set off. If you’d prefer to sail back to Villa Carlotta, Bellagio, or Varenna, you can probably stay put—this is the end of the line, so the boat’s going to turn around and head back that way (but for some departures, you may be evicted and need to wait for the next boat).
For gardens and flowers (its forte), this is the best of Lake Como’s famed villas—especially in spring, when the many flowers are in bloom. For gardeners, it’s worth ▲▲▲. I see the lakes as a break from Italy’s art, but if you need a culture fix, Villa Carlotta also offers an elegant Neoclassical interior with a sculpture gallery, including works by Antonio Canova.
Cost and Hours: €10 includes villa/museum and gardens, daily 9:00-19:30, last ticket sold at 18:00, museum closes at 18:30, shorter hours last 2 weeks of March and Oct, open some weekends in Nov-Dec, closed mid-Dec-mid-March, tel. 034-440-405, www.villacarlotta.it.
Getting There: Villa Carlotta, at the southern end of the town of Tremezzo, has its own ferry dock (served by the battello passenger ferries). It’s also less than a 10-minute walk from the Tremezzo and Cadenabbia docks (each served by a variety of boats). In a pinch, you can also use bus #C10 to zip along the lakefront to Lenno, near Villa del Balbianello (1-2/hour, buy ticket on bus, bus stop to the right as you exit Villa Carlotta).
Visiting the Villa: When buying your ticket, pick up the map that identifies the rooms in the house and the major plant groups in the gardens.
From the entrance, hike up the grand staircase and enter the villa itself. The main floor is filled with Neoclassical sculpture, including Antonio Canova’s Maddalena Penitente and Palamede and works by his students (look for the impressive replica of Canova’s famous Love and Psyche Reclining). There are also pieces by the great Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. On the next floor up are generally well-presented special exhibits, and on the top floor are painstakingly appointed period rooms with elegant Empire Style (early-19th-century French) furniture.
Then explore the main attraction, the gardens, which sprawl in both directions from the villa. To the south (toward Tremezzo) is the classical Old Garden. To the north, things get more interesting: pretty camellias, luscious azaleas, a maze of rhododendrons, a bamboo garden, and the gasp-worthy Valley of the Ferns—a lush jungle gorge with a river coursing through it.
The dreamiest villa on the lake perches on a romantic promontory near Lenno, overlooking Lake Como and facing Bellagio. Built at the end of the 18th century on the remains of an old Franciscan church, today the villa reflects the exotic vision of its last owner, explorer and mountaineer Guido Monzino, who died in 1988—leaving his villa and everything in it to the state. It’s well worth paying extra to tour the interior to get to know Monzino, who led the first Italian expedition to climb Mount Everest in 1973. But the real masterpiece here is the terraced garden and elegant loggia, where the land fits the architecture and landscaping in a lovely way. This is a favorite choice for movie directors when they need a far-out villa to feature; this is where James Bond recovered from a particularly bruising experience in Casino Royale, and where Anakin first kissed Padmé (and later married her) in Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones.
Cost and Hours: Garden only-€10, garden with villa tour-€20, Thu-Sun and Tue 10:00-18:00, closed Mon and Wed and mid-Nov-mid-March, last entry to garden 45 minutes before closing, tel. 034-456-110, www.visitfai.it/villadelbalbianello.
Tours: The only way inside the villa is with an English tour. Limited to 15 people per tour, these depart at least hourly (more frequently with demand); the first tour is usually at 11:15 and the last at 16:30.
Getting There: It’s at the end of a hilly point next to the town of Lenno. From the Lenno ferry dock, turn left and stroll around to the far end of the harbor (about 5 minutes). Here, you can either pay for a speedboat shuttle (€5 one-way, €7 round-trip, 2/hour, mobile 333-410-3854, www.taxiboat.net) or carry on by foot. If you choose to walk, continue past the boat dock and through the gate marked Villa Balbianello, where two options are clearly signposted in kilometers: a 20-minute, 1-kilometer (half-mile) hike (including some up and down), or a more challenging 45-minute, 2.5-kilometer (about 1 mile) huff over the top.
