Aerial view of the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice
VILLA MONASTERO
Villa Monastero, Lake Como, Italy
A villa with botanical gardens overlooking Lake Como near Varenna
Jocelyn Erskine-Kellie, CC BY-SA 2.0, RaminusFalcon, CC BY-SA 3.0, Daderot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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ABOUT THE VILLA
Originally the site of a Cistercian convent (12th century) in Varenna, the estate was purchased by Paolo Mornico in 1569, using his fortune amassed through iron mining in Valsassinia, who transformed it into a prestigious residence.
In 1936 the Milanese De Marchi family, originally from Switzerland, donated the villa to the public and it became a museum, the gardens opening to the public in 1940.
Villa Monastero museum house contains a collection of optical, electronic, and mechanical instruments.
The Villa has a cafe.
From March to October the opening hours are:
House Museum
Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays from 9:30am to 7:30pm
Botanical Garden
Daily from 9:30 to 19:30
Winter hours are different, please see the website.
Dogs are allowed only in the Garden and must be kept on a leash
Information
VILLA MONASTERO & GARDENS ENTRANCE FEE
Full price 13,00 euros
euros 9,00 people over 65 years old
euros 7,00 young people from 15 to 25 years old
Free for disabled people
Entrance for only the gardens
Full price euros 10,00
euros 7,00 people over 65 years old
euros 5,00 young people from 15 to 25 years old
Free for disabled people
VILLA MONASTERO LOCATION
The Villa is in the centre lake area, at Varenna.
From the ferry stop, the villa is a 10-12 minute walk through the centre of Varenna.
Ferries to Varenna take between 15 and 30 minutes from Bellagio; from Menaggio 12-20 minutes and both run frequently throughout the day.
From Varenna’s train station, the villa is a about a 13 minute walk.
Tickets & Ferries
Discover the best three villas of Lake Como on one self-guided tour. Start from Bellagio, Tremezzo, or Varenna and explore Villa Monastero, Villa Carlotta, and Villa Melzi d’Eril at your own pace.
Explore the iconic villas of Lake Como and the picture-perfect towns of Bellagio, Varenna, and Tremezzo in one day with ease, thanks to pre-booked entry tickets and ferry transportation.
Start your self-guided trip in Bellagio, Varenna, or Tremezzo. Spend the day exploring the towns and their villas at your own pace, focusing on what interests you. Travel across Lake Como using the public ferry, a convenient service that connects the three towns where the villas are located.
FERRY INFORMATION
The Ferry stop for Villa Monastero is Varenna
Varenna Hotels
A selection of hotels in Varenna, Lake Como, Italy