I have a question about the boat tours in Varenna.
Is the Boat tour from http://www.taxiboatvarenna.com/ worth the cost, or can you do the same thing using the ferries.
I like tours, but I am trying figure out --- time getting to the other side and back, time at the Villa's, not much time on the boat for a tour?
Should we be frugal and do the ferries?
None of this is hard to do by ferry, so I don't see much advantage to the tour, especially the cheaper one with no admissions to things. It's not clear how much commentary they make (I haven't done the tour). If you want to visit Bellagio, you'd have to confirm whether the boat would leave you there, otherwise you may be back at Varenna in 2.5 hours and looking for something to do. If taking a ferry to Lenno, you can walk to Villa Balbianello, but the small boat would bring you closer to that visit. If you choose the "George" tour, then that does take you past the limits of the popular mid-lake all-day ferry ticket, which ends at Lenno on the south end, but it's also possible to buy regular ferry tickets.
I would be frugal on travel and splurge on food and wine.
I agree with the above replies. I don't see this (expensive) tour adding any value to just buying boat tickets yourself, one at a time, as you need them. That way, you can spend as much or as little time as you want at each destination.
What Harold said. Flexibility and economy. I enjoyed Bellagio a lot. It would be easy to spend a whole day there.
On my RS trip - in Varenna our guide suggested that we buy a 1 day boat pass and we spent much of the day going from town to town, getting off the boat, wandering around town, lunch or a Gelato,
it was a very relaxing day
I think the all day pass was less than $10 - but I don't remember exactly.