Visiting the Villa: Your visit includes two parts: the villa and the gardens. If walking from the boat and back (taking the shorter 20-minute path), allow a leisurely three hours total for the walk and garden/villa visit.
Poke around the gardens while waiting for your villa tour to begin. On the Bellagio-facing side, you’ll find a tranquil terrace with sweeping lake views. Along the path, notice the circular stone shed. Originally used for refrigeration (they used ice from the mountains to keep things cool), today this shed houses the tomb of Guido Monzino. On the opposite side of the point, you’ll find a terrace in front of the original Franciscan church (now a gift shop selling overpriced drinks). A WC is nearby, and just down the steps is the dock for the speed-boat return to Lenno.
The 50-minute tour of the villa is as fascinating as its larger-than-life former owner. You’ll tour the loggia (with a library and a study), then spend the rest of the time seeing 18 of the main building’s 25 rooms. While finely decorated, these feel cozy, lived-in, and not too extravagant. Each one gives you a bit more insight into Monzino, from his personal living quarters, to his extensive collection of prehistoric artifacts from around the world, to the top-floor museum of his expeditions, with memorabilia from his North Pole and Mount Everest adventures. You’ll see secret passages, learn why his furniture came with handles, and find out what’s hiding behind the faux bookcase.
Menaggio—the third of the “big three” mid-lake towns (along with Varenna and Bellagio)—has more urban bulk than its neighbors, but visitors are charmed by its lovely lakefront park. Since many find Lake Como too dirty for swimming, consider spending time in Menaggio’s fine public pool (look for the lido). This is the starting point for a few hikes. (Just a few decades ago, cigarette smugglers used these trails at night to sneak back into Italy from Switzerland with their tax-free booty.) The TI has information about mountain biking and catching the bus to trailheads on nearby Mount Grona. Ask for the free Walking in the Province of Como booklet, with information on 18 different walks detailing historical, artistic, and natural features (TI on Piazza Garibaldi, tel. 0344-32-924, www.menaggio.com, infomenaggio@tiscali.it).
Sleeping in Menaggio: ¢ La Primula Youth Hostel is a classic, old-school hostel, offering sailing lessons, Italian-language courses, cooking classes, kayak and bike rentals, and a great location on the lake, a two-minute walk from the ferry dock (Via IV Novembre 106, tel. 0344-32356, www.lakecomohostel.com, info@lakecomohostel.com).
Menaggio Connections: In addition to being connected to Varenna and Bellagio by all the regular boats, bus #C10 connects Menaggio to Como town in about an hour (1-2/hour). Menaggio is also a springboard for visiting Switzerland. Public bus #C12 departs about every hour or two from Piazza Roma for Lugano (around €10 round-trip, 1 hour, buy tickets at bus stop on Via Calvi). In summer, the yellow Palm Express bus runs once daily to St. Moritz (3.5 hours; off-season runs only weekends; reservations are required, www.postbus.ch)—remember to bring your passport.
On the southwest tip of the lake, Como has a good, traffic-free old town, an interesting Gothic/Renaissance cathedral, a cable car up to a mountaintop viewpoint, and a pleasant lakefront with a promenade (TI at Piazza Cavour 17, tel. 031-269-712, www.lakecomo.it). It’s an easy 10-minute walk from the boat dock to the train station (trains to Milan depart about twice per hour, 30-60 minutes). For details on the two types of boats that connect Como to Bellagio and Varenna—the slow 2.5-hour ferry and the speedy 1-hour hydrofoil—see here.
From Varenna or Bellagio, you can make a loop that lets you nip into Switzerland to see the elegant lake resort of Lugano, pass through the town of Como, and cruise a good part of Lake Como. Here’s a good day plan (times are approximate—confirm schedules locally): about 9:30—ferry to Menaggio (15 minutes from Varenna); 10:30—bus to Lugano (1 hour, bring your passport); 11:30—explore Lugano; 16:00—train to Como (45 minutes); 17:00/18:00/19:00—fast hydrofoil from Como to Varenna (1 hour). For more information on Lugano, see www.ricksteves.com/lugano.
