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, followed by sights on Lake Maggiore. In either place, you’ll get a complete dose of Italian-lakes wonder and aristocratic-old-days romance. Bustling Milan, just an hour away from either lake, 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. If you must choose between Lake Como and Lake Maggiore, the former is a better place to linger, while the latter makes a good day trip from Milan.
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 Milan, Malpensa Airport, and other mid-lake towns, Varenna is my favorite place to stay on the lake. The hazy, lazy lake’s only serious industry is tourism. Every day, thousands 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.
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 or Menaggio.
At Milan’s central train station (Milano Centrale), catch a train heading for Sondrio or Tirano—sometimes the departure board also says “Lecco/Tirano.” (Tirano is often confused with Torino...wrong city. And, if you’re heading for Varenna, be sure you don’t accidentally catch a train to Verona.) 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 about every one to two hours (1 hour, likely schedule—but confirm these times: 6:20, 7:20, 8:20, 9:20, 10:20, 12:20, 14:20, 16:20, 17:20, 19:20, 20:20, and 21:20; rail passes accepted). Get a second-class ticket, since most of these trains don’t have first-class cars. If you plan to head back to Milan on the train, also buy a return ticket (they’re not dated)—Varenna’s station has no ticket office or ticket machine (although a few places in town do sell train tickets—see “Helpful Hints,” later). Stamp the ticket in the yellow box at the front of the tracks 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 (daily 5:50-22:20).
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—same place.) The long trains that serve Varenna’s tiny station stop only briefly. Know what time you’re supposed to arrive in Varenna, so you can be ready to disembark with luggage in hand.
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. You may have to open the train door yourself: If necessary, pull hard on the red handle to open the door.
By Boat via Como: For a less convenient, much slower, but more scenic trip, you can get to Varenna, Bellagio, or Menaggio from Milan via the town of Como (or vice versa). 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, Menaggio, or Varenna. Boats leave Como about hourly (slow ferry boat: €11.60, 2.5 hours, last departure about 16:45; hydrofoil: €16.20, 1 hour, last departure about 19:20, fewer on Sun).
By Plane via Milan’s Airports: First, take the Malpensa Express train from Malpensa Airport, the Starfly bus from Linate Airport, or any of the buses from Bergamo’s Orio al Serio Airport to Milano Centrale train station (see here or here), then transfer to a Varenna-bound train (described 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 add surcharges for baggage or early/late departures (€140 to central Milan or Linate Airport, €160 to Malpensa Airport for up to 4 people—or €220 for 5-8 passengers in a minibus, €130 to Orio al Serio Airport, tel. 0341-815-061, taxi.varenna@tiscali.it).
By Boat: Boats go about every 30 minutes between Varenna, Menaggio, and Bellagio (€4.60/hop, 15-20 minutes, daily approximately 7:00-22:30, confirm return trip when you disembark). Unless you’re arriving via Como (see “By Boat via Como, earlier”), 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 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). The one-day €15 mid-lake pass makes sense only if you take four or more rides (but most travelers take just two or three rides in a day).
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 help 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. (Rates are displayed on posters at ticket windows.) Confusingly, the schedule requires you to scan four different timetables to know all the departures:
• car and passenger ferry (mid-lake ferryboat, or autotraghetto)
• hydrofoil (servizio rapido, costs more, enclosed, stuffy, speedy, less scenic)
• all-lake slow boat (battello ship)
• mid-lake shuttle ferry (battello navetta)
Also pay attention to whether you’re traveling on a weekday (feriali, Mon-Sat) or a Sunday or holiday (festivi).
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 community 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, narrow lanes, and its own villa. 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, lit at foot level and safe 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 visits in summer (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 (called Proloco Varenna Information Point), on the main square, is generally open only during high season (May-Sept Tue-Sat 10:00-12:00 & 15:00-18:00, Sun 9:00-12:00, closed Mon and Oct-April, just past the bank at Via IV Novembre 7, tel. 0341-830-367, http://varennaturismo.com). The Tivano travel agency, a block from the train station, has free maps and brochures and is a good backup if the TI is closed (described later, under “Helpful Hints”). Your hotel may have the latest edition of the Varenna Tourist Info booklet, with updated info on sights around Varenna and a list of restaurants, services, and day trips.
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 or Menaggio, go straight; otherwise, turn left along the main road and keep rolling into town (a 10- to 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 €9-10. Reliable Marco Barili (or his wife Nelly) can meet you at the train station if you know your exact arrival time in Varenna. 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 5-10-minute walk 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) option for parking is the spiffy multilevel lot at the south end of town, across from Villa Monastero (€2/hour from 6:00 to 22:00, otherwise €1/hour, €20/24 hours).
At the train station, parking is free overnight and Monday-Friday during the day, but you’ll have to pay from 9:00 to 20:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays during high season and every day in August (€1.20/hour, feed coins into meter in center of lot and put ticket on dashboard; €10 day pass available from I Viaggi del Tivano travel agency—for office location, see here).
Train Tickets: The Barilott bar/tabacchi store and I Viaggi del Tivano travel agency are the only places in town that sell train tickets; no tickets are sold at the unstaffed train station (for locations, see “Internet Access” and “Travel Agency,” below).
Money: One bank is near Varenna’s main square; another is located inland from the boat dock. Both have ATMs (see town map).
Internet Access: The Barilott bar/tabacchi store, just off the main square, has a computer, printer, and Wi-Fi, and also sells fresh panini, wines by the glass, and local train and bus tickets (Internet access-€4/hour, free if you order food, Mon-Sat 7:00-20:00, closed Sun, Via IV Novembre 6, tel. 0341-815-045, Claudia and Fabrizio).
Post Office: It’s at the bottom corner of the main square (Tue, Thu, and Sat 8:00-13:00).
