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Posted by
1033 posts

Hello TravelBug,

My wife and I stayed at Casa Tre Archi which was a one bedroom apartment so I can answer questions about the arrangements - everything about the stay was great.

What are your concerns about the Casa Ginevra for three people? It's looks like 2 separate bedrooms so unless you are three singles I think it works out or someone needs to be okay on what is probably a foldout couch bed in the living room.

I'll help if I can,
=Tod

Posted by
15 posts

Thank you for your response.

Casa 3 Archi Apartment looks nice, however I am traveling with someone who will find the spiral staircase challenging to use the bathroom, so that room is not a good fit.

My concern with Casa Ginevra Apartment at Villa Gina is the location. I can not find an actual address for the Villa and would like to understand how many steps and length of walk from ferry.

Thank you.

Posted by
1033 posts

It looks very convenient to the ferry and the train station as it is right up the high from the train station which is up the hill from the ferry.
You can walk it on Google Maps - I'll try and include a link that works but if not use Via per Esino, 6, 23828 Perledo LC, Italy as the location for Google Maps. Check the "On foot from the train station" instructions on the website.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Varenna,+Via+Imbarcadero+Piazza+Martiri+Libert%C3%A0,+23829+Varenna+LC,+Italy/Via+per+Esino,+6,+23828+Perledo+LC,+Italy/@46.014924,9.2841176,18z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x478417c57e15875b:0xc640605f84876dc!2m2!1d9.2828529!2d46.0139012!1m5!1m1!1s0x478417c8d7f90dcf:0x1803d30cc9b1f2b2!2m2!1d9.2876127!2d46.015929!3e3

MY only hesitation is that being so close to the ferry and train station is it a little way out from the general city of Varenna itself. The town proper is a south of train station, but I guess it is all a trade off. Rather than drag your bags into town when you arrive you'll be close of the ferry and train station. But that does mean if you want to head into town to eat you'll have a 10 minute walk each way but you can do that walk without your bags so it's way less hassle.

But Varenna is really about walking and seeing the town so none of this is really a problem just a trade-off. You can't walk it on Google maps but you can walk the flat coastal path from the ferry terminal into town harbor just by heading south.

Hope that helps,
=Tod

Posted by
15 posts

Thank you. The Google map you provided is very helpful. Looks like a pretty good incline up hill. Not sure the location will work for everyone in my group.

Thank you.

Posted by
1033 posts

Hello TravelBug,
I don't want to throw water on your plans but if you are afraid the incline from the ferry station to the villa is too much I think you should be aware of how hilly and steep the majority of Varenna proper really is. There is essentially one street across the top of the town and then almost everything else tumbles downhill from there to lake.
Many of the restaurants and shops face the harbor and while the path from the ferry to the harborside is flat almost everything in town - like walking from the piazza to harbor involves several "blocks" of up and down.

As charming as the houses tumbling down to lakeside are the result is some pretty steep streets. This image is typical of the walk getting from the main road down to the lake.
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5839c3b2f5e231f20b309c59/1597001505782-7SLKMF42L19MVD5ZU2SW/IMG_9245.JPG
Some routes are flatter than others but they may require walking further to avoid the steepest of streets.

Now Menaggio - the city across the lake from Varenna and reachable by ferry is much flatter and has a very charming lake front promenade as well as some shops that Varenna does not offer. Maybe that would be worth considering for a lakefront city with easier access.

Varenna is lovely and don't want to discourage you from visiting but if members of your party have mobility issues I feel obliged to mention it.

Have a great trip,
=Tod