Varese, known as the “garden city” for its magnificent parks and historic villas, is a destination well worth a visit during your stay on Lake Maggiore. Located about 40 kilometers from Campagnano, this elegant Lombard city offers an artistic, natural, and cultural heritage of extraordinary beauty, perfect for a day trip to discover hidden treasures of nature and history.
The Sacred Mount of Varese: a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Sacred Mount of Varese is one of the nine sacred mountains of Piedmont and Lombardy recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. This place of extraordinary spiritual and natural beauty stands at an altitude of 883 meters, offering breathtaking views of the city, the pre-Alpine lakes, and, on clear days, the snow-capped peaks of the Alps.
The Sacred Way and the Fourteen Chapels
The devotional route of the Sacred Mount winds along a paved road approximately two kilometers long, lined with fourteen chapels built between the 17th and 18th centuries. Each chapel represents a stage in the mysteries of the rosary through life-size sculptures and frescoes depicting episodes from the life of the Virgin Mary.
Baroque art reaches heights of refinement here: the polychrome terracotta statues, created by artists from Lombardy and Ticino, seem to come to life in the sacred scenes, while the frescoes decorating the walls create theatrical settings of great emotional impact. Walking along this path means immersing yourself in an experience that perfectly balances faith, art, and nature.
The path, shaded by majestic, centuries-old trees, is accessible to all and offers a pleasant stroll, even for those who aren’t particularly fit. Numerous benches along the way allow you to pause for contemplation, enjoying the peace and silence that surrounds this sacred place.
The Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Monte
At the end of the Via Sacra stands the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Monte, a destination of pilgrimages for centuries. The church, with its baroque façade and richly decorated interior, houses the venerated image of the Black Madonna. The square in front of the sanctuary offers a panoramic terrace from which to admire a landscape spanning the Po Valley to the mountains, offering glimpses of incomparable beauty.
Near the sanctuary is the village of Santa Maria del Monte, a small village characterized by historic houses, artisan workshops, and places where you can sample traditional Varese sweets. The atmosphere is that of a timeless place, where life still flows at the slow pace of times gone by.
How to get to the Sacro Monte
The Sacro Monte can be reached by car, reaching the parking lot located halfway, or on foot, starting from Varese via the path leading to the first chapel. For the more romantic, the historic funicular runs during the summer months, connecting the center of Varese to the village of Santa Maria del Monte. This vintage means of transport adds a touch of charm to the visit.
The Historic Villas of Varese
Varese owes its nickname “Garden City” to its extraordinary concentration of historic villas surrounded by parks and Italian gardens. These patrician residences, built between the 18th and 19th centuries by the Milanese nobility who sought refuge here during the summer months, represent one of Lombardy’s most precious architectural treasures.
Villa Panza and the Contemporary Art Collection
Villa Panza, located in the heart of Varese, is a historic 18th-century residence that houses an extraordinary contemporary art collection assembled by Count Giuseppe Panza di Biumo. Now owned by the FAI (Italian Environment Fund), the villa represents a unique example of the dialogue between art, architecture, and nature.
The villa’s spaces host works by international artists associated with minimalism and environmental art, in a setting that creates a highly evocative immersive experience. The works harmoniously interact with the historic spaces, creating contrasts and resonances that invite reflection.
The Italian-style park surrounding the villa is a masterpiece of landscape architecture, with panoramic terraces, shaded paths, flowerbeds, and a collection of contemporary sculptures scattered among the vegetation. Strolling through this garden immerses you in an oasis of beauty and tranquility, where contemporary art blends with the timeless charm of nature.
A visit to Villa Panza is an experience that engages all the senses: your sight admires the artworks and panoramas, your sense of smell perceives the scents of the flowers, and your hearing captures the song of birds and the rustling of leaves. It is a perfect place for those seeking inspiration, beauty, and serenity.