Laundry: Lavanderia Pensa Barbara can wash and dry your laundry within 24 hours (€3.50/kilo—an average load is 4-5 kilos, no self-service, Mon-Fri 9:00-12:00 & 15:00-19:00, Sat 9:00-12:30, closed Sun, Via Venini 31, tel. 0341-830-478, mobile 340-466-2977).
Travel Agency: Varenna’s travel agency, I Viaggi del Tivano, is next to Albergo Beretta, a block below the train station. They book planes, trains, and automobiles, and can offer half-day and daylong bus and boat tours of the region, including Switzerland (book tours by noon the day before, April-Sept only; open Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00 & 14:30-18:30, Sat-Sun 9:00-16:00, in off-season closes Sat at 13:00 and all day Sun; can book rental cars here but pick up in Lecco, no service charge for regional train tickets, €5 booking fee for long-distance train tickets, Via per Esino 3, tel. 0341-814-009, www.tivanotours.com, info@tivanotours.com, helpful Cristina and Eleonora).
(See “Varenna” map, here.)
Since you came here to relax, this short self-guided walk gives you just the town basics.
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.
Cross the bridge and follow the river down to the small square, which hosts a market on Wednesdays. The town’s public beach (or lido) is just over the cute pedestrian bridge (€2 entry). The 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, 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 this 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 toward a 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. From here, 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 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.” They’re served with pasta or local-style polenta (different from Venetian polenta, because buckwheat is mixed in with the corn). You’ll also see lavarello (lake whitefish) on menus here.
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 (across from 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 non-guests 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.
Across from the square, to the right of the municipal building, is the Proloco Varenna Information Point (TI) and the Ornithology and Natural Science Museum, with a small collection of stuffed birds and other wildlife (open April-Sept, Sat-Sun only).
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.
Your walk is over. Facing the church, you can head right to visit the gardens or hike up to the castle (both described later, under “Sights in Varenna”); left to go to the train station or ferry dock; or 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, Castello di Vezio, located in a peaceful, traffic-free, one-chapel town. 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. The castle is barren, but enlivened by occasional art exhibits and a falconry-training center.
Cost and Hours: €4, April-Sept Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-19:00, March and Oct closes one hour earlier, closed Nov-Feb and in bad weather, low-key falconry shows usually around 15:30—but check website or call in morning for times, bar and restaurant at entrance, dinner by reservation only, mobile 333-448-5975, www.castellodivezio.it, Nicola.
Two separate manicured lakeside gardens—the terraces of Villa Cipressi and the adjacent, more open grounds of Villa Monastero—are open to the public. Formerly a noble residence, Villa Monastero, filled with overly ornate furnishings from the late 1800s, is also open to the public as a museum.
Cost and Hours: Villa Cipressi—€4, May-Nov daily 8:00-20:00, closed Dec-April, www.hotelvillacipressi.it; Villa Monastero—gardens-€5, gardens and museum-€8; gardens open March-Oct daily 9:30-19:00, closed Nov-Feb; museum open March-Oct Fri-Sun 9:30-19:00, closed Mon-Thu and Nov-Feb; bar in garden serves snacks, tel. 0341-295-450, www.villamonastero.eu.
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 for rent (entry-€2, umbrellas-€4, lounge chairs-€6, 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) and 30-minute “Varenna seen from the water” tours (€10/person, 5-person minimum for both tours). They also offer 50-minute romantic private tours (€150/couple). Ask Luca about his special 2.5-hour “Tour George.” Book directly on the website (April-Oct only, mobile 349-229-0953, www.taxiboatvarenna.com, info@taxiboatvarenna.com). A similar company works out of Bellagio.
The best simple day out is to take the battello navetta (mid-lake ferry) on its entire 50-minute Varenna-Bellagio-San Giovanni-Villa Carlotta-Tremezzo-Lenno route. On the return trip, stop at any sights that interest you (Lenno to see Villa del Balbianello, Tremezzo for Villa Carlotta, and/or Bellagio). This commentary describes what you’ll see along the way.
Leaving Varenna: Looking back at Varenna from the lake, you’ll see the 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 the Eremo Gaudio hotel (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.
Mid-Lake: The Swiss Alps rise to the north. Across the lake is Menaggio, and just over the ridge from that are Lugano and the “Swiss Riviera.” The winds alternate between north and south. In pre-industrial 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 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).
Approaching Bellagio: Survey the park to the left of 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.
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. This is an example of the latter. One of the finest properties on the lake, Villa Carlotta is most visited for its Canova statue and lush garden (see listing on here).
Tremezzo: 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. After the Tremezzo stop (just before the Tremezzo church), you’ll see a fine public park with a fountain. 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 fine old villas with elegant landings and gated boathouses. Built in the days before motors, they are now too small for most modern lake boats. Tullio Abbate is famous in this area for building speedy, high-end lake boats.
Lenno: This is your last stop. About 400 yards farther along the shore is a tiny dock for shuttle boats headed for Villa del Balbianello (of Star Wars: Episode II and Casino Royale fame—see here).
Sailing Home: Get off the boat at Lenno; from here you can return to Bellagio or Varenna, stopping along the way as you like.
The town of Fiumelatte, about a half-mile south of Varenna, was named for its “milky river.” It’s promoted as the shortest river in Italy (at 800 feet) and runs—like most of the area 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 travel agency, 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 travel agency 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 from Bellano (€1.30, Bellano not included on mid-lake pass, check schedule before you go), or take the ferry to Menaggio and catch a connecting boat back to Varenna.
