Villa Monastero

About the museum

Villa Monastero stands in Varenna on the site of a Cistercian convent for women dedicated to the Virgin, built at the end of the twelfth century. Over the centuries the property passed to several owners, including the Mornico della Valsassina family, Carolina Maumari (granddaughter of Enrichetta Blondel, the first wife of Alessandro Manzoni), Walter Kees and the Milanese family of Swiss origin, the De Marchi family. Their building and renovation work gave the villa its eclectic character. The garden was largely shaped by Walter Kees, who bought the property in 1897.

In 1939 the De Marchi family donated the villa to the State, on condition that it be preserved and used for public cultural institutions. In 1953 a conference centre was built, and in 1954 Enrico Fermi gave some physics lectures here. Since then the Italian Physical Society has held its summer courses here, attended by over sixty Nobel laureates. Today the villa is owned by the Province of Lecco.

The Casa Museo, created in 2003, presents a route of 14 rooms with original decorations and furnishings, including the Sala Nera in neo-Renaissance style, the Sala della Musica, the Salottino Mornico, the Sala Rossa with neo-Rococo tapestries and the Sala Fermi. The botanical garden, recognised as a regional botanical garden, extends for about two kilometres along the lake shore from Varenna to Fiumelatte. It is home to over 900 species, including palms, agaves, citrus, English roses, wisteria and ferns, with statues, small temples and fountains in Baroque, classical and Moorish taste.

Highlights

• House museum with 14 original, furnished rooms
• Sala Fermi, where Enrico Fermi gave lectures in 1954
• Sala Nera in neo-Renaissance style and Sala Rossa with neo-Rococo tapestries
• Botanical garden of about two kilometres on the lake shore
• Over 900 species, including rare palms and a collection of English roses
• Sculptural group “La clemenza di Tito” by Giovanni Battista Comolli

Permanent exhibitions

• Casa Museo di Villa Monastero – A route of 14 rooms on the ground floor and first floor, with original decorations and furnishings: Sala Nera, Sala della Musica, Salottino Mornico, Sala Rossa and Sala Fermi.
• Giardino botanico – Terraced garden of about two kilometres along the eastern shore of Lake Como, with over 900 species, statues, small temples and fountains.

Operated by

Provincia di Lecco

Visitors per year

approx. 209,337

Admission & discounts

Free admission also for Varenna residents, accredited journalists, holders of the Abbonamento Musei Lombardia, national licensed guides and environmental hiking guides with an official card, and teachers accompanying school groups or participants in courses or institutional visits approved by the Province of Lecco. With the “Viandante sul lago” ticket, a 50% discount applies. In-person ticket promotions (not for groups): free admission on your birthday, two for one on Valentine's Day, free admission for women on 8 March, for fathers and mothers with children and for grandparents with grandchildren on 2 October. The ticket is valid for one admission only; the day shown on the online ticket is binding, the time is not. Tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable. Individual visitors and families do not need to book.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

For the site's accessibility, an accessibility statement is available on the villa's website. In the scented area below the garden gatehouse there are captions for visually impaired visitors. Maintenance work may temporarily make the lift unavailable.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Guided educational routes and workshops for schools (history, art, nature), to be booked through the CoopCulture schools office (edu@coopculture.it, +39 848 082 408).

Getting there & parking

The historic centre of Varenna has one-way traffic at weekends and in summer, and bus traffic is banned all year round. The villa recommends public transport.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Café with a view of the botanical garden and Lake Como. The villa also has a conference centre with four rooms and guest rooms.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Conference centre with four equipped rooms, exhibition space, weddings, private events and photo services.

Plan your visit