Other Varese villas to discover
Varese’s historic villa network includes numerous other residences of great interest, many of which can be visited during special events or FAI days. Villa Mirabello houses the Civic Archaeological Museum, Villa Recalcati is the provincial headquarters, while Villa Toeplitz offers a splendid public park where you can stroll among fountains, ponds, and terraced gardens.
Each villa tells a story of noble families, artists, and intellectuals who chose Varese as their home, contributing to the elegant and refined atmosphere that still characterizes the city today..
Villa Della Porta Bozzolo in Casalzuigno
A few kilometers from Varese, in the municipality of Casalzuigno, lies Villa Della Porta Bozzolo, one of the most fascinating historic homes in Lombardy. This 18th-century villa, owned by the FAI (Italian National Trust), is a perfect example of a villa di delizia (a delightful villa), built by Lombard nobility as a country residence where they could spend the warmer months away from the city.
Architecture and Interiors
The villa, built in the 18th century on an existing building, features an elegant and understated façade that conceals interiors of extraordinary decorative richness. The rooms are frescoed with trompe-l’oeil, gilded stucco, and decorations that create dramatic effects. The carefully preserved original furnishings allow you to truly journey back in time, imagining the daily life of the Della Porta Bozzolo family.
Each room tells a story: the dining room with its imposing table, the state rooms where guests were received, and the private bedrooms with their frescoed ceilings. The guided tour also allows you to discover the service areas, kitchens, and cellars, offering a complete insight into life in an 18th-century noble villa.
The Italian Garden
But the true wonder of Villa Della Porta Bozzolo is its Italian garden, considered one of the most beautiful and best preserved in Lombardy. Structured on multiple terraced levels, the garden unfolds along a central axis that ascends from the villa toward the hill, creating spectacular vistas of extraordinary beauty.
The gardens are characterized by perfectly trimmed box hedges, flowerbeds that change color with the seasons, ornamental fountains, and statues dotting the paths. The perspective studied by 18th-century architects creates visual effects that amplify the perception of space, making the garden appear even larger and more majestic.
At the top of the garden is the nymphaeum, an artificial grotto decorated with rockeries and water features, a place of cool and wonder where the owners retreated during summer days. From the upper terraces, the view extends over the valley below and the mountains on the horizon, creating a natural setting of rare beauty..
Practical Visiting Information
Villa Della Porta Bozzolo is open to the public with variable hours depending on the season. We recommend checking the FAI website before your visit to verify opening hours and whether reservations are required. The villa also organizes cultural events, concerts, and other activities that enhance your visit.
The ticket includes both the villa and the garden, and a full visit takes approximately two hours. Guided tours are available to delve deeper into the family history and the complex’s architecture.
The Torba Monastery
The Torba Monastery, located in the municipality of Gornate Olona, is one of the most fascinating and lesser-known sites in the Varese area. This monumental complex, also managed by the FAI, has its roots in Late Antiquity and represents an extraordinary testimony to the historical stratification of this area.
The Roman Tower and the Origins of the Site
The original nucleus of the monastery consists of a Roman tower, built between the 5th and 6th centuries as part of a defensive system that controlled the communication routes to the Alps. The tower, over 18 meters tall, is the oldest and most spectacular architectural element of the complex, its walls perfectly preserved.
Inside the tower, you can still admire early medieval frescoes of extraordinary artistic and historical importance. These paintings, dating back to the 8th century, depict figures of saints and religious scenes created with a refined pictorial technique, a testament to the artistic level achieved during the Lombard era.
The Benedictine Monastery
Over the centuries, the tower was incorporated into a Benedictine convent complex for women, active from the 7th to the 15th centuries. The nuns transformed the defensive structure into a place of prayer and work, adding the church, cloister, and convent rooms.
The small yet evocative church of Torba preserves traces of medieval frescoes and an atmosphere of profound spirituality. The cloister, with its porticoes and central garden, invites contemplation and silence, recreating the atmosphere of monastic life that has characterized this place for centuries.