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. People love the experience and find Moreno a charming teacher and host (€53 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 mandatory, 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 (Nov-April).
$$$ Hotel du Lac, filling a refined and modernized 19th-century villa, is the finest hotel in town. From its exclusive private perch on the point, it offers a quiet lakefront breakfast terrace; generous public spaces; a friendly, professional staff; and 16 delightful rooms—all but three with lake views (ample standard Db-€195, bigger Db-€250, €20 less in April and late Oct, closed Nov-March, air-con, some rooms with elevator access, Wi-Fi, parking-€16/day, Via del Prestino 11, tel. 0341-830-238, www.albergodulac.com, info@albergodulac.com).
$$$ Albergo Milano, located 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 (Sb-€125, Db-€150-180, €10 extra for view terrace, extra bed-€35, €5/day cash discount, closed mid-Nov-Feb, ceiling fans, no elevator, Wi-Fi; 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 3-night honeymoon deal). Nearby is $$ Casa Rossa, an annex with five comfortable rooms and one apartment that works well for families (Db-€140-170, extra bed-€35, €5/day cash discount, breakfast served at main hotel). Their recommended Ristorante la Vista is worth considering for dinner.
$$$ Villa Cipressi is a sprawling, centuries-old lakeside mansion with 33 warmly outfitted, 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 non-guests pay to see (Sb-€155, non-view Db-€185, view Db-€210-220, extra bed-€70, ask for Rick Steves discount, all rooms have air-con or ceiling fans, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi in common areas, garden access, Via IV Novembre 18, tel. 0341-830-113, www.hotelvillacipressi.it, info@hotelvillacipressi.it, Davide Dellera).
$$ Eremo Gaudio stands out with a commanding lake view high above Varenna. Once an orphanage, it became a hermitage run by the Catholic Church, and then—since 2000—a peaceful, modern hotel with awe-inspiring view balconies and a breakfast terrace. Thirteen bright, plain-but-comfy rooms climb up the main building, and 15 less dramatic but equally comfortable rooms huddle below at the foot of the funicular (upper rooms: Sb-€115, Db-€136, Db with balcony-€155; lower rooms: Db-€126-155; closed Nov-March, all rooms have lake views, air-con in summer; from the station, it’s a steep walk up hills and steps—taking a taxi is recommended; 5-minute walk from Varenna’s main square at Via Roma 25, tel. 0341-815-301, www.eremogaudio.it, eremogaudio@yahoo.it).
$$ Albergo del Sole is a simple, straightforward hotel over a restaurant right on the town square. Run by fun-loving Enzo, the hotel has eight comfy rooms and no hint of a lake view (Sb-€90, Db-€130, less off-season, family rooms, open all year, fans, hardwood floors, shiny bathrooms, elevator, Wi-Fi, Piazza San Giorgio 17, tel. 0341-815-218, www.albergodelsolevarenna.it, albergo.sole@virgilio.it).
$ Villa Elena, a grandmotherly, low-energy place on the main square, offers a tranquil rest and the best budget beds in town. English-speaking Signora Seta (“Silk”) Vitali, who lives downstairs, rents three characteristic, antique-filled rooms that all share one bathroom and an updated kitchen/dining room with a view terrace. With only twin beds, it’s not for romantics, but it is a great value (D-€70, cash only, no breakfast, it’s the house with the vine-covered pergola at Piazza San Giorgio 7 near Via San Giovanni, tel. 0341-830-575, info@villaelenavarenna.it).
$ 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. This place, above a coffee shop that doubles as the reception, feels homey but lacks any lakeside glamour (Sb-€50, Db-€75, larger room-€85, extra bed-€12, no elevator, Wi-Fi in common areas, limited free parking—must reserve, Via per Esino 1, tel. 0341-830-132, hotelberetta@iol.it, Renato Brambila).
$ 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 (Sb-€80, Db-€105, extra bed-€20; stay 3 nights, show this book, and pay cash for 15 percent discount; closed Nov-Feb, air-con, no elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, attached restaurant, Via della Croce 2, tel. 0341-830-123, mobile 340-356-7688, www.hotelmontecodeno.com, info@hotelmontecodeno.com, Marco Bartesaghi).
(See “Varenna” map, here.)
Ristorante la Vista, at Albergo Milano, feels like a private hotel restaurant but also welcomes non-guests. 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. I’d go with his €38 three-course fixed-price dinner (Mon and Wed-Sat 19:00-22:00, closed Sun and Tue, 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. However, weddings can crowd the place and distract from the service (€40 meals plus wine, daily 12:30-14:00 & 19:15-21:30, may close for weddings, closed Dec-March, 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 five tables, so the cook-and-waiter team can connect personally with diners (€12-14 pastas, €18-20 secondi, Thu-Tue 12:00-14:00 & 18:30-21:30, closed Wed, reservations recommended for dinner, Via XX Settembre 10, tel. 0341-815-349, www.ilcavatappivarenna.it).
Varennamonamour, an upscale eatery hiding just up from the water, is popular with fashionable Italians. Its seasonal menu has a nouvelle cuisine flair, with a few popular mainstays fresh from the lake. The cream-and-brown modern decor harmonizes well with the original exposed stone walls to create a classy, welcoming space (€7-13 pastas, €12-18 secondi, daily 12:00-23:30, shorter hours off-season, Contrada Scoscesa 7, tel. 0341-814-016, www.varennamonamour.it).
Osteria Quatro Pass is a welcoming bistro known for its homemade pasta and fish. It offers 14 candlelit tables under picturesque vaults, plus sidewalk seating (€12-18 pastas, €10-20 secondi, daily 12:00-14:00 & 19:00-22:00, closed Wed outside of peak season, Via XX Settembre 20, tel. 0341-815-091, Lollo).
(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.
Nilus Bar, with a young waitstaff, serves crêpes, pizzas, big mixed salads, hot sandwiches, soup of the day, and cocktails (Wed-Mon 12:00-22:30, closed Tue and Dec-Feb, hours can vary, bar open longer, cash only, tel. 0341-815-228, Fulvia and Giovanni).
