Attractions
Castello di Vezio
A medieval watchtower above Varenna, with a view over the whole centre of the lake.
3.9 km
Esino Lario
Museo delle Grigne
Esino Lario's museum, with fossils from the Grigne, finds from Celtic graves and the butterfly house.
- Visit duration
- 45 min – 1 h 15
- Booking
- In some periods only
- Area
- Lecco Branch
- Best season
- Summer
- Dario Crespi · CC BY-SA 4.0
- ACorana · CC BY-SA 4.0
Why go
The museum was founded in 1947 by the parish priest, Don Giovanni Battista Rocca.
In 1959 the engineer Pietro Pensa set it up on the village square and added to it; since 2016 it has been housed in the grounds of Villa Clotilde. The richest collection is the fossils: mollusc shells from the Grigne, first studied by the priest Antonio Stoppani in the 1850s. Other sections cover the caves, the minerals, finds from the Celtic and Roman graves discovered at Esino, the iron of the Valsassina and village life up to the early twentieth century.
- Before or after the Grigna, it explains the rocks and fossils underfoot on the way up.
- Small and kept by volunteers, it tells a mountain village's story.
Highlights
- The Celtic swords bent on purpose so that no one could use them again
- The butterfly house at Villa Clotilde
Getting there
- By car from Varenna: a dozen kilometres of hairpins up to Esino.
- Local bus from Varenna.
Accessibility
- Every part of the museum is accessible, including to visitors with reduced mobility.
Practical information
- Address
Via Montefiori 19, 23825 Esino Lario
- Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible
Indicative· 24 Sept 2026OpenStreetMapopens in a new tab
Hours marked indicative or to be checked should be confirmed with the operator.
Facilities
- Car park 93 m away · free
- Public toilets 222 m away
Distances from the point on the map.
Updated 22 October 2026
On the map
© OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL
Nearby: places, experiences, services
Distances as the crow flies.
Sources and credits
Verified at source1 Oct 2026Museo delle Grigneopens in a new tab
- Maps, parking, services and distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- Freely licensed photographs: authors and licences under Photograph credits.
Sources and credits
Verified at source1 Oct 2026Museo delle Grigneopens in a new tab
- Maps, parking, services and distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- Freely licensed photographs: authors and licences under Photograph credits.