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Path of the Wayfarer: from Lierna to Varenna

Activities and Excursions, Places and Villages

Sentiero del Viandante is one of the most enchanting itineraries of Lake Como and the whole of Lombardy. We'll tell you about it in 4 stages.

STAGE 2

Path of the Wayfarer: from Lierna to Varenna / Vezio

The second stage of the Sentiero del Viandante is the most challenging of all and takes us from the municipality of Lierna to that of Varenna, which can be reached by following two different routes: a Variante Bassa , which descends towards the lake, and an Variante Alta that climbs towards the mountain, more panoramic but also more intense, both in terms of altitude difference and type of route.

The two paths then rejoin at Varenna.

Low variant

General informations

From Lierna train station , take Provincial Road 72 for a while and continue, staying close to the lake towards the centre of Castello.

We then climb up the steps towards Ronco , where the path begins which, moving away from the lake, gains altitude and leads to the houses of Còria (780 m), the highest point of this stretch.

Shortly before reaching Còria the panorama opens onto the Bellagio promontory , which separates the two branches of Lake Como.

From here, entering the deep Val Vacchera , the path enters the woods and becomes narrower and steeper ( at one point you can help yourself with a fixed rope that acts as a handrail ), but still offering spectacular views, before gently descending again towards the lake.

Final part of stage 2

In the final part of the stage, approaching the municipality of Varenna, you follow the highway for a stretch and then continue along the path until you reach the source of the Fiumelatte , considered the shortest watercourse in Italy ( only 250 m from the source to where it flows into the lake ).

Interesting fact: it is precisely its foaming, milky-white waters that gave this waterway the name Fiumelatte (milk river).

Before reaching Varenna, the path climbs rapidly until it reaches the houses and castle of Vezio (360 m), which stands on a rocky spur and is a worthy finale for this stage.

From Vezio you descend towards the center of Varenna and its train station following a narrow cobbled road.

If you happen to travel along it in the months of April and May you will find an abundant flowering of wild garlic, very beautiful to see and which you will certainly not miss given the intense smell it gives off!

Before reaching the train station, a visit to the enchanting village of Varenna and its Lovers' Walk are a must.

We'll leave you some photos later.

What to see in this stage

High variant

General informations

We start from the Lierna train station and go up towards the hamlet of Genico (320m) following a cobbled street.

Photo by Manuela Brunello – Road to Lombardia

From here the route continues through the chestnut grove and becomes gentler until it reaches the meadows of Alpe Mezzedo (873 m) and its ice house, near which it is possible to enjoy magnificent views of the lake.

Another uphill stretch and shortly after you come to the crossroads for the beautiful Romanesque church of San Pietro (990m) located in an extremely panoramic position over the entire lake and the culminating point of the climb of this stage.

Continue at altitude following the comfortable, almost flat path that leads to Ortanella (950 m).

Photo by Manuela Brunello – Road to Lombardia

From here, continue along a dirt road and once you have passed Monte Fopp , the long descent through the woods begins until you reach the rocky spur on which the Vezio Castle stands , punctuated by truly stunning panoramic views of the lake: from the tip of the Larian Triangle with the Bellagio promontory in the foreground which divides the two branches of Lake Como, to the view from above of the villages of Varenna and Menaggio , on the Como shore of the lake.

When you find yourself in the woods, look around and admire the wonders that nature offers you!

In spring you will certainly find trees dotted with yellow: these are the laburnums, which promptly color the woods on the slopes of the Lombardy lakes every year.

Leaving the woods, first follow a stretch of road and then the path until you reach the Vezio castle, with its famous watchtower.

If you have time available, don't miss a visit to the village and the castle.

Photo by Manuela Brunello – Road to Lombardia

From Vezio you descend towards the center of Varenna and its train station following a narrow cobbled road.

From here the route joins the Variante Bassa and a steep mule track descends towards the historic center of Varenna and its enchanting lakeside promenade.

What to see in this stage

Conclusion

We thank the author Manuela Brunello , the blonde with the suitcase, for the article; here's her personal Instagram profile. Road to Lombardia is her page for discovering places to visit in Lombardy.