Varenna is a small coastal village, a former fishing settlement. It boasts a church square from which all the streets radiate, along with old houses, a lake, and a promenade.

Things to Do and See
Varenna has a well-preserved medieval center, one of the best in the entire Lake Como region. Be sure to see the Church of San Giorgio in the square of the same name, with its three-door façade. It stands out among the village houses, enlivening the landscape with its tall, pointed bell tower.

The church was built in the 14th century, and its interior still contains 15th-century paintings by Brentani, a 16th-century cross, a 17th-century confessional, and a couple of paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries. The church’s façade features a fresco depicting St. Christopher.

Nearby you can see the typical Romanesque church of San Giovanni Battista, one of the oldest in the Lake Como region. Also located in the main square is the small 17th-century Baroque church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

Among Varenna’s architectural landmarks, Villa Cipressi stands out. The villa is a fairly large complex of buildings, rebuilt many times since the 15th century and now decorated in a neoclassical style. The villa boasts beautiful terraces, green and blooming, cascading down to the water, offering a beautiful view from the lake.

In another part of the village, further inland, are the ruins of the ancient Vezio Castle. The main fortress, with fragments of its walls, remains to this day.

During World War II, casemates were built in the castle’s dungeons, which can still be visited today. Falcons are bred in the castle, and theatrical performances featuring these birds are often held.

In the Fiumelatte area, there is a grotto from which a stream of water gushes down in the spring. It is also called the shortest river in the country: it flows into the lake after 250 meters.