alternative to Venice, Varenna

Italylogue say this:
"...Varenna - If it’s proximity to water that appeals to you, you can’t get much better than a town on Lake Como. And while there are lots of little resort towns to choose from, Varenna is a bit less popular than some of its neighbors, so you can enjoy all the perks of a lakeside town without the same crush of tourists that you’d get in, say, Como. Instead of Venice’s mazes of narrow canals, Varenna offers mazes of alley staircases. Because the town was built into a hillside, almost everything is an uphill walk from the lake - but that means you’ll find some stellar lake views once you get to the top of those hills!..."
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