Travel
Travel Note
Varenna & Lake Como
Our wedding celebration will be in Varenna, a fishing village of 800 people located on Lake Como. This is centrally located in a great part of Lake Como and will allow easy exploration of other towns on the lake like Bellagio and Menaggio. The easiest way to get to Varenna is via Milan. You could consider flying directly into Milan, or if you want to start elsewhere in Europe, you'll likely want to fly or take the train to Milan to connect to Varenna. This region is very centrally located for additional travel. You may consider going to Switzerland, exploring Northern Italy, heading to Florence and Tuscany or going south to Rome.
Hotel
Hotel Villa Cipressi, by R Collection Hotels
Surrounded by botanical gardens, Villa Cipressi is situated right on the shores of Lake Como. Dating back to the 14th century, the hotel is one of the top landmarks in Varenna and the entire Como region. The hotel offers 29 bright and spacious rooms with stylish décor. Laminate floorings, wooden furniture, black-and-white photos on the walls, and other interior elements create a mix of traditional feel and contemporary ambience. Most of the rooms offer wonderful lake views. Villa Cipressi is our venue for all wedding events. We have exclusive use of the villa from Sunday at 2:30pm until Tuesday at 10:00am. To book a room at Villa Cipressi, please email reception@hotelvillacipressi.it and say you would like to book a room for October 13-15 using the code “Jordan & Manuel – 14.10.24." They will reply with instructions on how to book. You can also ask about availability for nights before and after the wedding block. We have the following room types available under our block. There are a limited amount of each type of room so please book early to ensure you can get your first choice of room type. These rates are only for our wedding block and will not apply to any additional days added to your stay. All rates are in Euros and additional taxes and fees may apply. Breakfast is included. Classic Room (Village View, 215 sq. ft.) - 265€/night Deluxe Room (Lake View, 270 sq. ft.) - 365€/night Prestige Room (Lake View, 325 sq. ft.) - 510€/night Junior Suite (Lake View, 325 sq. ft.) - 650€/night You can see more information about the room types on the hotel website or check Hotels.com for more photos and details. TO RESERVE ROOM - Email Reception@hotelvillacipressi.it and ask for the 'Jordan & Manuel – 14.10.24' block and rates.
Flight
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP)
Milan is the closest airport to Varenna and Lake Como. From Milan, you can take a train or hire private transportation to get to Varenna and Lake Como. The Malpensa Express train leaves directly from the airport and has two routes. The Centrale line will take you to the main train station where you can catch a regional train to Varenna. The Malpensa Express is around 13 euro per person.
Rental Car
Arrival to Varenna - BY PRIVATE CAR
The easiest way to get to Varenna from Milan is to hire private transportation. The ride to Varenna is around 1 hour from Milan. You can expect to pay around 200-300 euro. We are working on getting some recommendations for private drivers. It is NOT recommended to rent a car. Varenna is difficult to navigate and parking is near impossible.
Train
Arrival to Varenna - BY TRAIN
The cheapest way to get from Milan to Varenna is by train. Trains leave Milano Centrale station for Varenna at :20 past most hours. The train ride is about 1 hour direct. These are regional trains operated by Trenord. You do not need to book in advance and can buy at ticket at the station and get on the next train. Tickets will likely be around 10-15 euro per person. Rick Steves says to sit on the left side of the train for maximum lake-view beauty! Get off the train at the Varenna-Esino-Perledo stop (sometimes listed only as Varenna or Varenna-Esino). Check out The Man in Seat 61 (linked below) for the best European train travel information. If you've never taken a train in Europe before, talk to Jordan for some tips on what to expect.
Travel Note
Lake Como Seasonality
We will be visiting Lake Como at the tail end of their season! Lake Como is a spring and summer destination and many places close from the mid-October until mid-March. We recommend researching this before booking travel. If there are any places in the area you want to see, it might be best to do it on the front end of the trip. Some places may be closing for the season right around our stay there.
Travel Note
Transportation around Lake Como
Taxis and ride sharing are very limited in Lake Como. There are many water taxis and ferries that you can use to get around the area.
Travel Note
Passports
You will need a valid passport to enter Italy. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond your travel dates. Make sure to check your passport expiration date and ensure it expires in April 2025 or beyond. You can check the US State Department website for the most current Italy travel information.
Travel Note
ETIAS Travel Authorization
Last year, there were many news articles saying that Americans would needs visas for European travel starting in 2024. Most of these articles were incorrect in referring to the requirement as a visa, when it's actually a simple travel registration and authorization. European citizens have been required to do this for US travel for many years, and this would essentially just be the same requirement for Americans traveling to Europe. The system will require a quick online registration and a small payment of around 7 euro per traveler. The approvals are supposed to be come within minutes but could take up to 96 hours or 30 days if additional information is required. They recommend applying as soon as you book your travel. Unsurprisingly, due to government inefficiency and European bureaucracy, the project is running behind. This is good news for us because they are now estimating it to launch in 2025 so we should be able to avoid the entire process for now. We'll watch for updates and let everyone know if anything changes.