Varese and Surroundings
Varese, known as the Garden City, is a commuty of about 90.000 inhabitants. It is located at the foot of the Lombard Pre-Alps, near Swiss.
Varese is a lively town located in Northern Italy, on a hilly territory. Its surroundings are rich in rivers and lakes, and it is at the foot of Mount Campo dei Fiori. “Varese Città Giardino” ("Varese, the Garden City") is the name that perfectly describes the marriage between art and nature which, from many centuries, characterizes the very soul of the city.
Its landscape, its architectural and artistic beauties have been appreciated expecially since the 18th century, when the city became a holiday destination for prestigious italian families. At the beginning of the 20th century the “Art Nouveau” style flourished in different european countries. As a result, also in the Varese area numerous Art Nouveau-style villas and hotels were built. The entrepreneurial genius joined the artistic one, setting in a harmonious and soul-stirring landscape. Since the last century, Varese has excellence in sport (basketball, football, rowing and road bicycle racing) and also in the industrial field (aircrafts, motorbikes, shoes, briar pipes and kitchen furniture). Varese's touristic is fit to satisfy the requests of every visitor.
Sacro Monte” is an historic and artistic excellence of our territory. On July 2003, Unesco introduced it, together with other eight similar sites, in the World Heritage List, as “cultural landscape of Sacri Monti di Piemonte e Lombardia”.
Ever since, Sacro Monte has widened his reputation as a destination for visits and pilgrimages; its complex comprehends “Via Sacra” ("Holy Path"), a cobbled, devotional way characterized by 14 chapels, perfectly fit in the surrounding environment. Each chapel is different from the others, but they are all dedicated to the Mysteries of the Rosary. The Mysteries are represented inside the Chapels by means of sculptural groups and illustrative frescoes.
At the top of the “Via Sacra” the Santa Maria del Monte sanctuary hosts, on the High Altar, the 15th Mystery: the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Sacro Monte boasts the presence of an inhabited village. Visitors have always been fascinated by the peculiar shady streets and steep staircases, the illuminated pedestrian subways and many Art Nouveau style villas.
Lake Varese, situated at the foot of Mount Campo dei Fiori, laps the southern territory of Varese (quarter Schiranna) and eight other villages of its Province. Many watercourses and lakes besides lake Varese characterize the landscape of the region; for this reason, Varese is also known as the "Seven Lakes land". Schiranna, district of Varese, situated along the shores of the lake, is steadily gaining attention as tourist resort thanks to a beautiful park (“Parco Zanzi”) and the cycle track. The park, one of the many green areas of Varese, is perfect to spend days in contact with nature and to have fun. The cycle track is about 30 Km long and surrounds the whole lake. It allows to practise sport activities while admiring beautiful landscapes. Pearl of lake Varese is the so-called “Isolino Virginia”, a unique pre-historical site of international relevance, easy to reach by boat from the village of Biandronno.