Lake Maggiore is ringed by mountains, snowcapped in spring and fall, and lined with resort towns such as Stresa. Although Lake Maggiore lacks the cozy charm of Lake Como, a visit here may be worth the trouble for two islands, both with exotic gardens and lovely villas built by the Borromeo family.
The Borromeos—through many generations since 1630—lovingly turned their islands into magical retreats, with elaborate villas and fragrant gardens. Isola Bella has a palace and terraced garden; Isola Madre has a villa and sprawling English-style (more casual) garden. A third island, Isola Superiore (a.k.a. Isola Pescatori), is simply small, serene, and residential. The Borromeos, who made their money from trade and banking, enjoyed the arts—from paintings (hung in lavish abundance throughout the palace and villa) to plays (performed in an open-air theater on Isola Bella) and marionette shows (you’ll see the puppets that once performed here). Although it’s a characterless resort, the town of Stresa is a handy departure point for exploring Lake Maggiore’s exotic garden islands.
Tourists flock here in May and June, when flowers are in bloom, and in September. Concerts held in scenic settings draw music lovers, particularly during the summer Stresa Festival (get details from Stresa TI). For fewer crowds, visit in April, July, August (when Italians prefer the Mediterranean beaches), or October. In winter, the snow-covered mountains (with resorts a 1.5-hour drive away) attract skiers.
This region is best visited on a sunny day, when the mountains are clear, the lake is calm, and the heat of the sun brings out the scent of the blossoms. The two top islands for sightseeing are Isola Bella and Isola Madre (if tight on time, focus on Isola Bella). Isola Superiore has no sights, but is a peaceful place for lunch. You can stay the night in Stresa, but a day trip is sufficient for most.
Day Trip from Milan: Catch the one-hour, early train from Milan to the town of Stresa (usually at 8:25, which may require reservations, and likely also at 9:29—but check times carefully, as there’s often a midmorning gap until 11:25). Upon arrival in Stresa, walk 10 minutes downhill to the boat dock, and catch a boat to Isola Madre. Work your way back to Isola Superiore for a lazy lunch, and then go on to Isola Bella for the afternoon, before returning to Stresa and back to Milan (trains leave about hourly—jot down your departure options on arrival in Stresa).
Boats link the islands and Stresa, running about twice hourly. Allow roughly 10 minutes between stops. Short round-trip hops can add up fast (€6.80 for Isola Bella, €7.80 for Isola Superiore, €10 for Isola Madre, €12.40 for Villa Taranto), so it’s usually best to buy a free circulation ticket, which allows you to get off and on at intermediate stops between your departure and arrival ports (€13.80 includes Bella and Superiore, €16.90 covers all the islands, and €20.70 includes the islands and Villa Taranto).
Boats run daily April through September. The map on here shows most of the route: Stresa, Carciano/Lido (at the base of the cable car—but most boats skip this stop), Isola Bella, Isola Superiore, Baveno (lakeside town), Isola Madre, Pallanza, and Villa Taranto. This route is part of a longer one. To follow the boat schedule (free, available at boat docks and the TI), look at the Arona-Locarno timetable for trips from Stresa to the islands, and the Locarno-Arona timetable for the return trip to Stresa. Off-season, the boats cover a shorter route (public boat info: toll-free tel. 800-551-801, www.navigazionelaghi.it).
Buy boat tickets directly from the dock ticket booth under the gallery to the left of the TI. On the promenade to the boat dock, don’t be fooled by the private taxi-boat drivers, most dressed in sailor outfits—they’ll try to talk you into paying way too much for private tours on their smaller boats.
Don’t linger in Stresa—it’s just a functional springboard. The main attractions are the islands and gardens.
The town of Stresa—which means “thin stretch”—was named for the original strip of fishermen’s huts that lined the shore. Today, grand old hotels run along that same shore.
Arrival in Stresa: At the train station, ask for a free city map at the newsstand (to the far right of the tracks as you exit the train). To get downtown, exit right from the station and take your first left (on Viale Duchessa di Genova). This takes you straight down to the lake (once you’re there, the boat dock is about four blocks to your right; ask for boat schedule at ticket window). The helpful TI is located to the right of the ticket window at the boat dock (daily 10:00-12:30 & 15:00-18:30, off-season closed Sat afternoon and all day Sun, Piazza Marconi 16, tel. 0323-31308, www.stresaturismo.it). Taxis charge a fixed rate of €11 for even the shortest ride in town.
