Walk from Varenna to Bellano

Yes, I hiked that trail the week after Easter of this year. It actually is part of a larger trail, the Sentiero Vaindante, that stretches along the eastern side of Lake Como. You can pick it up at the Vezio castle, above Varenna. Or, to save myself some steep uphill walking, I took a cab from Varenna up the hill to Perledo and picked up the trail. The hike itself is then mostly a gentle downhill walk, taking me less than two hours to reach Bellano. There are gorgeous views along the way, but I don't remember seeing any picnic tables. There are several trains per hour from Bellano back to Varenna. My wife and I found Bellano to be a fine, real town with a beautiful waterfront, good places to eat, and a charming medieval pedestrian area. For a longer hike on the Sentiero Viandante, take the bus to Esino Lario and then hike south to Lierna, high above the lake, but requiring mostly steep downhill hiking. Happy Trails!