08 Oct 10 Magical Reasons to Vacation In Varenna On Lake Como

Okay, if you’ve been following our visit to Varenna on our blog, we’re going to wrap up our stay at the Royal Victoria Hotel on Lake Como with our stroll near these fantastic wooden doors and some fireworks!

I’ll also leave you with 10 reasons you should choose to stay in Varenna, versus Como or Belaggio when you vacation on Lake Como.

But first, you’ve been patiently waiting for this stroll and last time I never even got you past our first “Al Fresco” dinner (see previous post HERE). My apologies….but there was a reason…..it was such a memorable spot that I really wanted to share that moment with you, and I admit savor it just a bit more, so you could really get the feel for this magical village. So thank you for indulging me. (Do you recognize that spot from last week’s post in the photo below?)

So our first full day was absolutely gorgeous weather! Blue skies, the water glistening in the sun, and we took total advantage of the Royal Victoria Hotel’s private beach and terraces and relaxed there and swam.  We lounged on the terrace and beach and I think slept a lot. We had already decided that we were going to use Varenna as a mini vacation to R&R before sightseeing for the next 10 days in Venice, Florence and Milan, so it was easy to not take the ferry, and sleep and lounge instead. I think because I knew some day I’d be back.

Ah, the water was simply divine…the most perfect temperature, compared to swimming on the Gulf coast in Texas which can sometimes feel like taking a hot bath!  It wasn’t quite as cold as Austin’s Barton Springs Pool at 68 degrees year round, but somewhere warmer while still utterly refreshing.

So come along. As you know, if you’ve been following our tales of Varenna, that we pass through the main piazza (plaza) where our fabulous Royal Victoria Hotel is right along the main street running through the center of the plaza. I’m not sure if I’ve really told you much about the church, but it is really the centerpiece of this little comune.

Dominating Varenna’s main square is the 14th Century church, Chiesa di San Giorgio. Open to the public, this striking masterpiece of Lombardy architecture features frescoes inside and out with one featuring the image of St. Christopher to bring luck to passing travelers. Visible from the lake, it’s tall natural stone spire reaches heavenward well above the town rooftops. The church is a basilica and nave containing a baroque altar of black and red inlays with flooring made entirely of the black marble of Varenna.

 

On postcards it is the church steeple that peeks out from the side of the mountain. And what a beautiful church it is, as you can see above! But it is the clock that serenaded us during our visit. It chimed on the hour right outside our hotel window and one evening it chimed what seemed like 20 times…and we never could figure out why. But having our room overlook the piazza and listening to the church bell, made for a very peaceful stay in this medieval village and the bell had a beautiful ring it.

Then later that day we headed down the steep paths again to see magic all along the edge of Lake Como. And as you know, there are many!!  Here’s just a small sampling below.

We strolled along the Passeggiata degli Innamorati (Lovers’ walk) below.  Dotted along the shore, were quaint sidewalk cafes, shops, boats, garden gates to villas, until you reach the main park where the ferries come in and out.  We heard rumor that out of all the towns on Lake Como, Varenna seems to be the only spot that actually enables you to stroll right along the waters edge.

The Lover’s Walk is was one of the top 10 reasons we loved Varenna! (see list at end of post).

Along the walk trimmed in a bright red fence, we saw so much incredible beauty. First, it was great being basically right on the water’s edge. Here’s my husband and daughter strolling along, as you can see next to a wall of greenery. And behind that stone fence are beautiful villas of all shapes and sizes. This pic below takes you almost to where the ferries come in and out.

I love this one below as there were so many archways to walk under and sometimes we’d see musicians, or a fellow stroller, or as you’ll see below, an artist.

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And the flowers were abundant and breathtaking in their rich colors, like these breathtaking hot pink hydrangea! We really enjoyed all the lush flora on the ancient walls that lined the walkway. There always seemed to be a few garden gates here and there leading up to a towering villa. (My husband joked that he bought me this one below, but sadly the check bounced…sigh).

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Or this delicate soft white and pale lavender hydrangea….simply gorgeous!

Next you might see a gate, or a fence or ancient stone walls.

 I wanted to open one of these gates and just step inside to another world as you can imagine whole lives and history behind each door and gate you see. (you can see a large assortment of the gates in our #TextureTuesday post on Varenna HERE).

But soon, within such a short stroll from our hotel, really, just about 15 minutes, you land right in the heart of the hustle and bustle where the ferries land.

