Description of the attraction
Varenna is a resort town on the shores of Lake Como in the province of Lecco, located 60 km north of Milan and 20 km north-west of Lecco. According to the latest census, only about a thousand people permanently live in it. The shortest river in Italy flows in Varenna, in the Fiumlatte quarter - it has a length of only 250 meters. And its name - Fumelatte, which in translation from Italian means "milk river", it received for the color of the water.
The main attraction of Varenna is the Castello di Vezio, built in the 11th century and rebuilt several times. During the First World War, underground punishment cells were built on its territory, which were opened to the public in 1999. After crossing the suspension bridge, you can get to the main tower of the castle and climb to its top, from where you can enjoy a wonderful view of Lake Como. There is a gravel path along the north side of the castle, which is buried in flowers of amazing beauty in spring. If you lean against the railing, you can see Varenna spread out below. From there, you can climb the stairs to the olive grove. Today in Castello di Vezio there is a falconry, where you can see a real costume performance. Birds of prey are bred here, teaching them to hunt - buzzards, barn owls, Mediterranean falcons and long-eared owls.
In addition, in the vicinity of Varenna, it is worth exploring the villas Cipressi and Monastero. The latter was once a Cistercian monastery, as the name implies, and was dedicated to Mary Magdalene. It was built in 1208 by monks who fled the island of Comacina (a small island on Lake Como) after it was devastated during the war between Milan and the city of Como. In 1567, the monastery was abolished, and the building itself, along with the lands belonging to it, was bought by the Mornico family. One hundred years later, Lelio Mornico completely rebuilt the building of the monastery and turned it into a luxurious orphanage. Then, over the years, the villa passed from hand to hand until it became the property of Marco de Marca, who handed it over to the local Hydrobiological and Limnological Institute. And since 1963, Villa Monastero has been an international cultural and research center. It is surrounded by a wonderful garden with citrus trees, cypresses, pines and agaves. The alleys of the garden are decorated with statues and bas-reliefs.
Not far from Villa Monastero is Villa Cipressi, recently acquired by the local municipality. In the near future, they intend to turn it into a cultural center. Villa Cipressi, once owned by the Serpontis family, one of the oldest in Varenna, is also surrounded by a vast park with cypress groves from which it got its name.
