Heading to Varenna for 4 nights on July 3rd. Could stay at Hotel Royal Victoria or Albergo Eremo Gaudio. Which is the better choice?
Also would love recommendations for things to do ( we like to be active, eg. hike or walk) and places to eat!
Thanks.

I loved staying at the Eremo Gaudio. I almst never left. I brought food up to eat on my private terrace. So, I wasn't interested in being active. If you stay up there, then you have a nice start on a hike up above the hotel. Otherwise you will first need to get off the mountainside and do a fair bit of walking through town to get to the ferry dock if you plan to go sightseeing around the lake.

For walking, you can ferry across the lake and pick up the Greenway Walk at Sala Comacina; we walked as far as Tremezzo, saw the Villa Carlotta Gardens and took the ferry back to Varenna.
The Sentiero del Viadante is a decent walk from Varenna to Bellano (except for the last km on road) and you can take the train back.

For dining, our favourite place in Varenna itself was the outdoor rooftop terrace at Albergo Milano - La Vista.
If you do the Greenway walk, as well as taking a minor diversion to Villa del Balbianello, try lunch by the lakeshore in Lenno at Ristorante Plinio.
Bellagio is a short hop across the lake and the Villa Melzi Gardens are a must; back in town, try Bilacus for lunch.

Thanks so much. Love to have recommendations for specific walks and restaurants, and feel like if we're at Eremo Gaudio, we'll be fine. We are quite active. Heading to the Dolomites for hiking after Como!