We will be in Varenna for 4 nights and 3 full days at the beginning of June (after spending several nights in Nice and going on to Ortisei from Lake Como). We need some recommendations for our time in Varenna. We will arrive late in the day and hope to walk around Varenna that evening.
We are planning on taking the next day to do the RS Self-Guided Ferry Tour and stopping off at Bellagio for a few hours on the way back.
On our second day, we would like to visit the Orrido de Bellano (gorge in Bellano) and were thinking about hiking back to Varenna on the Wayfarer's Path (one segment of the Sentiero del Viandante) that is suggested in the RS guidebook. Is that a realistic plan? If anyone has done both of those, approximately how long would it take? We are a couple, early and mid 70's, healthy and reasonably fit, used to walking 5-6 miles per day.
On the third day, we hope to visit some of the area villas. We are more interested in the gardens than in the villas themselves. I've read most, if not all, of the posts on the forum comparing Villa del Balbianello and Villa Carlotta, and it seems that most travelers prefer VdB. Is it worth it to do both if focusing on the gardens? Are the gardens near Varenna (Villa Cipressi and Villa Monastero) worth visiting and something that we could enjoy during the evening? They are open until sunset and 19:30, respectively.
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Posted by
San Diego, California
6240 posts
I like both the spectacular gardens and the interior tour of Villa Balbianello. The tour is well done and the Villa has had some interesting owners (safe room, Everest explorer), and there's the movie history. Also, taking the motorboat over and back from the dock gives you a unique view of the Villa from the water, (about €5 each way per person.) Plus, you have a pleasant ferry ride over from Varenna.
We were at Villa Carlotta in May 2023, and for some reasons, it didn't wow me. Granted, there had been heavy rains, which knocked many of the blossoms off. We will be returning to visit Balbianello again this spring- it's just so beautiful to be there.
Bellagio has some high quality shops that I enjoy, a cut above tourist fare. One is the beautiful scarf shop that's been there for years, and another is a glass shop. If those are your interests I'll look up their names.
Enjoy- this will be our third visit! Safe travels!
Posted by
11913 posts
Villas- Definitively visit Villa Balbaniello over Villa Carlotta. It is all about the views from the property, not the villas.. Villa Monasterio is worth visiting too.
You are visiting several of my favorite places.