We walk along the ‘Viandante’ from the pearl of the lake Varenna to Bellano, with a visit to the medieval castle of Vezio.
Distance: 9km
Height difference: 300m.
Journey time: 3h
Meeting Point: 09:30 at: Varenna Station
(From Milan Trenonord regional train leaving at 8.20 am, arriving in Varenna 9.24 am).
We will walk along the “Viandante”, a panoramic path used over the centuries to connect Milan to Switzerland. The route offers splendid views of Lake Como, passing through picturesque villages, ancient courtyards and ruins, small mountain churches, terraces with vineyards and olive trees. Deserved stops will allow us to contemplate and photograph these breathtaking landscapes.
This third stage runs between Varenna and Bellano, offering glimpses of the most enchanting part of Lake Como, the centre of the lake. We begin by visiting Varenna, a beautiful village with its narrow streets and lakeside promenade, and then climb to the village of Vezio, dominated by its medieval castle. We visit the beautiful medieval castle of Vezio and discover its history. From here we will continue on a gentle up and down between olive groves and exciting viewpoints, we will see the vestiges of the ancient ‘water’ funicular railway that led to the Grand Hotel Regoledo, and we will continue on to the famous Orrido di Bellano, a deep and impressive canyon carved out over the centuries by the Pioverna river. In a few minutes we will be at Bellano station where we will take the train back to Varenna.
What to bring for the hike
Hiking shoes or boots, water, packed lunch, optional trekking poles, rain and wind protection.
NB: You will find several fountains along the route where you can fill your water bottle.