Visiting Stresa: The old town—basically a traffic-free touristy shopping mall—is just a few blocks deep, stretching inland from the main boat dock. Stresa’s stately 19th-century lakeside hotels date back to the days when this town was on the Grand Tour circuit.
In any Romantic Age resort like Stresa, hotels had names designed to appeal to Victorian aristocrats...like Regina Palace (rather than Palazzo), Astoria, Bristol, and Victoria.
The Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees was the first (built in 1862). In 1918, 19-year-old Ernest Hemingway—wounded in Slovenia as an ambulance driver for the Italian Red Cross—was taken to Stresa’s Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees, which served, like its regal neighbors, as an infirmary during World War I. Hemingway returned to the same hotel in 1948, stayed in the same room (#205, now called the “Hemingway suite”—you can stay there for a couple thousand dollars a night), and signed the guest book as “an old client.” Another “old client” was Winston Churchill, who honeymooned here.
A fine waterfront promenade leads past the venerable old hotels to the Lido, with the Carciano boat dock and the Stresa-Alpino-Mottarone cable car. This cable car takes you up—in two stages and a 20-minute ride—to the top of Mount Mottarone (€19 round-trip to the top, €11.50 one-way, daily 9:30-17:30 in summer, shorter winter hours, 2-3/hour, bar midway up, tel. 0323-30295, www.stresa-mottarone.it). From the top (about 5,000 feet), you get great panoramic views of neighboring peaks and, by taking a short hike, a bird’s-eye view of the small, neighboring Lake Orta (described later).
Halfway up the cable-car line are the Alpine Gardens, which come with fine lake views and picnic spots, but these gardens can’t compare with what you’ll see on the islands. To visit the gardens, get off at the midway Alpino stop and walk 10 minutes (turn left as you leave; €4, daily 9:30-18:00, closed Nov-March). If you plan to hike down, pick up the Trekking map from the TI and allow four hours from the top of Mount Mottarone, or two hours from the Alpine Gardens (mountain biking also possible—ask at TI).
Sleeping in Stresa: Because Stresa’s town generally lacks appeal, I’d day-trip from Milan. But if you’d like to stay, here are some options: $$$ Hotel Milan Speranza Au Lac is a big, group-oriented hotel facing the boat dock (www.milansperanza.it); $$ Hotel Saini Meublè is a small, homey, affordable choice in the old town center (www.hotelsaini.it); and $$ Hotel Moderno is a midsize, midrange option in the old town (www.hms.it).
Eating in Stresa: The main square, Piazza Cadorna, is one big tourist trap, yet it does have a certain charm. (At night, it seems anyone who claims to be a musician can get a gig singing for diners.) For a (slightly) less touristy alternative, seek out one of these options: $$ Osteria degli Amici, tucked away under a vine trellis on a forgotten square a couple of blocks beyond Piazza Cadorna (Via Bolongaro 33); $$ La Botte, with an old-school diner vibe on the main street between the port and the square (Via Mazzini 6); or $$$$ Il Clandestino, a fancier, romantic, modern splurge specializing in fish (Via Rosmini 5).
This island, nearest Stresa, has a formal garden and a fancy Baroque palace. Looking like a stepped pyramid from the water, the island was named by Charles Borromeo (sponsor of Milan’s Duomo) for his wife, Isabella. The island itself is touristy, with a gauntlet of souvenir stands and a corral of restaurants. A few back streets provide evidence that people actually live here. While the Borromeo family now lives in Milan, they spend a few weeks on Isola Bella each summer (when their blue-and-red family flag flies from the top of the garden).
Cost and Hours: Palace and garden-€15, €20.50 combo-ticket includes villa at Isola Madre, daily 9:00-18:00, shorter hours for palace’s picture gallery, closed late-Oct-late-March, tel. 0323-30556, www.isoleborromee.it.
Tours: A fine €3 audioguide describes the palace, which also has posted English descriptions. A €1.50 booklet explains the gardens.
