Varenna-Bellagio-Lierna by ferry

One lazy day designated for sightseeing between two days of demanding hiking was the perfect idea! Ok … this day ultimately was not so lazy with 16km of walking ;-) Varenna was our first destination that day, one of the top rated towns on the shores of Lake Como. Immediately after arriving we noticed a really long queue in front of the ferry. The first thing we did was buying tickets and actually getting some information about the ferry schedule which was very difficult to find online (scan of the ferry schedule in practical info section on the bottom of the post).

We didn’t know exactly what we should see in this town. I just noticed on MAPS.ME (our favorite app with offline maps) a castle above the town and thought there was going to be a nice view from there. I was right ! Just look at the pictures below. You have to buy a ticket to enter the castle which is in ruins now but nicely maintained with “ghost” sculptures scattered around the place and few birds of prey sitting in the small olive garden where you can have a rest in the refreshing shadow. The best spot for a great view is the tower of the castle but unfortunately there were some very annoying insects attacking people so we could really barely enjoy the view and take photos.

Colorful houses, narrow streets, lots of flowers, a breathtaking view from the castle…the beauty of this town charmed us! :) However there was still a lot of sightseeing waiting for us in the next village. Before lunch we took a ferry to Bellagio, a must to visit while travelling in this region of Italy. The ferry took us there in around 15 min and it was really charming to see Varenna disappearing in the distance. The first thing you’ll see while getting close to the shore are Bellagio’s nice, big hotels.

This small city is always really crowded, full of expensive shops and art galleries, shopping lovers will definitely feel satisfied there! ;) We had a really italian lunch, carbonara and of course mandatory ice cream :) Next, we just walked through the park and along the shore of Como lake where we stumbled upon an exhibition with old motorcycles.

We got quite tired in the afternoon and decided to head back to Lierna where the plan was to lay dawn on the beach and chill until sunset and then take a train back to Lecco. The ferry left from Bellagio on time, however, it was really tricky to find a right spot to wait. There are a lot of people waiting and the screens show only the most popular connections, which left many people confused (our connection was served by a boat, not a ferry). The beach in Lierna was not very nice, really rocky and narrow. A few days later we discovered much better one in another village, Collico.

Practical info:

• Castello di Vezio - entrance fee 4 euro per person, check their website for opening hours.

• Ferry ticket from Varenna to Lierna with a change in Bellagio - 4,60 euro per person

• Train tickets:

  • Lecco - Varenna 2,90 euro per person. We made a mistake here and bought tickets on the train which cost us extra 4 euro per person! Note that this fee doesn’t apply when statring from a station without a ticket machine, for example Lierna

  • Lierna - Lecco 2,50 euro per person