Landscape and Surroundings
The Torba Monastery is located in a natural setting of great beauty, surrounded by woods and meadows that have retained an almost pristine appearance. From the top of the tower, the view sweeps across the Olona River valley, creating a landscape reminiscent of a medieval painting.
Near the monastery, you can enjoy pleasant walks along paths that run alongside the river and through chestnut and oak forests. The nearby Castelseprio Archaeological Park completes the area’s cultural offerings with the remains of an important Lombard settlement, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Este Gardens of Varese
In the heart of the city of Varese lie the Este Gardens, one of the most elegant and well-maintained public parks in Lombardy. These gardens, created in the 18th century by order of Duke Francesco III d’Este, are a magnificent example of an Italian garden, with their perfectly symmetrical paths, geometric flowerbeds, and ornamental fountains.
History and Architecture of the Garden
The Este Gardens were designed as an annex to Palazzo Estense, the summer residence of the Dukes of Este, who chose Varese as their holiday destination in the 18th century. The garden’s design reflects the aesthetic canons of the era, with rigorous symmetry, decorative architectural elements, and an almost obsessive attention to detail.
The central avenue, lined with centuries-old trees, leads from the city toward the hills, creating a dramatic perspective. The statues that dot the path represent mythological deities and allegories of the seasons, created by 18th-century Lombard sculptors.
The Park Today
Today, the Estense Gardens are a popular public park for Varese residents and tourists, an ideal place for relaxing strolls, reading in the shade of the trees, or simply enjoying the beautiful weather while sitting on one of the many benches. The flowerbeds change color with the seasons, creating ever-changing scenes of beauty.
The park also hosts cultural events, summer concerts, and other events that enliven city life. Their proximity to Varese’s historic center makes the Estense Gardens a must-see for visitors to the city, a green oasis where you can find peace and harmony in the heart of urban life.
The Estense Palace
At the end of the gardens stands the Estense Palace, now the seat of Varese’s city hall. Although the interior is not always open to visitors, the building is worth admiring from the outside for its elegant 18th-century architecture. The palace, with its frescoed facades and ornamental balconies, is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.
Varese City: Other Must-See Attractions
Beyond its villas and gardens, Varese offers an elegant and lively historic center, with porticoed squares, Baroque churches, and refined shops. Piazza Monte Grappa is the city’s main square, surrounded by historic cafés and Art Nouveau buildings. The Baptistery of San Giovanni, of early Christian origin, houses medieval frescoes of great artistic value.
For modern art lovers, the MA*GA (Gallarate Art Museum) houses an important collection of contemporary Italian art. Nature enthusiasts can explore the Campo dei Fiori regional park, with its trails leading to karst caves and panoramic views of the Alps.
Planning Your Visit to Varese
Varese is about 40 kilometers from Campagnano, easily reached by car in less than an hour. We recommend dedicating a full day to visiting the city and its surroundings, allowing you to enjoy the artistic and natural beauty of this area at your leisure.
Many attractions require reservations, especially Villa Panza and Villa Della Porta Bozzolo. Always check the opening hours on the FAI website before leaving. For the Sacro Monte, allow at least two hours for the ascent, visit the chapels, and the descent.
At the Sunset View Lago Maggiore vacation rental, we’ll be happy to provide you with detailed information on how to best organize your trip to Varese, including suggestions for restaurants where you can sample local cuisine and alternative routes to discover lesser-known corners.
A region rich in history and beauty
Visiting Varese and its surroundings means immersing yourself in an extraordinarily rich artistic, cultural, and natural heritage. From historic villas to Italian gardens, from medieval monasteries to sacred mountains, each place tells a story and offers unique experiences.
The contrast between the refined elegance of noble residences and the spirituality of places of worship, between the perfectly manicured gardens and the wild woods of Campo dei Fiori park, creates a complete and satisfying visit, capable of satisfying every interest.
Book your Sunset View Lake Maggiore vacation home now and get ready to discover the hidden treasures of Varese and its surrounding area.