 

We had originally had a reservation at this cool hotel (below) which was right next to the ferry landing (above). And boy, was I ever glad to realize this – NO, you do NOT want to be right next to the ferry (unless you do have difficulty walking) because it’s rather noisy and a lot of tourists around this hotel and the promenade below.

I loved catching the locals in action like this Italian repainting the shutters!

We leisurely strolled  more that afternoon stopping at a cafe for some pizza to watch all the travelers come in and out by ferry. Two tourists from Germany (below) plopped themselves down with HUGE suitcases and ordered melon and proscuitto. That is a popular meal and one I quickly fell in love with. They take fresh cantaloupe and wrap it in the most delicious proscuitto. I loved cantaloupe, but didnt love proscuitto until our trip to Italy. (My daughters been a proscuitto addict for years!).

Let me tell you, when you taste proscuitto in Italy you never want it anywhere else.

I found out later from my friend Linda Funay with Austin Home magazine that the U.S. can never truly get the great stuff because we don’t allow meats imported that are cured longer than 30 or 60 days. And of course the best meats are cured a lot longer! (I made one mistake and said 24 years…lol!)

The antipasto meat in Italy is THE best…..served for breakfast lunch and dinner. Its all great any time of the day!!

We loved the boats and swans and musicians and came across an artist painting by the shore under the very stone arch we walked. Later, I ran back to him to see if he had a watercolor of the Royal Victoria Hotel. He said no, but he’d paint one for us. So I picked it up the next day and it is such a wonderful piece I will treasure of our time in Varenna at the Royal Victoria Hotel.

Then it was back to the hotel for a great nap with the chiming of the church bells and onto the most incredible gourmet dinner!

We decided to indulge in one the hotel was hosting. It promised a 5-course meal, wine and fireworks. And it did not dissapoint. The evening was beautiful….probably the most perfect temperature….cool but comfortable. They served delicious hors d’oeuvres and then we enjoyed our table in the corner.

The hotel staff at Royal Victoria really know how to treat their guests… we felt well taken care of!!

Dining al fresco again, but in the courtyard of the Royal Victoria Hotel…well it kind of felt a little like a fairy tale….one that I could easily drift away in and never come back.

Our beautiful daughter, having the time of her life enjoying her fave, proscuitto!

My dear husband, David relaxing on the hotel’s terrace.

The risotto that was to die for!!  What a delicious meal. It was an enchanting evening!

Then boom the fireworks were spectacular!

On our last day there the rain that had been forecast started to creep into the mountain valley, but all was clear before you could blink an eye. And nothing, not even rain, could dampen our wonderful stay in Varenna on Lake Como.

Because when it cleared, below is how spectacularly beautiful Lake Como is  when the clouds clear…simply magnificent!!

So if you get the lucky chance to go to Lake Como, I’ve learned it is not beyond your dreams or just for the rich and famous (like Clooney, who I heard was selling his Villa anyways).

Varenna and Lake Como is for anyone who wants to breath in the fresh air, enjoy the cool waters and dine al fresco in the simplest but magical of all places.

Thank you dear friend Linda Cangelosi for encouraging us to make Varenna our destination on Lake Como. I missed the silk in Como, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world for our experience in Varenna!

Now on to our Top Ten reasons you too should stay in Varenna!

As we depart Varenna after the most relaxing and magical 3-day stay at Hotel Royal Victoria, (which I highly recommend!) on Lake Como in the Italian Alps, I leave you with my 10 reasons why you should stay in Varenna on your vacation in Lake Como. And below are a few pics of the train station, a 5 minute walk to from the Village. Everything in Varenna is all right there waiting for you!

Numero Uno: The view

Numero Due: The hotel – Royal Victoria Hotel

Numero Tre: The Lover’s Walk

Numero Quattro: The Lake Como

Numero Cinque: The quaint Medieval Village

Numero Sei: The ambience

Numero Sette: The food

Numero Otto: The history

Numero Nove: The ferry

Numero Dieci: That special spot.

That magical experience you have as the night falls and you’re dining al fresco right on the edge of Lake Como. Nothing, simply nothing beats that!

Next week, we’ll be giving you a #TextureTuesdayTease for our  next destination Venice. Sights and sounds and color and texture and the lure of the Grand Canal awaits you. I hope you’ll sign up for my blog HERE and join me in the next adventure, which if you think Varenna was magical, you’re in for an entirely different experience in Venice. Till next time, Ciao!  XO PG

Note: I was not compensated in any way by the Royal Victoria Hotel or Varenna. All images and opinions are my own.