Services: A WC is located halfway through your visit, where you leave the villa and enter the gardens.
Eating: Several restaurants cluster between the boat docks and the villa. Picnicking is not allowed in the garden, but you can picnic in the pebbly park at the point of the island, beyond the villa (free and open to the public).
Visiting the Island: There are two docks on this island, one for each direction. It’s a short walk from the boat to the hulking villa (turn left from the dock; on the way, you’ll pass a public WC). Once inside, your visit is a one-way tour, starting with the palace and finishing with the garden. (There’s no way to see the garden without the palace.)
In the lavishly decorated Baroque palace, stairs lead up under stucco crests of Italy’s top families (balls signify the Medici, bees mean the Barberini, and a unicorn symbolizes the Borromeos’ motto: Humility). You’ll loop through the picture gallery, containing 130 beautifully restored 16th-century paintings from the Borromeo family’s private collection, hung wall-to-ceiling in several cramped rooms. Then you’ll get a peek at the canopied bed chambers and ogle the ornate throne room. Continue through the dining room, with a portrait of the first Borromeo, and into a richly stuccoed grand hall, with an 80-foot-high dome and featuring an 18th-century model of the villa, including a grand water entry that never materialized.
Next comes the music room, the site of the 1935 Stresa Conference, in which Mussolini met with British and French diplomats in a united attempt to scare Germany out of starting World War II. Look for a copy of the treaty with Mussolini’s signature on the wall next to the exit. Unfortunately, the “Stresa Front” soon fizzled when Mussolini attacked Ethiopia and joined forces with Hitler.
Napoleon’s bedroom comes with an engraving that depicts his 1797 visit (Napoleon is on a bench with his wife and sister enjoying festivities in his honor). Continue through several more opulent halls, many of which display souvenirs and gifts that the Borromeo family picked up over the generations.
Downstairs, many of the famous Borromeo marionettes are on display. (A larger collection is on Isola Madre.) The 18th-century, multiroom grotto, decorated from ceiling to floor with shell motifs and black-and-white stones, still serves its original function of providing a cool refuge from Italy’s heat. The dreamy marble statues are by Gaetano Monti, a student of Antonio Canova. Climbing out of the basement, look up at the unique, cantilevered, spiral stairs; they’re from a 16th-century fortress that predates this building.
Pass through the mirrored corridor and follow the route through more rooms until you come to the ornate hall of 16th-century Flemish tapestries. This leads to the finale of this island visit: the beautiful garden, complete with Chinese white peacocks, which give it an exotic splash. (Before continuing to the garden, consider heading up the stairs near the WC to stroll through Elisa’s Greenhouse, named for Napoleon’s sister and home to tropical plants.)
From the palace, head straight up the stairs into the main part of the garden. Baroque—which is exactly what you see here—is all about controlling nature. The centerpiece is a pyramid-shaped outdoor grotto, crowned by the Borromeo family unicorn. Up the stairs and behind this fanciful structure is a vast terrace with views over the lower gardens and Stresa. Back downstairs, follow the signs (hidden in the bushes) to the café and bookshop, which anchor the far points of the island, to see the terraces behind the “pyramid.” Finally, follow exit signs to pop out a side gate at the top of a twisty, stepped lane back through town to the boat docks.
This sleepy island—home to 35 families—is the smallest and most residential of the three. It has a few good fish restaurants, ample pizza-by-the-slice takeout joints, picnic benches, views, and, blissfully, nothing much to do—all under arbors of wisteria. Simply stroll the narrow, cobbled lanes, or relax at the long, skinny, pebbly park/beach at the tip of the island. A delight for photographers and painters, the island is never really crowded, except at lunchtime.
Don’t come to this island unless you intend to tour the sight, because that’s all there is: an interesting furnished villa and a lovely garden filled with exotic birds and plants.
Cost and Hours: Villa and garden-€12, €20.50 combo-ticket includes Isola Bella, daily 9:00-18:00, closed late-Oct-late-March, tel. 0323-31261, www.isoleborromee.it.
Information: The villa has a few sparse English descriptions. Garden lovers can invest a few euros in a booklet about the plantings.
