For those of you who have been to this area which do you recommend I stayStresa or Varenna?. I am coming from Switzerland and flying out of Milan early Sept. Thank you.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16784 posts
I cannot compare them as we have only been to Varenna. But we did love it there. It is a charming small town with nice lakefront promenade away from traffic. The cooking class with Chef Moreno at Il Caminetto was one of the highlights of our Italy trip. You could reach Varenna from Switzerland by taking the very scenic Bernina Express over the Alps to Tirano, connecting there with the train to Varenna.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32253 posts
Nancy, Both cities are beautiful and well worth having a look at (IMO). Both are about one hour by train from Milano Centrale, so transportation is about equal. Your decision might depend on what type of sightseeing you want to do at that point in your trip? Varenna is a great place for practising Il dolce far niente, tours of the ornate gardens at Villa Cipressi and Villa Monastero or other Villa's along the lake. It's an easy day trip to the luxury resort of Bellagio (about 20-minutes by Ferry) or Menaggio. Stresa offers tours of the beautiful Borromeo Islands, especially the ornate mansion and gardens on Isola Bella. Isola Madre and Isola Pescatore are also beautiful. You could also take the Cable Car to the top of Mt. Mottarone. There's a small alpine garden to tour at about the half-way point, and the view from the top is fantastic. Depending on how much time you have, you could also take a day trip to Locarno (Switzerland) on the scenic Cento Valli Railway, returning to Stresa by boat in the late afternoon. You might find it helpful to have a look at the Guidebook descriptions for both places, to see which one appeals to you more. Happy travels!