The old fishing village of Varenna is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Lake Como area and it’s a great place to stop for a day or two as part of a car hire holiday.
Once you’ve parked your hire car, you can take a stroll along the lakeside promenade or stop for something to eat in one of the restaurants. You can also visit the 14th century San Giorgio Church.
One of the main attractions in the Varenna area is the Castello di Vezio, which is located at the top of the mountain, overlooking Varenna. You can explore the remains of this medieval fortress and enjoy the beautiful panoramic view from the top of the tower. The castle is also now home to a number of birds of prey, and you can learn about the birds and see falconery displays in the castle gardens. The Castello di Vezio also has a restaurant.
There are also two famous villas in Varenna. The first, Villa Monastero, was originally a Cistercian convent and dates back to the 13th century. The convent was closed in 1566 and the building was sold to a local nobleman named Paolo Mornico. The Mornico family restored the building and turned it into a villa, before selling it in 1862.
Since then, the villa has changed hands many times and it is now owned by the C.N.R (National Council for Research) and used as a conference centre. You can, however, take a guided tour of the villa and its beautiful gardens. For more details, see the official Villa Monastero website.
The other major villa in Varenna is Villa Cipressi, which dates back to the 15th century. It is well-known for its attractive gardens and has now been converted into a hotel.
Once you have explored Varenna, you can continue your car rental holiday by either taking the car ferry to one of the other major resorts on Lake Como, or by continuing to drive north along the east leg of the lake.
Tags: car hire, car rental, Italy, Italy holidays, Lake Como, Varenna
