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Villa
Monastero is located in Varenna, a picturesque medieval village,
rich in artistic monuments on the east coast of Lake Como, and
a tourist destination traditionally appreciated also for its superb
nature and landscape. On a headland at the mouth of the Esino
stream, it is in an exceptional panoramic location with a view
of the whole lake.
The area, which has been inhabited
since prehistoric times, was the dominion of the Gauls and the
Romans. It was involved in the war between Como and Milan, and
in 1169 it became a refuge for the inhabitants of Isola Comacina
when the island was burnt and destroyed by the Comaschi.
Behind the village, in the locality
of Vezio, lie the ruins of a medieval castle. The dungeon and
part of the castle walls are still standing.
Together with Villa Monastero, in
Varenna it is worth visiting the Church of St. George, built in
the 14th century, the oratory of St. John, of Romanesque origins,
Villa Cipressi, built between the XVII and the XIX century, the
Hotel Royal Victoria, once a spinnery and since 1838 a hotel,
the Venini mansion.
Near to Varenna lies the ward of
Fiumelatte, so named because of the white foam of its seasonal
stream, which flows in the spring from a cave to the nearby lake.
The walk to the ward is particularly pleasant.
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