Lugano to Varenna

You could travel by land or perhaps by water (if available) from Lugano to Portezza and then overland from Portezza to Menaggio and from Menaggio by water to Varenna.

I took a bus from Varenna to Lugano last summer. Very easy, took about 20-25 minutes max. Go to the bus station in the middle of Lugano and ask for the bus to Varenna, Italy.

"I took a bus from Varenna to Lugano last summer."

Hmmm, so then, the bus must have gone all the way around the lake, to get from Varenna to Lugano? If so, that sounds like the long way.

More direct, and IMO more scenic and fun, would be this way: Take the bus from Lugano to Menaggio, it stops in front of the Menaggio fountain near the TI office; then walk south 5 mins to the Menaggio public ferry dock, and the ferry will take you across the lake to Varenna.

The thing I'm not sure of (maybe someone knows?) is exactly where to catch the bus in Lugano. I did the route in reverse, from Menaggio to Lugano by bus; and the bus did not drop us off at the Lugano bus station but rather at a non-descript bus stop on a street several blocks south of the Lugano center; maybe the bus continued on to the Lugano bus station but I don't think so because everyone got off the bus; and we just walked back to that bus stop to get the return bus to Menaggio. But I wouldn't know how to tell someone where to find that stop.

One thing's for sure: You don't want to drive a rental car from Lugano to Menaggio, let the bus driver do the driving (narrow road, and I mean narrow).

Ferry from Varrena to Mennagio. Then bus or pay more Taxi from Mennagio to Lugano. We stayed on Lake Lugano in San Mammete at Hotel Stella d Italia - wonderful

OOPS Sorry wrong direction. Obviously Bus Lugano to Mennagio then ferry to Varrena

this is the ferry schedule for lake como. You will need the mennagio to varrena schedule

http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/com/nlc.html

Easily done with time you can take ferry to Menaggio and from there bus to lugano. low cost and very enjoyable.