Services: A WC is next to the chapel. You’ll also find a café/bookshop (selling basic sandwiches) just outside the villa. While eating is best on Isola Superiore, Isola Madre has one real restaurant, La Piratera Ristorante Bar, which owns a big, beautiful terrace over the lake. You’ll run into this immediately after leaving the villa/garden complex (€24 fixed-price tourist meal, daily 8:00-18:00, sit-down meals 12:00-15:30, simple sandwiches and slices of pizza-to-go anytime, picnic at the rocky beach a minute’s walk from the restaurant, just to your right as you exit the gardens, tel. 032-331-171).
Visiting the Island: Visiting is a one-way affair. From the boat dock, walk up the stairs to the ticket desk for the villa. Then, once through the gate, take the level path to the right to loop around the gardens and end at the villa (ingresso al giardino signs). Or, if you’re in a rush, take the stairs to the left instead to go straight to the villa.
First you’ll circle all the way around the gardens. Eight gardeners (with the help of water continually pumped from the lake) keep this English-style garden paradise lush. It’s a joy, even for those bored by flowers and foliage. You’ll see trees from around the world, and an exotic bird menagerie with golden and silver pheasants and Chinese peacocks. (You’ll see and hear them roaming wild; also look for the bird cages partway up the main staircase to the villa, on the left.)
In front of the villa, a once-magnificent Himalayan cypress tree paints your world a streaky green. The 150-year-old tree, knocked down by a tornado in 2006 but successfully saved, is an attraction in its own right, with steel guy-wires now anchoring it firmly in place.
The 16th-century villa is the first of the Borromeo palaces. A century older than the Isola Bella villa, it’s dark, somber, and dates from the Renaissance. The clever angled hinges keep the doors from flapping in the lake breeze. The family’s huge collection of dolls, marionettes, and exquisite 17th-century marionette theater sets—painted by a La Scala opera set designer—fills several rooms. A corner room is painted to take you into an 18th-century Venetian Rococo sitting room under a floral greenhouse.
Some of the garden’s best flowers are in view immediately after leaving the villa. Walk down the stairs to the terrace in front of the chapel, with WCs tucked around the left side. Stairs lead directly down to the boat dock from here. Or you can loop past the villa to exit at the far end, just above La Piratera restaurant. From there, you can walk through the shop to reach a terrace path that leads you back to the boat dock.
Garden lovers will enjoy this large landscaped park, located on the mainland across the lake from Stresa. Although it’s the most sprawling garden in the area, and enjoyable for a stroll in a park, it’s a bit underwhelming. The gardens are a Scotsman’s labor of love. Starting in the 1930s, Neil McEacharn created this garden of delights—bringing in thousands of plants from all over the world—and here he stays, in the small mausoleum. The park’s highlight is a terraced garden with a series of cascading pools. Villa Taranto is directly across the street from the boat dock.
Cost and Hours: €10, daily 8:30-18:30, Oct 9:00-16:00, closed Nov-mid-March, tel. 0323-404-555, www.villataranto.it.
Getting There: It’s two stops (about 15 minutes) past Isola Madre. On the way, you’ll pass a scenic promontory speckled with villas. Note that only about half of the lake boats stop here, which means an hour between return departures—check schedules carefully.
Just on the other side of Mount Mottarone is the small lake of Orta. The lake’s main town, Orta San Giulio, has a beautiful lakeside piazza ringed by picturesque buildings. The piazza faces the lake with a view of Isola San Giulio. Taxi boats (€4 round-trip) make the five-minute trip throughout the day. The island is worth a look for the Church of San Giulio and the circular “path of silence,” which takes about 10 minutes. In peak season, Orta is anything but silent, but off-season or early or late in the day, this place is full of peace and magic (TI on Via Panoramica next to the parking lot downhill from the train station, tel. 0322-905-163).
Getting There: The train ride from Stresa to Orta-Miasino (a short walk from the lakeside piazza) takes 1.5-2 hours and requires a change or two (5/day). Public buses from Stresa’s Piazza Marconi to Orta depart from near the TI (around €9 round-trip, about 1 hour, 2-3/day mid-June-mid-Sept, confirm schedule at TI or at www.safduemila.com).