Varenna (LC), of prehistoric origins, is located on the Eastern shore of Lake Como. At first sight, it displays a network of alleyways and streets that descend sharply down to the lake and which hide extraordinary surprises. The Parish Church of St. George, in its namesake square in the town centre, is a basilica with three naves that was consecrated in 1313 and whose façade features a fresco of St. Christopher. On Via IV Novembre stands Villa Isimbrandi (or dei Cipressi), now a hotel, whose garden and terraces feature a wide variety of plants. One of the most beautiful botanical gardens of Lake Como can be found at Villa Monastero, previously a spiritual retreat for sisters of Cistercian order: sculptures include “La clemenza di Tito”, an unfinished work by Giovan Battista Comolli.
The nearby hamlet of Fiumelatte takes its name from a torrent that gushes out in mid-March whose foaming waters are the colour of milk.
Rising above the borgo are the ruins of the Castle of Vezio (12th-13th century), a key signalling point on the lake, which has a square tower and boundary walls.
Fondazione Lombardia Film Commission
Via Bergamo, 7 – 20032 Cormano (MI)
Phone: +39 02 89410090
Fax: +39 02 89422766
Email: filmcom@filmcomlombardia.it
