IF YOU GO TO VARENNA...

IN A LABYTINTH OF ALLEYS

In the hearth of Varenna there's St. George Church, a XIV Century three naves Basilica that hosts artworks from the XIV-XV Century and furnishings of the XVII-XVIII Century.
Very interesting is the group of statues in coloured stone representing the deposition of Jesus from the cross and St. Christopher's fresco on the Church facade.

Located at the edge of the town on the lake side, Villa Monastero was originally a cloister, before to become a patrician residence. A spectacular walk along the lake reaches the near Fiumelatte, with avenues, ferraces and gardens rich of tropical and mediterranean plants. Today, it's possible to visit the Villa as museum/house and hosts a congress centre.

Adjacent to Villa Monastero is Villa Cipressi, a group of buildings realized between the XVI and XIX Century, with old gardens and terraces overlooking the lake, and a unique bothanic path. Its name comes from the beautiful and ancient cypresses that have grown up in the garden.

Close to Varenna there ìs the small town of Fiumelatte, whose name comes from the very shirt and intermittent river (it flows only from March to September, in the other months it's dry), with impetuous waters and milky appearance.

From Varenna you can make an escursion on the Esino Torrent Valley. The first town thant you reach is Perledo, where there's the Vezio Castle, a well conserved fortress, with a curious exhibition of bird of prey. Continuing along this way you reach Esino Lario at a height of 900mt, that is an optimal base for the excursions on the Grigna mountain.