In Bellano, we can treat ourselves to the famous orrido, a natural gorge eroded over the centuries by the flow of the waters of the Pioverna torrent. The ravine was private property until the nineties of the last century, and its tumultuous waters have been used since the sixteenth century to fuel the forges for processing the iron extracted from the mines of Valsassina and, later, the Cantoni cotton mill. The visit to the ravine is now possible through a series of walkers and suspended walkways, which allow passage between the rocky walls to enjoy the spectacular view of the Pioverna flowing between caves and ravines. The route is simple and suitable for everyone, and you are also allowed to bring dogs with you (for info: Bellano Info Point, tel. 335 1752102, infopoint@comune.bellano.lc.it). Near the ravine stands a building with an irregular plan, four floors high, known as the Devil’s House. Legends and mysterious stories are linked to this building, which cannot be visited inside, not least that which claims it was the scene of satanic rites and parties of dubious morality. It is present on the external walls of the turret, which depicts some mythological figures, including a satyr. Still, certainly, the constant roar of water and the bizarre figures that formed in the foam in the past may have nourished the imagination of the most fearful.

The first certain news of Varenna dates back to 769 AD, although the discovery of remains from the Gallic-Roman era has confirmed much older settlements. In 1126, during the Ten Years’ War, which saw Como and Milan opposed, Varenna sided with the latter, suffering a painful destruction. The same fate befell a few decades later (1169) the overlooking Comacina Island: the fleeing islanders were welcomed by the Varennese, starting a period of prosperity and economic development. Even today, on Saturday and Sunday of the week in which June 24th, the feast of Saint John, falls, thousands of floating candles are released onto the lake’s surface to remember the fugitives heading towards the mainland. In the main square of Varenna, Piazza San Giorgio, there are four religious buildings, including one of the oldest places of worship in the Lario, the Mother church of Saint John the Baptist, built in the 11th century and and decorated with evocative frescoes dating back to the 16th century. In front of it stands the Church of Saint George, a perfect example of medieval Lombard architecture: built between 1250 and 1313 on the foundations of an ancient Roman temple, it was then modified in the Baroque age. On the facade, there is a large fresco depicting Saint Christopher, the protector of ferrymen, while inside, it is possible to admire a series of frescoes painted in the 13th century, including a triptych of the Madonna with Baby Jesus, Saint George, and Saint Martin, who in origin was located in the mother church. Perhaps the most critical work is a precious painted stone sculpture depicting the Deposition from the Cross, but the flooring, made with precious black marble from the quarries in the area, is also worth a look.
Not far form the square we find the splendid Villa Monastero (www.villamonastero.eu),built at the end of 1100 as a female Cistercian monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The succession of different owners led to a series of modifications, enrichment, and renovation works between the beginning of the 1600s and 1939 when the Milanese De Marchi family donated the villa to the State.
The villa has now been transformed into a museum, with 14 rooms where it is possible to admire the original decorations and furniture. The splendid botanical garden, which extends almost two km up to Fiumelatte, enjoys a particularly mild lake climate, allowing it to cultivate even rare and exotic species successfully. Adjacent to Villa Monastero is Villa Cipressi, a complex of buildings developed between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries, now owned by the Municipality, which houses a renowned hotel, a conference center and the venue for civil weddings. It is possible to visit the gardens, subject to seasonal opening (March-October).
Going down the alleys and steps leading to the lake’s waters, you reach the pier by taking the Love’s Walk, a walkway cantilevered over the lake, whose pink metal structure is covered mainly with intensely scented climbing plants. Near the mooring, there is also an ancient “Lucia” on display, the typical boat from Lake Como that Manzoni described when recounting the escape of Renzo and Lucia from Don Rodrigo.
For ornithology enthusiasts, in Varenna it is also possible to visit the Luigi Scanagatta Ornithological and Natural Science Museum, which preserves an extensive collection of local species, both sedentary and migratory, and an essential scientific library (for visits and information contact the single tourism portal of the Municipality of Varenna: tel. 0341-830367, infopoint@varennaturismo.com)

A pleasant walk through the alleys of the Borgo Castello takes us back to the medieval period. Located on the natural peninsula that divides the bathing beach of Riva Bianca from the ancient fishermen’s landing place, it is a fortification that was already present in Roman times. It also stores foodstuffs such as oil and wine and promotes trade via the lake. Although the toponym Lierna seems to derive from the Latin Hibernia, which implies a winter camp, the first traces of the village seem to date back to the Celtic era.
The first official sources in which the castle is cited as a fortification date back to the Ten Years’ War (1118-1127), in which Lierna was also long disputed between Como and Milan. It was in medieval times that the fortress system developed, of which some sections of the walls towards the lake remain, the square base of a watchtower, and the Church of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, built around the 11th century.
The peculiarity of this church lies in the fact that it was designed to fulfill its function as a place of worship even during sieges; the external wall of the apse, facing the lake, is an integral part of the defensive system.
Of the frescoes that once decorated the façade of the building, the figures of Saints Maurizio and Lazzo in warrior clothes are still visible. Furthermore, inside is a relic of Saint Maurice, which is carried in procession on the occasion of the celebrations for the Patron Saint on 22 September. Around the sixteenth century, the village lost its defensive function and gradually transformed into a commercial and residential center.