Magically situated in the picturesque hills of the Italian Alps, Varese can be visited in one or several days. One of the main attractions of Varese is Lake Varese, which provides a tranquil setting for walks along its shores, bike rides and excursions. boat. The lake surrounded by hills and dense forests offers breathtaking views that will surely delight you. You can also take a stroll through the squares and alleys of the historic center, or get to know the local culture by visiting the wonderful villas and gardens. Among the beautiful villas, you must see the Estensi Palace and Gardens, as well as Villa Mirabello, which houses the Archaeological Museum. There is also a Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Masnago Castle, and Villa Panza itself is a gem with a rich program of temporary exhibitions.
Location:
Varese is a city and comune in northern Italy, in the Lombardy region, and the seat of the Province of Varese. Varese is located on Lake Varese, in the foothills of the Alps.
Lake of Varese:
Lake Varese lies at the foot of Mount Campo dei Fiori and is bordered by the city of Varese and another eight towns in the province.Schiranna is one of Varese’s most popular lakeside destinations with visitors as it also offers the Zanzi Park and a great cycling route. The park is one of the city’s many leafy, green areas with picnic tables and other facilities to ensure a fun day out. The cycling route winds its way around the lake for about 30 km (nearly 19 miles), offering a fantastic way to keep fit or simple enjoy the picturesque countryside.
Tourist Trips In Varese:
- Varese: Villa and Panza Collection
- Candlelit Dinner at Caffè del Borducan
- Local Liquor tasting and Visit of Sacro Monte di Varese
- Varese: Borducan Wine Tasting and Aperitif Experience
- Lago Maggiore: Italian cooking and tasting in a villa
Attrations:
- Sacro Monte of Varese (Unesco site)
The Sanctuary of the Sacro Monte of Varese is one of the most important of the Sacri Monti, which are acknowledged as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Located at a height of 883 m a.s.l., the Sanctuary is the culmination of a route taken by the faithful up the slopes of Monte Velate.
The construction of the “Holy Way” was started in 1604 by the Capuchin friar Giovanni Battista Aguggiari, who decided to erect 14 chapels dedicated to the Mysteries of the Rosary along a 2 kilometre-long cobbled path through a great wood of beech, chestnut and hazel.
The 14 chapels each have a portico of a different design, and are embellished with statues and frescoes by the major Lombard artists of the 17th century.
- Villa Mirabello Museo Archeologico
Villa Mirabello Museo Archeologico Villa Mirabello was built in the 18th century on the top of the Mirabello hills. Mirabello means beautiful view, and the villa’s name comes from the panoramic views of the lake and the Alps. The villa currently houses the Civic Museums, which were created from a 19th-century museum.
The complex includes a prehistoric and archaeological museum, part of the city’s picture gallery, a collection of butterflies and moths, and rooms dedicated to the Italian Risorgimento, the resistance movement and the modern history of Varese. It is worth taking a walk from the English-style park to the Estense Gardens, where you can admire rare plant species and the magnificent Lebanese cedar.
- Villa Panza
Presently Villa Panza is an important centre for Contemporary Art in cultural Lombardy scenario thanks to its collections and frequent temporary exhibitions. The Villa is a peculiar museum-house that combines the characteristics of the 18th century building, with Renaissance furniture, and a collection of African, pre-Columbian and non-figurative American art. Thanks to the former owner Giuseppe Panza, the collection started being composed in the 50ies.
- Palazzo Estense – Estense Palace
Palazzo Estense is one of the most visited and important historical places in Varese and is now the seat of the City Hall and the Civic Library. It dates back to the second half of the eighteenth century.
Behind the palace are the Estensi Gardens, one of the most charming public parks in Italy, which were built in the same style as the gardens of the Schönbrunn Palace, in Vienna, and finished in 1787.
- Lodovico Pogliaghi House Museum
Lodovico Pogliaghi (1857-1950) was one of the most significant Lombard artists to live in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A personal friend of Pius XI (Achille Ratti), when he was the prefect of the Ambrosiana, with a deed of 7 April 1937 he donated to the Holy See his museum-home at the Sacro Monte of Varese.
Lodovico Pogliaghi had transformed his home at the Sacro Monte into a true studio-museum, in which he had amassed an important collection of artworks that ranged from precious Egyptian archaeological finds and Greek and Roman artefacts to works from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Baroque period. This collection, formed as a function of Pogliaghi’s own work as an artist, still preserves many sketches, preparatory works in plaster, drawings and projects.
- Masnago Castle – Civic Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
Masnago Castle features architecture from many different periods ranging from the Middle Ages to the 17th and 18th centuries. The tower and splendid frescoed interiors made this mediaeval fortress more like a stately residence than a defensive stronghold. It is particularly renowned for the series of frescoes in the “Sala degli Svaghi” (Room of Pastimes) and the “Sala dei Vizi e delle Virtù” (Room of Vices and Virtues).
Today, it is home to several permanent historical-artistic collections. Works by the most important modern Lombard painters, including Hayez, Bertini and Pellizza da Volpedo, are collected here.The castle is surrounded by Mantegazza Park, a small botanical garden.
- POINT ON ART | International Contemporary Art Gallery
The PUNTO SULL’ARTE art gallery sets the standard for contemporary art both nationally and internationally. It is strategically situated just a few kilometers from Milan, the Swiss border, and Lake Maggiore, and has two galleries, both in Varese. At least seven exhibitions are presented by the gallery each year in its exhibition spaces, and since 2012, it has routinely participated in some of the most significant Modern and Contemporary Art Fairs. PUNTO SULL’ARTE has a dual soul and has always been dedicated to promoting modern painters and sculptors.
Villa Toeplitz is located on the outskirts of Varese. The park at Villa Toeplitz is considered one of the ten most beautiful in Italy, thanks to its carefully designed gardens, picturesque fountains and water features.
Festivals:
Various festivals take place in Varese, such as: Open Jazz Varese, Ghost Day Festival, Varese Gospel Festival, Black & Blue Blues Festival.