Bar Il Molo, next door, is good for a casual meal on the harbor or a gelato with a view (€9-10 pizzas and pastas, €7-10 salads, €6 toasted sandwiches, daily 11:00-24:00, closed Nov-March, free Wi-Fi, 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 (€8-10 pizzas, €7-11 pastas, €10-20 secondi, 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).
At Ristorante Montecodeno, young, eager Marco makes up for a humdrum location with a good-value offer for readers of this book: a pasta (including panciotti—big ravioli), meat or fish dish, and water for €20, with no cover charge (daily 12:00-14:00 & 19:00-21:00, closed Nov and Jan-mid-Feb, in hotel of same name at Via della Croce 2, tel. 0341-830-123, www.hotelmontecodeno.com).
Ristorante il Caminetto is a homey, backwoods mountain trattoria in Gittana, a tiny town high 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. Husband-and-wife team Moreno and Rossella 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 (€27 three-course menu, wine and dessert extra, 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 hotspot 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 marble-polishing shop (closed Mon). The venerable Vecchia Varenna is the only classy restaurant actually on the harbor (old place with new management). And at Hotel Olivedo, a grand old hotel facing the ferry dock, you can eat in a classic dining hall.
Takeout Pizza: Da Luigi Pizza da Re bakes good €5-6 pies to take away, and delivers in the center for €2 extra (Thu-Tue 10:30-14:00 & 17:00-20:00, closed Wed, Via XX Settembre 7, mobile 334-543-9196).
Gelato: At Gelateria Riva, overlooking the water, you can get a cup or cone to go, then grab a pillowy seat on the bulkhead. Duillo is the only guy in town who prepares his gelato fresh every day. Try his nocciola (hazelnut) before making your choice. Ask the day before if you want to watch the gelato being made (daily 12:00-19:00, open later June-Sept, closed Nov-Feb).
Picnics: Varenna’s two little grocery stores have all you need for a tasty balcony or breakwater picnic-dinner. The salumeria on the main square is best for meats, cheese, and bread; try their homemade salami (Tue-Sat 7:30-12:30 & 16:00-19:30, Sun-Mon 7:30-12:30 only, Via IV Novembre 2). The store just north of the main square by the pharmacy stocks fresh fruits, veggies, and a few essentials (daily 7:30-12:30, Tue-Sat also 16:00-19:30, Via Venini 6).
Remember, if leaving Varenna by train, you can’t purchase tickets at the station. Instead, buy them from the I Viaggi del Tivano travel agency a block down the hill from the station, or the Barilott bar/tabacchi store just off the main square (both described earlier, under “Helpful Hints”). Stamp your ticket in the yellow machine at the station before boarding. If those places are closed, win the sympathy of the conductor and buy your ticket as soon as you get on board for an additional fee. (Find him before he finds you—or you’ll likely be charged an even stiffer penalty.)
Varenna to Milan: Trains leave Varenna for Milano Centrale (1 hour, €6.40, likely schedule for daily and direct trains: 5:26, 6:23, 7:37, 8:37, 10:37, 12:37, 14:37, 16:37, 18:37, 20:37, 21:37, and 22:20; if you take a train at a time not listed here, it will likely 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 hour), 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.
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.
The TI is at the passenger boat and hydrofoil dock (April-Oct Mon-Sat 9:00-12:30 & 13:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-14:00; Nov-March closed Wed afternoon and Sat-Sun; tel. 031-950-204, www.bellagiolakecomo.com).
Bellagio is best reached via ferry from Varenna (€4.60); or by hydrofoil or slow ferry boat from Como (see here).
By Boat: Bellagio has two docks a couple of hundred yards apart. The northern docks are for the passenger-only slow boat (battello or battello navetta) and the hydrofoil (servizio rapido). The southern dock is for all “ferry boats” (traghetti): both the car ferry (cars and foot passengers) and the passenger-only ferry. If heading out of Bellagio, ask to make sure you’re waiting at the correct dock. Remember that if you want to know all your departure options beyond Varenna and Menaggio, you need to study four different timetables (see “Getting Around Lake Como,” here). Confirm your intentions at the kiosk near either dock.
By Car: Parking is difficult, but you can try for a spot near the lake or in the parking lot at the ferry dock (white lines are always free, yellow lines are for residents only, blue lines cost €1.50/hour—pay with coins in gray or blue machines and stick ticket in car window).
Internet Access: Bellagio Point is a café with computers (€5/hour), Wi-Fi (free if you buy a drink), sandwiches, wine tasting, and battery charging (daily 10:00-22:00, closed Jan-mid-March, Salita Plinio 8, tel. 031-950-437, www.bellagiopoint.com). Giulio, the owner, also rents apartments (see “Sleeping in Bellagio,” later).
Laundry: La Lavandera is bright and new. Don’t be discouraged if it looks closed; the lights come on automatically when you enter. Bring clothes in an easy-to-carry bag, as stairs and cobbles make it hard with wheeled luggage (€8.50 wash/dry, open daily 24 hours, Salita Carlo Grandi 21, tel. 339-410-6852).
If you need a destination, you can take a guided tour of this park, which overlooks the town. The villa itself, owned by the Rockefeller Foundation, is not open to the public.
Cost and Hours: €9, tours April-Oct Tue-Sun at 11:00 and 15:30; no tours Mon, Nov-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 its art described in an English-language handout).
The administrative capital of the mid-lake region, Bellagio is located where the two southern legs of the lake split off. For an easy break in a park with a great view, wander right on out to the crotch. Meander past the rich and famous Hotel Villa Serbelloni, and walk five minutes to Punta Spartivento (“Point that Divides the Wind”). You’ll 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.
