Ferry Hop to Varenna & the Greenway del Lago
The single most rewarding day out from Menaggio combines a short ferry crossing to the Tremezzina shore with a stretch of the Greenway del Lago di Como — a dedicated 10-kilometre walking path that threads through villa gardens, olive groves and medieval hamlets entirely away from traffic. No car, no stress, pure lake.
The Greenway Route
The Greenway del Lago runs between Colonno and Cadenabbia on the western shore, passing through the villages of Sala Comacina, Ossuccio and Lenno. The full route takes three to four hours at a gentle pace, but you can join or leave it at multiple ferry stops, making it completely flexible. The section between Ossuccio and Lenno, passing the UNESCO-listed Sacro Monte di Ossuccio and its 14 Baroque chapels, is the most dramatic stretch.
The path dips through the grounds of Villa Balbianello at Lenno — one of the most photographed villas on the lake, used as a film location in Casino Royale and Star Wars Episode II. Entry to the gardens costs €10 and is worth every cent; the loggia terrace over the lake is unforgettable.
Combining with a Varenna Crossing
From Menaggio, take the car ferry (runs year-round) across to Varenna on the eastern shore for a morning of wandering the yellow-and-terracotta village, visiting Villa Monastero's botanical gardens and eating lunch at one of the waterfront restaurants on Via XX Settembre. Varenna is less visited than Bellagio and correspondingly more authentic.
Return to Menaggio in the early afternoon, then take the short hop south to Cadenabbia to pick up the Greenway for a two-hour evening walk back toward Menaggio through the olive groves above the lake. The light on the water in late afternoon on this stretch is exceptional.
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