Should you visit Varenna or Bellagio?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Varenna and Bellagio. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Varenna
A golden light cascades from the heavens, bathing the misty blue mountains in a honey haze. The shivering waters of Lake Como blend the gentle blues and yellows of the sky to a tea rose pink that sits under white sailboats. A quaint village hustled around lush gardens, Varenna, Italy is an attractive fishing village that dates back to the eleventh century. Founded in 769 AD by fisherman, the town was originally destroyed in 1126 AD by the rival town Como, only to be restored refugees from the Isola Comacina whose town was also destroyed. Located on the eastern shore of the lake in the province of Lecco, Varenna is filled with a romantic air from its old Italian fisherman houses to the picturesque lanes. Unlike the towns of Bellagio or Milan, Varenna holds a particular authenticity to Italian culture without the burdens of tourist-ridden streets and hotel-packed areas. As Lake Como works as the main attraction of Varenna, the village provides its visitors with a wide array of entertainment on its pebbly beaches. Besides this, Varenna is also known for its exquisite gardens of two villas, Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi. Besides this, Varenna also has museums just waiting to be explored. Take a tranquil retreat to Varenna!
Bellagio
Bellagio is a small town on the coast of Lake Como. It is known for it's small, historic town center with historical Italian architecture, the beautiful coastline, good cuisine, and relaxed atmosphere.
The town itself is not cheap, as prices here tend to be high for pretty much everything. That's generally because Bellagio offers to much to visitors that it draws a decent crowd of tourists.
With lovely gardens, nice restaurants of all prices ranges, and beautiful scenes everywhere you look, this town is worth a visit.
Which city is cheaper, Bellagio or Varenna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Varenna is €131, while the average daily cost in Bellagio is €178. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Varenna and Bellagio in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Varenna, €138 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Varenna, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €69, such as in a hostel.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Bellagio is €266. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Varenna than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €27 on transportation in Varenna on average per day.
The average price of local transportation around Bellagio is €7.22 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Varenna
Also for Varenna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Varenna/Bellano/Lierna to/from Milan Malpensa Apt (private transfer):
$243
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bellagio
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bellagio:
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Bellagio/Lezzeno/Oliveto Lario to/from Milan Malpensa Apt (Private Transfer):
$243
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Bellagio Private Transfer from Bellagio (Como) to Milan Airport (MPX or LIN):
$387
-
Bellagio - Malpensa Airport Milan (MXP) / Private Departure Van Transfer:
$66
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Bellagio - Malpensa Airport Milan (MXP) / Private Departure Car Transfer:
$119
Is it cheaper to fly into Varenna or Bellagio?
Prices for flights to both Bellagio and Varenna change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
The average traveler spends about €42 per day in Varenna for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
In Bellagio travelers spend around €36 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Varenna €42
Bellagio €36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Varenna
For Varenna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Lunch or dinner and cooking demo at a local home in Varenna:
$106
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Small-group Street food tour in Varenna:
$111
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Small Group Market tour and Cooking class in Varenna:
$162
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Private Pizza & Tiramisu Class at a Cesarina's home with tasting in Varenna:
$180
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Private cooking class at a local's home with lunch or dinner in Varenna:
$180
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Cruise and Dinner on Lake Como from Varenna:
$184
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Market Tour and Home Cooking Class with Meal:
$214
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bellagio
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bellagio.
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Virtual Italian Cooking Class with Chef Luigi Gandola:
$160
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Cooking Lesson in Bellagio:
$253
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Private Virtual Cooking Class with Chef Luigi Gandola:
$299
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Cheese Cooking Class and Cheese Tasting with Chef Luigi Gandola:
$316
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Private Dinner in cellar by Chef Luigi Gandola Gourmet Menu and Expensive Wine:
$423
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Private Cooking Lesson with Chef Luigi Gandola in Bellagio:
$695
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An exclusive cooking class in Bellagio, on lake Como:
$756
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Varenna, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €27 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Varenna
For Varenna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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HIKING TOUR: VARENNA, Castle of VEZIO Villa MONASTERO, FIUMELATTE:
$74
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Dining Experience at a Local's Home:
$96
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Small Group Market tour and Dining Experience at a Cesarina's home in Varenna:
$136
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E-Bike Experience on Lake Como East Bank:
$138
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LA DOLCE VITA - BELLAGIO: Cruise & Lunch + Villa Melzi:
$243
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From Milan: Semi-Private Lake Como Day Trip with Cruise:
$271
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Romantic Tour:
$322
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Villa Balbianello and Flavors of Lake Como Walking and Boating Full-Day Tour:
$325
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LA DOLCE VITA - BELLAGIO: Cruise & Lunch + Villa Melzi (Guided Tour):
$330
Tours and Activities in Bellagio
Here are a few actual costs in Bellagio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Art Experience in Villa Melzi & lunch in Bellagio:
$243
-
Bellagio & Varenna, Lake Como, private guided tour:
$137
-
Bellagio Local Food Tasting E-Bike Tour:
$146
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Bellagio Walking Tour, Villa Melzi & Lunch:
$121
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Vintage Wooden Boat Rowing Experience on Lake Como:
$199
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Bernina Express Red Train Tour - The world's most spectacular railway routes:
$479
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Beyond Bellagio Hiking Tour:
$153
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Boat Tour - Historic Villas:
$414
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Boat Tour - Villa del Balbianello:
$495
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Boat tour - Wonderful Lake Como:
$856
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E-Bike Tour from Bellagio plus tastings and Villa Melzi:
$181
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Group Bike Tour: Onno & Ghisallino (E-bikes and Road bikes):
$106
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Varenna spend on average €18 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Bellagio may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €15 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Bellagio
Also in Bellagio, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Private Wine Tasting in Bellagio with Chef Luigi Gandola:
$212
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Varenna and Bellagio, we can see that Bellagio is more expensive. And not only is Varenna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Varenna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Varenna and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Bellagio would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bellagio than you might in Varenna.
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