79. A Month by the Lake. Varenna Part 1

We've driven from our tiny village of San Mamete on Lake Lugano, through the mountain valley to Lake Como several times.  

Como is larger than Lugano, more developed and more beautiful.  I think that the most beautiful village on Lake Como is Varenna.  It is where we stayed in 2004, for about 3 days and where we experienced our first electrical, summer storm.  These storms tear down the mountain passes and hit the lakes with great impact and little warning.  Quite scarry, the first time.  But on this visit there is no sign of a storm.  The weather is mild and warm.  

Here is a little map of Varenna.  Because this village is on the side of a mountain, there is not much flat (make that - gently sloping) land on which to build.  As you can see, the main road runs through the village with the ferry station (ferry equals public transport) in the little bay on the left.  Almost all buildings are between the road and the water.

The main village is centred on the church and square in the centre of the map.  (Melanie- this is the church where I bought your paintings from the artist displaying there.)  The dark blue line around the water's edge is a raised cliff-side boardwalk that provides waterfront pedestrian access from the village centre to the ferry.  Let's begin with the church and square, and walk down to the water.

Standing in the square looking up at the church with the mountain at the rear.

Walking down the tiny streets from the square ......

Which street will take us all the way down to the water?  Not this one.    

Ah .... this is the one!  Down we go ...

And at the bottom, more beautiful old European plane trees, dappled shade, ice-cream and coffee.

Not much public beach but 10 metres of pebbles is enough to get in and out of the water, if you're keen.

On the other side of the cafe, we connect with the pathway that wanders around the cliff-face and finishes at the car and passenger ferry.   There is a little shop under every residential building.

But before we wander off along the path, we sit here for coffee and the lovely view.  The haze seems to be associated with the current humidity (which is about 70%) and the lack of wind.

Varenna

Next ------- walking along the cliff face.