My Personal Guide to Varenna: What I Tell My Couples

Around 10 years ago, I shot my first wedding in Varenna and fell in love with this little town straight away. It is completely understandable—once you visit, you will be on my side. In fact, based on my experience, around half of all my wedding bookings are right here. Even though the town looks and feels small, it has everything needed for a small-to-medium wedding: plenty of B&Bs, the charming Hotel Victoria, the two most popular venues—Villa Cipressi and Villa Monastero—colorful houses, narrow streets, hundreds of little steps, picturesque corners everywhere, a small beach, a pier for private boats, and plenty of vendors happy to travel to the town by ferry, train, or car. As for me, I prefer Varenna over all other towns in the area for its wide choice of stunning photography locations. I want to show you why I consider it the most beautiful and convenient spot for a wedding, in the hope that you’ll keep it at the top of your list if you are looking for a Lake Como wedding venue.

Easy to reach: this may sound surprising at first, but to be honest, it is a very important point. Most towns on Lake Como have very limited transportation options, but Varenna has it all. One of the most convenient ways to arrive is by train. If you fly into Milan, there are direct trains, while coming from Bergamo requires a quick and easy switch in Lecco. Either way, the journey brings you to Varenna in about an hour. The last stretch—from Lecco to Varenna-Esino—offers an impressive ride through the mountains with stunning lake views during the final 20 minutes. It is a super cheap and reliable option if you prefer to avoid driving on narrow Italian roads. Alternatively, you can arrive by ferry, with frequent connections from Bellagio and Menaggio, as well as direct routes from Como. You can also rent a car; right across the road from Villa Cipressi, you will find a multi-story, spacious parking garage. Just keep in mind that finding an open spot there by noon can be a real challenge. Parking anywhere in town is a bit tricky, so I definitely recommend using that garage to save time searching for a space.

Things to do: when you come to Varenna, you may want to spend some extra time exploring. Besides the usual highlights like great restaurants and sunsets by the shore, you should definitely check out the two most delicious gelaterias right next to the public docks. Both sell homemade gelato, and believe me, you will never find anything more delicious anywhere else in Italy. Behind Hotel Victoria, there is a small public beach—spend a little time there to catch the local vibe. If you like hiking, here are two amazing locations: Castello di Vezio (entrance is around 10 Euros, but totally worth it, especially if you are into medieval history). You can climb to the top of the castle for a bird's-eye view of the entire town and stunning lake panoramas. Another incredible spot is marked as 'Lake Como viewpoint' on Google Maps (SS 36 del Lago di Como e dello Spluga, 23828 Bellano). It’s a large panoramic 'balcony' with views of Varenna and Bellagio from above, making it a great spot for a picnic with friends. If you enjoy mountain waterfalls, you could hike to the stream near Vezio - Orrido di Vezio (I've even seen people bathing there, though it's a bit risky since the water is usually freezing and the current strong). Personally, I love spending hours there reading a book and listening to the rushing water. There are almost no tourists, making it a very quiet place to be alone with your thoughts away from the crowds. And if you've seen it all, you can easily hop on a train to neighboring towns or back to Lecco, or take a ferry to Bellagio or Menaggio. Both are wonderful places to visit—you'll need about half a day for Bellagio, while an hour or two is plenty for Menaggio. In Bellagio, you can check out a few great spots I covered in another article, and Menaggio offers plenty of hiking trails if you want to explore further. In any case, with ferries running constantly, you always have options whenever you want a break from Varenna.

Villas: for your wedding venue, you basically have two main options, and to be honest—there is no need to over-sell them. They are both incredible for weddings, well-planned, and located right on the water with stunning views and picturesque spots. However, they are quite different from each other. Having photographed dozens of weddings at both locations, I want to share my personal experience and thoughts:

Villa Cipressi: This villa is an all-in-one package. You get hotel rooms for getting ready, a restaurant for your aperitivo and party, amazing spaces for the ceremony, dinner, dancing, and the cake cutting, plus a stunning botanical garden for photography. At the very bottom of the gardens right by the lake, you will find the 'Gates of Heaven' (Porta del Cielo), which has recently become an Instagram superstar because of the sheer number of photos taken there by visitors and wedding couples.

Villa Monastero: I have never shot a full-day wedding there—in fact, I am not even sure if that option exists—but I have photographed dozens of ceremonies there, so I can definitely say this place is like a living postcard. With its vintage statues, historic architectural details, and stunning staircases with charming old decor, you will fall in love with it, and it looks truly impressive in photos. Ceremonies usually take place on the balcony, meaning most of your ceremony photos will also capture the gorgeous gardens of Villa Cipressi next door. The garden itself is quite long, but I strongly recommend walking all the way to the end and heading up to the upper terrace for incredible views from above.

Shopping: I have to be honest here—if you are planning to do some serious shopping, Varenna is definitely the wrong place for it. However, there are two very good options nearby: one easily reached by train, and the other by car. If you just need a few basic groceries for home cooking, you can find fresh meat and vegetables near the church. But for a proper supermarket, I recommend taking the train just one stop toward Sondrio to Bellano, where you will find a decent Eurospin grocery store not far from the station. On the other hand, if you need electronics, clothes, flowers, or a very large supermarket, and you have a car, I recommend driving to Centro Commerciale Fuentes, which is about 30 minutes away (also in the direction of Sondrio). Plan for a good few hours if you go there, as the mall is quite large, and you can always wrap up your trip by grabbing a coffee or a meal.

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What else to do in Varenna: Varenna is famous for its beautiful sunsets, as the final rays of light illuminate the colorful houses at Molo Riva Grande. Spend some quiet time there to soak in the golden hour and the true Varenna vibe. There are a few restaurants along the waterfront that can be a bit overpriced, but they serve quite good food—a great choice for the evening if you don't mind dining right on the lively streets. There is a public laundry, a couple of shops selling local food and handmade clothing, a few pubs, a pizzeria, a small grocery store, and a pharmacy—all clustered to the right and left of the church. And of course, there is the church itself. I often spend time just sitting there, listening to what I consider the most beautiful language in the world, as Italian priests preach or lead worship songs. In front of the church is a lovely little square with several reasonably priced cafés and restaurants. This area is exceptionally beautiful in the evening, and I frequently bring couples there for photos. Even though I mentioned there are ferries to Bellagio and Menaggio, to be honest, I rarely feel the urge to go. This little town has its own magic, and I would much rather spend my time enjoying the art of doing nothing right here than traveling elsewhere.