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. The grassy, pebbly, public San Giovanni beach (no showers) is another 20 minutes farther south from there.
A 10-minute walk south from the ferry dock, this picture-perfect 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.
Cost and Hours: €6.50, April-Oct daily 9:30-18:30, last entry at 18:00, closed Nov-March, mobile 339-457-3838, www.giardinidivillamelzi.it.
The TI has free brochures for three well-crafted walking tours, varying from one to three hours, all of which explore the city and environs. Sights include villas, gardens, churches, an old-fashioned dairy shop, medieval towers, and a nautical instruments museum. The TI also sells a hiking map for €3 that shows four different hikes ranging in difficulty and duration.
With a small stand at the boat docks, Australian Jennine and Italian Luca offer 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 (see listing on here), where you’ll take an English tour.
Cost and Hours: €50, 10 percent discount if you reserve direct and bring this book, price includes entry and tour of villa—worth €13, generally runs April-Oct Tue and Thu-Sun at 13:30, different tours Mon and Wed, check blackboard for day’s offerings or call mobile 338-524-4914, www.bellagiowatertaxis.com, bellagiowatertaxis@gmail.com.
Friendly Michele offers kayaking tours within a 10-minute walk of the town center. His popular 1.5- and 2-hour tours cover the Bellagio coast, while his 3-hour tour includes a stop at Villa Melzi. He also rents kayaks for those willing to go solo.
Cost and Hours: €25/1.5-hour tour, €30/2-hour tour, €35/3-hour tour; kayak rentals €15/1.5 hours, €17.50/2 hours, €22.50/3 hours; no tours on 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 (those listed here) 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.
$$$ Hotel Florence has a prime lakefront setting in the center of town. The 150-year-old, family-run place features 30 rooms, hardwood floors, bold earth tones, and a rich touch of Old World elegance (Sb-€125, Db-€150-220, Db suite-€250-310, prices depend on view and balcony, closed mid-Oct-mid-April, air-con in some rooms, handheld showers, elevator, Wi-Fi, Piazza Mazzini 46, tel. 031-950-342, www.hotelflorencebellagio.it, info@hotelflorencebellagio.it, run by the Austrian Ketzlar family).
$$$ 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, but with a bit of an institutional feel. Many of its 42 rooms have lake views (Sb-€120, €140 with balcony; Db-€160, €200 with balcony, €230 with terrace; closed Nov-March, air-con, elevator, Wi-Fi, 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. This place has generous public spaces and many thoughtful touches—and its 17 comfortable rooms are a great value, even without lake views (Sb-€110, Db-€130, €5/night discount with this book if you book directly with hotel, closed mid-Dec-Feb, air-con, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, free calls to North America from reception, 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 have no charm but get the job done (Db-€95, Tb-€115, no elevator, Wi-Fi, free parking, Via Roma 21, tel. 031-950-471, www.hoteleuropabellagio.it, info@hoteleuropabellagio.it, Marchesi family).
$ Bellagio B&B Apartments rents three units at the top of town, up the street from the gelateria. Owner Giulio also runs the Bellagio Point Internet café, which serves as the reception (Db-€70, more for additional people, 2-night minimum, kitchens but no breakfast, Wi-Fi, reception at Salita Plinio 8, apartments at Salita Cavour 37, tel. 031-951-680, www.bellagiobedandbreakfast.com, info@bellagiobedandbreakfast.com). Giulio also has five large apartments a 15-minute walk from Bellagio (toward Como, Db-€80-100 for 4 people, www.bellagioronchi.com).
$ Il Borgo Apartments offers seven modern Better Homes and Gardens-quality 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 9:00-12:00, or by appointment (Db-€100, 2 bigger apartments for up to 6 people-€120, €5/night discount with this book if you book directly with hotel, cash preferred, no breakfast, 3-night minimum in peak season, 2-night minimum off-season, air-con, elevator, Wi-Fi, Salita Plinio 4, tel. 031-952-497, mobile 338-193-5559, www.borgoresidence.it, info@borgoresidence.it).
$ Giardini di Villa Melzi Apartments features three modern doubles and three studios with kitchenettes in the little harbor of Loppia, about a 15-minute walk south of Bellagio. A free pass allows guests to take a shortcut to Bellagio through the Villa Melzi Gardens (Db-€100, extra bed-€50, cash only, no breakfast, usually 3-night minimum—ask, Wi-Fi, free parking, Via Melzi d’Eril 23, tel. 339-221-4394, www.bellagiowelcome.com, info@bellagiowelcome.com, Ornella).
The restaurants in these two recommended hotels offer wonderful lakeside tables and, considering the setting, acceptable prices.
Hotel Metropole’s Terrazzo Ristorante, while a mediocre food value, has a full menu and is a relaxing delight with good service (€12-16 pastas, €14-22 secondi, April-Oct daily 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-21:30, closed Nov-March, Piazza Mazzini 1, tel. 031-950-409). Hotel Metropole Snack Bar, next to the restaurant, is quite good, with simple €9 pastas and sandwiches and fine €7-12 salads (April-Oct daily 12:00-21:30, bar open later, closed Nov-March, good service, great locale).
The Florence is nicely situated under a trellis of flowers across from the Florence Hotel, away from the ferry fumes. This is a lovely perch for a drink or meal (€16 pastas, €22 secondi, simpler lunch menu of salads and lighter fare, April-Sept daily 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-22:00, bar open all day).
(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 (€7-8 pastas, €10-16 secondi, no cover, Mon and Wed-Thu 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-21:30, Fri-Sun open later midday and evenings, closed Tue and Dec-Feb, Salita Serbelloni 45, tel. 031-950-329, Aurelio).
