Castello di Vezio

The approach to Castello di Vezio is the walk that separates the committed visitor from the casual tourist. From Varenna's lakefront promenade — where seaplanes once landed and Mussolini was briefly held after his arrest in 1943 — a steep path climbs 200 metres through olive terraces and cypress groves to a tower that has watched over the lake for nine centuries. When you arrive, breathless, the view is Lake Como entire: the fork of the two arms below Bellagio, the snow-capped Alps behind Menaggio, the ferry routes crossing between villages whose names you recognise from photographs. This is the view that made Lake Como famous.

The tower at Vezio was built in the 11th or 12th century on foundations that may date to Roman or earlier occupation of this natural lookout point. The ridge above Varenna commanded the narrows of the central lake; any ship or army moving up or down Lake Como was visible from this tower for hours before arrival. Medieval documents mention the castle in connection with the Visconti family, rulers of Milan, and later the Sforzas, who used it as part of the defensive chain controlling the lake approach to Milan.

Varenna is among the least commercialised of the major Lake Como villages — quieter than Bellagio, more residential than Menaggio, preserved by the relative difficulty of reaching it: a train from Milan stops here, the alternative being a ferry. The village's two main attractions are the lakefront gardens of Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi, and the castle above. The walk between them, up through the village and then climbing, takes 15 to 20 minutes. This physical effort filters the crowds considerably: Vezio sees far fewer visitors than its views and history deserve.

The castle hosts falconry demonstrations on selected days throughout the summer season, with hawks, eagles and owls flown by resident falconers in the castle grounds. This is not a gimmick: falconry has been associated with this type of military tower since the medieval period, since falconers and watchmen occupied the same elevated position for similar reasons, and the demonstrations are well-regarded. Check the castle's calendar before visiting if this is a priority.

Local legend holds that the castle is haunted by Teodolinda, the Lombard queen of the late 6th century who reputedly sheltered here during a military crisis. Queen Teodolinda is a significant historical figure: she converted the Lombard people to Nicene Christianity, ending a schism with Rome, and is depicted in the famous cycle of frescoes in Monza Cathedral. Whether she ever actually set foot in Vezio is unproven, but the association with a real historical figure of considerable importance gives the ghost story more substance than most.

The tower interior is accessible, and the upper levels give the highest viewpoint of the castle complex. A small garden with labelled medicinal herbs surrounds the tower base. The privately owned character of the castle, run by a family rather than a state institution, gives the place an informality that large heritage sites lack. The ticket is sold at a small booth by the entrance, and the experience throughout is unmediated.