Depart from Varenna
Private boat tour from Varenna
Varenna faces the western shore, which makes it the most romantic departure point on Lake Como. From here Bellagio, Villa del Balbianello and the sunset are all within reach.
Depart from Varenna
Why Varenna is unforgettable
Varenna is smaller and quieter than Bellagio, but from the water it is just as beautiful. The ochre houses climb straight from the lake, the Castello di Vezio watches from above, and the gardens of Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi run down to the shore.
A private boat tour from Varenna is perfect for sunset: you cross to Bellagio, drift past Villa del Balbianello and return as the light turns the whole western shore gold.
Private boat tour from Varenna
What you see from Varenna
Riva Grande
The old fishermen's harbour at the foot of Varenna's coloured houses.
Villa Monastero
A kilometre of botanical gardens stepping down to the lake.
Bellagio
A five-minute crossing to the pearl of the lake and Punta Spartivento.
Villa del Balbianello
Cruise south-west around the Lavedo peninsula for the iconic view.
Private boat tour from Varenna
The villas you'll see
Your skipper slows down in front of each villa and explains what you are looking at.
- Villa del Balbianello · Lenno
- Late eighteenth-century villa built by Cardinal Durini on the Lavedo promontory; its loggia and gardens starred in Star Wars and Casino Royale.
- Villa Monastero · Varenna
- Former Cistercian convent turned eighteenth-century lakeside villa, with botanical gardens and a museum along the shore.
- Villa Cipressi · Varenna
- Fifteenth-century villa with terraced gardens above the lake, once a lemon grove and now part of a lakeside hotel.
Info
Plan your tour from Varenna
- Boarding
- Varenna harbour, your hotel jetty or the ferry dock.
- Best timing
- Late afternoon for a golden sunset cruise; morning for calm water.
- Perfect for
- Couples and small groups staying on the eastern shore.
Book a private boat tour from Varenna
Send us your dates and group size and we will plan a sunset or morning cruise from Varenna.