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 (€15 pastas, €20 secondi, Wed-Mon 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-22:30, closed Tue and Nov-Easter, 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/person with this book, April-Oct 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, offering mixed salumi and formaggi plates (€8-12), big fresh salads (€9-12), and light lunches, along with a great selection of wines by the glass (€14-18/three-glass tasting—totaling a half-bottle of wine per person, add antipasto plate for €24, also Super Tuscan wine-tastings, daily 11:30-24:00, closed Dec-Feb and Tue off-season, Wi-Fi, 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 10:00-22:30, shorter hours off-season, closed Nov-March, 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 small grocery stores have picnic supplies, prepared foods like roast chicken, ribs, lasagna, quiches, and focaccia, and are happy to make fresh sandwiches to order. Caligari Alimentari is at the top of town (Tue-Sat 8:00-13:00 & 16:00-19:30, Sun 8:00-13:00, closed Mon, shorter hours off-season, on corner of Via Garibaldi and Via Carlo Bellosio, tel. 031-951-815). Gastronomia Antichi Sapori is behind the Hotel Centrale (similar hours as the alimentari except closed Tue, 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 La Punta Ristorante (€12-14 pastas, €15 fish, €23-25 meat courses, March-Oct daily 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-22:00, bar open 14:30-19:00 for snacks only, closed Nov-Feb, tel. 031-951-888, www.ristorantelapunta.it).
Menaggio 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 in Piazza Garibaldi open daily 9:00-12:30 & 14:30-18:00 except closed Sun Oct-mid-June, closed Wed Nov-March, tel. 0344-32-924, www.menaggio.com).
$ La Marianna B&B has eight rooms and a fine restaurant in Cadenabbia, about a mile south of Menaggio on a busy road (Db with view-€100, lakeside terrace at restaurant—guests receive a 25 percent restaurant discount, air-con, Wi-Fi, tel. 0344-43095, www.la-marianna.com, inn@la-marianna.com, Ty and Paola). The hourly Como-Menaggio bus #C10 stops here, and the ferry dock is 300 yards away.
$ La Primula Youth Hostel has a great location on the lake, a two-minute walk from the ferry dock (€20-22/person in dorm room, higher price is for summer, Db-€54, family room with bathroom and 4 beds-€80, €2 extra for nonmembers, pizzas from €6, guest computer, Wi-Fi, sailing school, kayak and mountain bike rentals, cooking classes, tel. 0344-32356, www.lakecomohostel.com, info@lakecomohostel.com). The Como-Menaggio bus #C10 stops right by the hostel.
From Menaggio to Milan: It’s a 15-minute ferry ride to Varenna (boats hourly), where trains connect to Milan (every 1-2 hours, 1 hour, see “Varenna Connections,” here). More fast trains depart from Como than Varenna. From Menaggio, take hourly local bus #C10 (around €3.50, 1-2/hour, 1 hour) to Como, where you can catch the train (2/hour, 30-60 minutes). If you need to reach Malpensa Airport, you could take bus #C10 to Como, then take a train to Saronno, which is on the Malpensa Express train line (see here).
From Menaggio to 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 (mid-Oct-mid-June), the bus runs only on weekends. Advance reservations are required (www.postbus.ch)—and remember to bring your passport.
For gardens and flowers (its forte), this is the best of Lake Como’s famed villas. I see the lakes as a break from Italy’s art, but if you’re in need of a place that charges admission, Villa Carlotta offers an elegant Neoclassical interior, Antonio Canova’s famous Maddalena Penitente statue, and a garden (at its best in spring).
Cost and Hours: €9, daily April-mid-Oct 9:00-19:30, museum closes at 18:30, last entry to villa at 18:00, shorter hours last 2 weeks of March and mid-Oct-mid-Nov, closed mid-Nov-mid-March, no photos inside villa, tel. 034-440-405, www.villacarlotta.it.
Nearby: Tremezzo and Cadenabbia are pleasant lakeside resorts, each one an easy walk away. Boats serve both places (5-minute walk from either dock to the villa) and are reached by traghetto (ferry, dock in Cadenabbia) or the battello (slow boat, dock in Tremezzo).
To visit Villa del Balbianello (described next) after you see Villa Carlotta, catch the blue bus #C10 (turn right when exiting the villa and walk to the trash cans; 1-2 buses/hour, around €1.50, pay on bus). Get off at the second stop in Lenno, walk 30 yards, turn left, and follow the lakeside south to the lido of Lenno.
The dreamiest villa on the lake perches on a romantic promontory overlooking Lake Como and facing Bellagio. Built for a cardinal at the end of the 18th century on the remains of an old Franciscan church, the villa was the cardinal’s palace of delights, where he could study and brainstorm with his friends. Today it reflects the exotic vision of its last owner, explorer Guido Monzino, who died in 1988—leaving his villa, his rich art collection, and mementos of his expeditions to the state. The upper floor serves as a museum of his expeditions, with memorabilia from his North Pole and Mount Everest adventures. 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; scenes from Casino Royale and Star Wars: Episode II were filmed here.
Cost and Hours: Garden only-€7.50, garden with villa tour-€13, tours depart hourly Thu-Sun and Tue 10:00-18:00, closed Mon and Wed and mid-Nov-mid-March, tel. 034-456-110, www.fondoambiente.it.
Getting There: You can reach it on foot (on Tue and Sat-Sun only) by walking a half-mile from Lenno through the park. Otherwise, catch the more glamorous speedboat shuttle from Lido di Lenno (€5.50 one-way, €7 round-trip, Igor can also be hired for private tours, mobile 333-410-3854).
This remote little island, just south of Bellagio, offers peace, ancient church foundations, a small archaeological museum, swans, ducks, nice swimming, and a lovely view of Lake Como. It takes 30-45 minutes to walk around the island, but longer to savor it. Bring a picnic or try the snack bar at the dock.
