At the center of Lake Como, on the promontory overlooking Varenna, stands the Castello di Vezio, an ancient military outpost of early medieval origin erected to defend and control the lake and surrounding villages by the Lombard queen Teodolinda, for more than a thousand years. Partially restored in the mid-20th century, today the castle has a square-based watchtower, accessible by a small drawbridge and visitable up to the top, surrounded by a first quadrangular wall with a partial corner turret. Surrounded by the greenery of one of the northernmost olive groves in the world.