Villa Monastero

Varenna, a short walk past the piazza.

A little history first.
Villa Monastero was initially a monastery founded at the end of the 12th century on the shores of Lake Como. At that time, the monastery was more like a farmhouse as opposed to the palace it is now.

At the beginning of the 17th century it was transformed into more of a palace. Then remodeled a couple more times in the 1800's.

Confiscated by Germany during WWI. Ultimately owned by a swiss couple who donated the property to the state in 1937 so that it could create a museum and an institute for hydrogeological studies. It now hosts scientific conferences and tourists. .

We enjoyed a relaxing morning in touring the museum and botanical gardens. The grounds stretch along the shore.

Peaceful. Beautiful. Views of the lake and mountains. A large variety of plant life, but not over done or over crowded.

The villa museum was a walk back in time. Again, the ceilings grab you. Here, everything is a canvas.

A morning spent walking hand in hand. A perfect vacation day.Read more