Lake Como

7 days would be 4 days too much for me. But what are your interests? And what other cities do you have on your itinerary for that trip? Have you considered Bergamo for a hilltop town experience?

Wendy, I'm thinking that 7 days is too much but as Michael stated, it depends on the rest of your itinerary. Where else will you be visiting on this trip? I'm assuming you'll probably stay mid-lake & visit Bellagio, Menaggio, etc. Varenna is a lovely little town and it's very relaxing but I can't see spending more than 3-4 days max there. The weather in mid-Oct should be mild and decent but if it rains, there's not a whole lot to do in Lake Como in terms of indoor activities, with the exception of touring some of the famous villas (i.e. Villa Carlotta, etc.).

Wendy, I tend to agree with the others. Even if visiting other towns along the lake, there's not a lot to do in Varenna at that time of the year (especially if the weather is miserable), so seven days seems a bit long. You could certainly split your time between Varenna and another town in that area. Whether to choose Milan or somewhere else will depend on what type of sights you want to see. Happy travels!

7 days in Lake Como in mid-October could be a long 7 days, especially if the weather wasn't what you were expecting for being outside a lot (which is why people go to Lake Como). For realistic expectations about the weather, go here http://www.wunderground.com/tripplanner/index.asp input Varenna as the location and the month/day (not year) you'll be there, and it will give you the last 15 years of weather during the dates you input.

Wendy, it does seem like 7 days is a lot for this area. You mention Milan; I always find something unexpected there, even though I usually only stay for a couple of days. Great museums, the Duomo (you can take an elevator to the upper level for tremendous views), and of course, shopping! As has been mentioned, if it's not a great day to be outdoors in the countryside or villages, there's plenty to do in this city.