The best hotels in Varenna

What are the best hotels in Varenna?

For such a small village, there’s a surprisingly good choice of places to stay, from intimate family-run hotels and charming B&Bs to elegant waterfront addresses with some of the finest views on Lake Como. We have chosen Albergo Milano as our top pick from this list: a small, characterful hotel in a superb lakeside location, with a gorgeous terrace overlooking the water, a charming restaurant and the kind of intimate atmosphere that makes it feel perfectly at home in Varenna.

Varenna sits on the eastern shore of Lake Como, opposite fashionable Bellagio, and is one of the lake’s most appealing places to stay if you want a quieter, more intimate base. It’s wonderfully well connected, with ferries linking you to Bellagio and other lakeside towns, while trains make the journey to Milan surprisingly straightforward. The village itself is wonderfully romantic, with colourful houses, narrow cobbled lanes and flower-filled terraces tumbling down towards the water. At its centre, Piazza San Giorgio and the Church of San Giorgio provide a useful starting point for exploring, while the lakeside Riva Grande is lined with cafés, restaurants and gelaterias.

Scroll down for our full selection of recommended hotels in Varenna.

The Best Places to Stay in Varenna

For Families

• Albergo Milano is a great value choice for families. It’s small and very charming, with just 14 rooms, suites and apartments sleeping up to five, all simply and comfortably decorated, but with a configuration to suit most families. There’s not a huge amount of space, but it’s very well laid out, and that includes the charming restaurant and gorgeous sun terrace with incredible lake views. The owners also manage the property, and they’re charming and helpful — just what you need when you’re travelling with a family or group.

For a B&B

• Casa Contrada Bella is a small and chic option, with just three stylish rooms that make the most of the villa-conversion’s original charms. Two of the rooms have small kitchenettes, and the third has a balcony. There are plenty of places to eat and drink in the charming streets around the Casa, and there’s a great beach close by too.

For Great Value

• Albergo Olivedo is a gorgeous little townhouse hotel right across from the water in Varenna. It’s been owned by the same family for four generations, and its ten rooms have a really authentic feel of Lake Como: stone or parquet floors, a cheerful colour scheme, big windows and private balconies, and an authentic restaurant too. Totally charming.
• Varenna also has Hotel du Lac, which is also right on the lake, and family-owned and run. Its 16 rooms are simply and comfortably decorated with antiques, and most have private balconies or terraces, and lake views. There’s also a large dining terrace and an airy restaurant that juts out over the lake. The location is perfect for exploring.

Prefer a Self-catering Apartment or villa?

• Sometimes a villa or apartment is the best option if you're travelling in a larger group, so if you decide that you'd prefer a self catering option, check out our online booking partner, booking.com for some inspiration.

Travel Information

• Varenna is between international airports: Milan’s Linate, Malpensa and Bergamo Airport are about an hour and a quarter away by road, or around two hours by train, while Brescia-Montichiari and Verona-Villafranca are both about two hours drive, or four and a half on the train via Milan,
• Lake Como is great for a road trip! If you want to hire a car we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• Lake Como has a milder climate than its surrounds, its great body of water helps regulate the temperature, and allows for sub-tropical plants like grapevines and olive trees to grow throughout the year. Winter does get chilly, and in summer it can be humid, but in general it has some of the best weather conditions in Europe. April through to October are the busiest months for visitors, warm and sunny, perfect for a lake break. The water of the lake even heats up during summer, and can get to 20°C come July! So if you are visiting at this time it’s worth booking as much as you can in advance.

Still not sure?

• Expand your search to include all the best places to stay on Lake Como
• Consider including other local towns in your search maybe beautiful Bellagio or Tremezzo, just across the water
• You could also consider refining your search by the kind of accommodation you’re looking for, be it the  best hotels with a view on Lake Como, the best luxury hotels on Lake Como, or the best hotels for families on Lake Como
• Or you could contact one of our friendly gurus for personalised advice.