Cost and Hours: €6, island open to visitors daily July-Aug 10:00-18:00, mid-March-June and Sept-Oct 10:00-17:00; museum closed Mon and Thu, on other days closes at 15:00; no visits Nov-mid-March, information at TI in mainland town of Ossuccio, tel. 034-456-369, www.isola-comacina.it, info@isola-comacina.it.
Getting There: In summer, the isola can be reached by direct ferry from Varenna (1.25 hours), Menaggio (1 hour), or Bellagio (45 minutes). Look for trips to Isola Comacina (€7) on the Colico-Como battello schedule (listed in Lago di Como boat timetable, free at ticket booths at ferry docks, see here, or check www.navigazionelaghi.it). Check return times carefully (Como-Colico direction) and don’t miss your boat. Direct ferries only run in summer, and usually only one trip a day each way works out for a visit. Allow about seven hours, including travel time.
On the southwest tip of the lake, Como has a good, traffic-free old town, an interesting Gothic/Renaissance cathedral, and a pleasant lakefront with a promenade (TI open Mon-Sat 9:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00, closed Sun, 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). Boats leave Como about hourly for mid-lake (slow ferry boat: from €10.40, 2.5 hours, last departure about 16:45; hydrofoil: from €15, 1 hour, last departure about 19:20, fewer on Sun; toll-free tel. 800-551-801 or tel. 031-579-211, www.navigazionelaghi.it).
Sleeping in Como: For a cheap overnight, try the $ Villa Olmo Hostel (€19.50 bunks, family room-€21/person, includes breakfast and sheets, €2/night extra for nonmembers, dinners-€5.50-12, pay guest computer, Wi-Fi, laundry service available, baggage storage, free parking, bike rental, reception open 7:00-10:00 & 16:00-24:00, lockout 10:00-16:00, 24:00 curfew, closed mid-Nov-Feb, 20-minute walk from train station or dock, Via Bellinzona 2, tel. 031-573-800, www.ostellocomo.it, ostellocomo@tin.it).
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—check bus and ferry schedules locally): between 9:30 and 10:00—ferry to Menaggio (15 minutes from Varenna); 10:30—bus to Lugano (1 hour, bring your passport); 11:30—explore Lugano, then train to Como (2/hour, 45 minutes); 17:00—fast boat from Como to Varenna (departures also at about 18:00 and 19:00, 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. A visit to this region is 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). While crassly touristic, Stresa is a handy base from which to explore 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. 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. Many consider this area a pleasant last stop before flying home from nearby Malpensa Airport.
Day Trip from Milan: Catch the one-hour, early train from Milan to the town of Stresa (usually at 8:25, may require reservations; the next departure isn’t until 11:25). Upon arrival in Stresa, walk 10 minutes downhill to the boat dock, and catch a boat to Isola Madre. Then work your way back to Isola Superiore for a lazy lunch, and on to Isola Bella for the afternoon, before returning to Stresa and back to Milan (trains leave about hourly).
From Stresa to Malpensa Airport: If heading straight from Lake Maggiore to Milan’s Malpensa Airport, you have several options, including a train-bus combination (take the train toward Milan and ride it about 40 minutes to Gallarate; from there, cheap shuttle buses run from the train station to Malpensa); the Alibus Airport bus (runs between Stresa and Malpensa, 50 minutes; must reserve—call 0323-552-172, book online at www.safduemila.com, or email alibus@safduemila.com); or taxi (about €100, 1 hour; easy to arrange taxi at train station’s taxi stand, or try Salvo Taxi at mobile 335-707-8894).
Boats link the islands and Stresa, running about twice hourly. Allow roughly 10 minutes between stops. Since short round-trip hops can add up fast (€6.80 for Isola Bella, €7.80 for Isola Superiore, €10 for Isola Madre), 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 (for instance, €13.80 includes Bella and Superiore, €16.90 covers all the islands, and €20.70 includes the islands and Villa Taranto). An €18.50 combo-ticket for entry to the villas on Isola Bella and Isola Madre can also be purchased at the boat dock (credit cards accepted).
Boats run daily April through September. The map on here shows most of the route: Stresa, Carciano/Lido, 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, TI, and maybe your hotel), 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; check the timetable (public boat info: toll-free tel. 800-551-801, tel. 0322-233-200, www.navigazionelaghi.it, infomaggiore@navigazionelaghi.it).
Buy boat tickets directly from the dock ticket booth under the gallery to the left of the TI. Don’t be fooled by the private taxi-boat drivers, most dressed in navy-blue uniforms and white hats (they look like Italian traffic cops); with their little sales booth on the sidewalk in front of the public boat launch, they’ll try to talk you into paying way too much for private tours on their smaller boats.
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-€13, picture gallery-€3 extra, €18.50 combo-ticket includes the villa at Isola Madre (but not Isola Bella’s picture gallery), daily late-March-late-Oct 9:00-18:00, shorter hours for picture gallery, closed late-Oct-late-March, last entry 30 minutes before closing, no photos in villa, tel. 0323-30556, www.borromeoturismo.it.
Audioguide: A fine €3 audioguide describes the palace, which also has posted English descriptions.
Services: A WC is at the garden entrance. Note that there are two docks on this island (one for each direction). Departure times are indicated by clocks at each dock. Picnicking is not allowed in the garden, but you can picnic at the point of the island (free and open to the public); take the black-and-white mosaic sidewalk to the left of the palace entrance.
Visiting the Island: 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.) From the dock, head left to the huge palace, passing the public WCs.
