Varenna: Wine Tasting and Entry Ticket to Villa Monastero
About This Experience
The Bellagio-free version of the same idea: Villa Monastero entry plus a tasting, with the tasting kept in Varenna so there is no crossing to time.
At the Invinis Veritas wine shop on Via XX Settembre, in the village lanes above the waterfront, you are poured three local sparkling wines by the glass with breadsticks and olives. Tastings run from midday to 17:00 and the shop is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays — which is the single most important thing to know before booking, because it rules out most weekend trips.
The villa half is a standard self-guided entry: the house museum and the botanical garden, used at any point during opening hours. The operator's own note is that last access to Villa Monastero is forty-five minutes before it closes; the villa itself publishes thirty. Work to the earlier of the two and you cannot be caught out.
The same seven-language Lake Como audio guide is included, and the day is entirely yours to order — village and wine first, then the garden, or the other way round.
Highlights
- Three local sparkling wines by the glass at a Varenna wine shop, with breadsticks and olives
- Entry to Villa Monastero's house museum and botanical garden, self-guided
- Everything within a ten-minute walk — no ferry, no timed crossing
- Free time to wander Varenna at your own pace between the two
- A seven-language Lake Como audio guide on your phone
What's Included
- ✓ Tasting of three local sparkling wines by the glass, with breadsticks and olives, at a wine shop in Varenna
- ✓ Entrance ticket to Villa Monastero for a self-guided visit
- ✓ Lake Como audio guide via app in seven languages
- ✓ 24-hour assistance line before and during your visit
- ✓ Booking and reservation fees
Not Included
- A guide — both halves are independent
- Lunch
- Ferry or train tickets to Varenna
- Gratuities
What to Bring
- Comfortable shoes — Varenna's lanes are stepped and the garden is a long flat walk
- Comfortable clothes
Good to Know & Caveats
- The wine shop is CLOSED on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, and tastings run only between 12:00 and 17:00. If your Varenna day is a weekend, this is the wrong ticket.
- The operator asks you to arrive at Villa Monastero at least forty-five minutes before it closes; the villa's own published rule is thirty. Use forty-five.
- Outside June to August the house museum closes on Tuesdays while the garden stays open.
- The wine shop and the villa gate are about ten minutes apart on foot, and you can do them in either order.
Not Suitable For
- Weekend visitors — the wine shop does not open on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays
- Visitors under the legal drinking age
Meeting Point
Two addresses, used in either order: the Invinis Veritas wine shop at Via XX Settembre 7 in Varenna village, and the Villa Monastero gate at Viale Giovanni Polvani 4, about ten minutes apart on foot.
What Travelers Say
Rated 4.1/5 by 3 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do this on a Saturday or Sunday?
No. The Varenna wine shop is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, and tastings run only from midday to 17:00 on the days it does open. For a weekend, either buy villa entry on its own or take the version that puts the tasting in Bellagio.
How is this different from the Bellagio wine tasting ticket?
This one keeps everything in Varenna — the wine shop is a ten-minute walk from the villa gate, and there is no ferry and no timed slot to reach. The Bellagio version includes the crossing both ways and a larger tasting with a cold-cuts and cheese platter, but it costs more and has a fixed start time.
What wines are poured?
Three local sparkling wines by the glass, served with breadsticks and olives, at Invinis Veritas on Via XX Settembre in the village.
In what order should I do the two halves?
Either. The tasting window is 12:00–17:00, so a common shape is the garden first thing while it is quiet, then the wine in the afternoon — or the reverse if you want the villa's terraces in evening light.
When is the last time I can enter Villa Monastero?
The operator asks for forty-five minutes before closing; Villa Monastero itself publishes thirty. Aim for forty-five and you are safe either way. Closing time varies by season, from 20:00 in high summer to 18:00 in October.
