Rick Steves'
Best of Italy in 17 Days
Where are we?
"O My Beloved Father",
a soprano aria from the
Puccini opera GIANNI SCHICCHI,
was first sung in 1918.
 The most convenient way to travel from Milan to Varenna is by train. |
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 Our hotel, Villa Cipressi, was formerly a lakeside mansion. This centuries-old villa has a commanding view of Lake Como. |
 Exploring the hotel's expansive gardens. |
 This view of quaint, walkable Varenna was taken from our hotel window. |
 Stepped lanes give your legs quite a work out... |
 Our lake tour included this grand villa where parts of "Star Wars II" and "Casino Royale" were filmed. |
 Former owner, explorer Guido Monzino, left Villa Balbianello to the state following his death in 1988. |
 Villa statue |
 Villa Carlotta, one of the finest properties on Lake Como, is open for public tours. |
 A picturesque view of Varenna from the ferry. |
 This thirteenth century church, Chiesa di San Giorgio, faces the town square and is popular for weddings. |
 Ristorante La Vista: Great food and a great view of Lake Como. |
Following a brief one hour train ride, we arrived mid-afternoon in VARENNA. With luggage in hand, we took the short, scenic walk to our lake front hotel, Villa Cipressi. It didn't take us long to get settled in our room and begin exploring our surroundings. The views of Lake Como from the hotel were breathtaking! Hotel guests are permitted to tour the terraced Villa gardens for free while others pay a small fee.
At a late afternoon get-acquainted meeting we met our companions and tour guide, Mary Carlson. Introductions and a "How Well Do You Know Your Italian History" game followed. After much laughter and good-natured ribbing, we knew this was a group we would really bond with.
Mary gave us an early evening tour of the quaint town and the promenade (passarella) pointing out historic sites, restaurants and places where we might purchase necessities...GELATO! A delicious "on your own" dinner at a cozy restaurant, a check of Mary's tour schedule posted at the hotel desk and we were ready to retire looking forward
to our tour of Lake Como the next day.
DAY 1
DAY 2
The day was ours! Although no scheduled plans had been made, we were encouraged to use our included ferry pass to explore various Lake Como villages and waterways. The
ferry made stops enroute to its final stop in Lenno where several of us wanted to see the famed Villa del Balbianello. Walking access to this beautiful estate is limited to only several days of the week mid-March to mid-November. Built in the 18th. century for a cardinal, its last owner, explorer Guido Monzino, left his villa, art collection and expedition momentos to the state.
During the return ferry trip we disembarked in Bellagio with our comrades for a leisurely lunch. It seemed hard to believe that while it's late September and the leaves were beginning to turn back home, we were sitting here with a lake view, blue skies and 80 degree weather!
Reluctant to leave, we spent our last evening in Varenna enjoying a delicious dinner and spectacular sunset view at Ristorante La Vista.
"When in Varenna, do as the..."
Cobbled lanes date back to Varenna's fishing village days.
"Priest's Hats" at Ristorante La Vista
Surprise dinner guest...
Another Villa Cipressi garden photo.
Can't get enough of these gardens
Villa Cipressi boat house
Everywhere you go you're either ascending or descending.
Walking Varenna's promenade, passerella
Villa Balbienello...Christmas card photo?
PLEASE ACTIVATE AUDIO PLAYER
May we recommend...