In the lavishly decorated Baroque palace, stairs lead to stucco crests of Italy’s top families (balls signify the Medici, bees mean the Barberini, and a unicorn symbolizes the Borromeos’ motto: Humility). Here, you can choose to pay for a supplementary ticket to walk through the picture gallery (containing 130 beautifully restored 16th-century paintings from the Borromeo family’s private collection, followed by an ornate throne room). Otherwise, continue right into the next room, where you’ll see 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 entry that never materialized. The next room was 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.
Next, 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). The last rooms 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 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 Canova. Climbing out of the basement, look up at the unique cantilevered stairs; they’re from a 16th-century fortress that predates this building.
Pass through the mirrored corridor and follow the path 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. Baroque—which is exactly what you see here—is all about controlling nature. Climb the stairs to see the terraced gardens, which are crowned by the Borromeo family unicorn. Back downstairs, follow the signs (hidden in the bushes) to the café/bookshop to get a 360-degree glimpse of the gardens. Then follow the signs to the exit. Gardeners continue on to the second exit to pass through Elisa’s Greenhouse, named for Napoleon’s sister and home to tropical plants.
This sleepy island—home to 35 families—is the smallest and most residential of the three. It has a couple of good seafood restaurants, picnic benches, views, and, blissfully, nothing much to do—all under arbors of wisteria. A delight for photographers and painters, the island is never really crowded, except at lunchtime.
Don’t come here 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-€11, €18.50 combo-ticket includes Isola Bella, late-March-late-Oct daily 9:00-18:00, closed late-Oct-late-March, last entry 30 minutes before closing, no photos in villa, tel. 0323-31261, www.borromeoturismo.it.
Audioguide: A fine €3 audioguide is devoted almost entirely to the garden—a good investment to properly appreciate the plantings.
Services: A WC is next to the chapel. You’ll also find a cafe/bookshop just outside the villa. While eating is best on Isola Superiore, Isola Madre has one eatery, La Piratera Ristorante Bar (€25 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 rocky beach a minute’s walk from restaurant, just to your right as you exit the gardens, tel. 0323-31171).
Visiting the Island: Visiting is a one-way affair. The sightseeing route is clearly signed, with a long stroll through the garden, villa, and chapel.
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. 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 famous 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.
Garden lovers will enjoy this large landscaped park, located on the mainland a 10-minute boat ride beyond Isola Madre (across the lake from Stresa). 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 mid-March-Sept 8:30-18:30, Oct 9:00-16:00, closed Nov-mid-March, tel. 0323-404-555, www.villataranto.it.
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.
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 (the boat dock is about four blocks to your right; ask for boat schedule at ticket window). The helpful TI, located to the right of the ticket window at the boat dock, has free maps and boat schedules (March-Oct daily 10:00-12:30 & 15:00-18:30, shorter hours and closed Sun off-season, Piazza Marconi 16, tel. 0323-30150, www.stresaturismo.it). Taxis charge a fixed rate of €8 for even the shortest ride in town.
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. The Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees was the first (built in 1862). In any Romantic-age resort like Stresa, hotels had names designed to appeal to Victorian aristocrats...like Palace (rather than Palazzo), Astoria, Bristol, and Victoria.
In 1918, nineteen-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 of 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 9:30-17:40 in summer, shorter hours in winter, 2-3/hour, bar midway up, tel. 0323-30295, www.stresa-mottarone.it). From the top (about 5,000 feet), you get great 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 are the Alpine Gardens, which come with fine lake views and picnic spots, but can’t compare to 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; €3, April-Oct 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. You can also rent a bike at the base of the cable-car lift (ask TI for details) and bring it on the cable car with you. It’s a treacherous ride, enjoyable only for serious bikers. While the ride is nice on top, you’ll fight traffic on congested, rough, and windy roads for the rest of the descent.
Sleeping in Stresa: Because Stresa’s town is just a resort, I’d day-trip from Milan. But if you’d like to stay, here are some options: Hotel Saini Meublè (www.hotelsaini.it), Hotel Milan Speranza Au Lac (www.milansperanza.it), and Hotel Moderno (www.hms.it).
Eating in Stresa: Good choices include Osteria degli Amici (Via Bolongaro 33), La Botte (Via Mazzini 6/8), Ristorante il Portico (Via Ottolini 9), Ristorante Taverna del Pappagallo (Via Principessa Margherita 46), Il Clandestino (Via Rosmini 5), and La Rosa dei Venti (2 blocks south of the boat dock at Corso Italia 50).
The main square, Piazza Cadorna, is a carnival of residents selling things to tourists. Still, at night it has a certain charm. It seems anyone who claims to be a musician can get a gig singing for diners. Pizzeria Centrale (on a platform in the center) is a good place to enjoy the ambience.
If you’re spending the night in Stresa, consider one of these all-day outings.
This enjoyable all-day excursion from Stresa involves three segments. Before you embark on the trip, confirm all times, particularly the departure of the last boat from Locarno. Take the train from Stresa to Domodossola, then catch the “Centovalli” train for a 1.5-hour ride that links together remote mountain villages on your way to Locarno, in the Italian-speaking Swiss canton of Ticino (bring your passport). Spend an hour or so exploring this town, on the far end of Lake Maggiore. Then take the boat past loads of small lakeside hamlets back to Italy. As a relaxing finale, you’ll cruise into your home port of Stresa. The trip can also be done in reverse (with the boat trip first). A special €34 “Lago Maggiore Express” ticket covers both the train and boat for one day (purchase at the ferry dock in advance or email ahead of time if you want to eat on board; toll-free tel. 800-551-801, tel. 0322-233-200, www.lagomaggioreexpress.com, infomaggiore@navigazionelaghi.it).
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 open Sat-Sun 9:30-17:30, closed Mon-Fri, 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, 2/day mid-June-mid-Sept, confirm schedule at TI or at www.safduemila.com).
