Varesotto

<< Lombardy

The territory around Varese is known as Varesotto, and extends from the northwestern suburbs of Milan to the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore. This area includes industrial centers, small towns among the hills and mountains, and popular lakeside resorts.

Saronno

Saronno is a city located northwest of Milan, in the Province of Varese. The town has ancient origins and it has always been closely linked with Milan.

Sanctuary of Beata Vergine dei Miracoli

The Sanctuary of Beata Vergine dei Miracoli (Santuario della Beata Vergine dei Miracoli) is a church erected starting in 1498 in Saronno. The church features rich Renaissance and Baroque decorations and a tall bell tower. Its interiors host a rich series of elaborate 16th-century frescoes and statues.

Saronno Industries and Work Museum

The Saronno Industries and Work Museum (Museo delle Industrie e del Lavoro del Saronnese) is a museum dedicated to the history of the industrial development in the area around Saronno. The museum houses various pieces of industrial machinery and a collection of historic locomotives.

Busto Arsizio

Busto Arsizio is the most populated city in the Province of Varese, located northwest of Milan. Inhabited since ancient times, the town became known during the Middle Ages as a center for textile production. Since the 19th century the city became heavily industrialized, turning into one of the main economic centers north of Milan.

Basilica of San Giovanni Battista

The Basilica of San Giovanni Battista is a church located in the center of Busto Arsizio. Built in the early 17th century, it is one of the main examples of Baroque architecture in the area. The church features rich decorations and its interiors are adorned with frescoes and other artworks. The bell tower of the basilica dates from the early 15th century.

Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Piazza

The Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Piazza (Santuario di Santa Maria di Piazza) is a 16th-century church located in Busto Arsizio. Built in Renaissance style over a previous building, the sanctuary features various decorations and its interiors host several frescoes and sculptures.

Museum of Textiles and Industry of Busto Arsizio

The Museum of Textiles and Industry of Busto Arsizio (Museo del Tessile e della Tradizione Industriale di Busto Arsizio) is a museum dedicated to the local industry and traditional textile production in Busto Arsizio. The museum is hosted inside a former cotton mill and its collection includes numerous historic machines, fabrics, and pieces of industrial equipment.

Gallarate

Gallarate is a city in the Province of Varese, located just northwest of Busto Arsizio. The town emerged in the Middle Ages and it was ruled by Milan for centuries. Since the 19th century, Gallarate has developed as an industrial center.

Museo Arte Gallarate

The Museo Arte Gallarate, or MAGA, is a modern and contemporary art museum in Gallarate. Its collection includes thousands of paintings, sculptures, and other artworks mostly by Italian artists from the 20th century. The museum also often hosts temporary exhibitions.

Somma Lombardo

Somma Lombardo is a town located in the Province of Varese, just north of the Milan Malpensa Airport. Founded in ancient times, it houses some historic attractions.

✪ Volandia

Volandia is an aeronautical museum adjacent to the Milan Malpensa Airport. One of the largest museums of its kind in Europe, it houses over a hundred historic aircrafts, including some of the earliest Italian planes from the early 20th century. The museum also features a collection of cars and other vehicles, and a section dedicated to space exploration.

Visconti di San Vito Castle

The Visconti di San Vito Castle is a historic fortification erected during the Middle Ages in Somma Lombardo. The castle houses a series of frescoes, as well as ancient furnishings, various paintings and other artworks, and some archaeological findings.

Arsago Seprio

Arsago Seprio is a small town located northwest of Gallarate in the Province of Varese. A town of ancient origins, it houses a few historic attractions.

Basilica of San Vittore

The Basilica of San Vittore is a medieval church in Arsago Seprio. Erected between the 9th and 12th century over a previous church, the structure is a great example of Lombard Romanesque architecture. The basilica is flanked by a baptistery built around the same time as the church.

Tradate

Tradate is a town located between Varese and Busto Arsizio. Inhabited since ancient times, the town developed as an industrial center in the 19th and 20th century.

Fisogni Museum

The Fisogni Museum (Museo Fisogni) is a unique museum dedicated to petrol stations and gas pumps. The museum houses the largest collection of its kind in the world, hosting thousands of pieces and including numerous gas pumps, signs, and memorabilia.

Gornate Olona

Gornate Olona is a small town near Castiglione Olona in the Province of Varese. It is best known for the ancient monastery located nearby.

Torba Monastery

The Torba Monastery (Monastero di Torba) is a historic religious site located south of Gornate Olona and near the Archaeological Park of Castelseprio. Originally built as a fortification around the 5th century, it was later turned into a monastery. The church was erected between the 8th and 13th century and it features some medieval frescoes. Along with other Lombard buildings in Northern Italy, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Castelseprio

Castelseprio is a small municipality in the Province of Varese, known for the archaeological area located in its territory.

Archaeological Park of Castelseprio

The Archaeological Park of Castelseprio (Parco Archeologico di Castelseprio) houses the ruins of an ancient settlement that was destroyed during the 13th century. The main attraction here is the Church of Santa Maria Foris Portas, the only surviving structure of the ancient village. This church houses a rich cycle of medieval frescoes, mostly dating from the Lombard age. The park also includes the ruins of various other churches, such as the Basilica of San Giovanni Evangelista, and a small museum. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Castiglione Olona

Castiglione Olona is a town located along the Olona river south of Varese. Founded in ancient times, it was contested between local powers throughout the Middle Ages, and now it features a few historic attractions.

Church of Santi Stefano e Lorenzo

The Church of Santi Stefano e Lorenzo is a church erected in the 15th century over a previous castle in Castiglione Olona. It features various beautiful decorations and frescoes and it is flanked by a baptistery which is richly adorned with 15th-century frescoes painted by Masolino da Panicale. The church also features a museum housing various historic pieces of religious art.

Palazzo Branda

Palazzo Branda is a historic palace located in the old town of Castiglione Olona. Built between the 14th and 15th century, the palace features a rich series of 15th-century frescoes and it hosts various artworks.

Besano

Besano is a small town located among the hills northeast of Varese, known for the fossils that have been unearthed in its territory.

Civic Museum of Fossils of Besano

The Civic Museum of Fossils of Besano (Museo Civico dei Fossili di Besano) is a paleontology museum housing a rich collection of fossils that have been unearthed around the town since the 19th century. One of these is the fossil of a Besanosaurus, a species of ichthyosaur named after the town. The museum also features various other unique and interesting fossils of ancient animals and plants.

Casalzuigno

Casalzuigno is a village located among the hills northwest of Varese, best known for its historic villa.

Villa Della Porta Bozzolo

Villa Della Porta Bozzolo is a large villa located in Casalzuigno. Originally erected in the 16th century, it was later reworked with the addition of large gardens featuring a monumental staircase and various other attractions. The palace now serves as a museum, housing several frescoes and ancient furnishings.

Angera

Angera is a small town located on the shores of Lake Maggiore in the Province of Varese. In ancient times, it was a trading center with a small port and it remained relevant for centuries also thanks to its fortifications.

Rocca Borromea of Angera

The Rocca Borromea is a medieval fortress overlooking Angera. Originally commissioned by the archibishops of Milan, it was later used by the Visconti family and then bought by the Borromeo family. The structure is very well preserved and it features various ancient frescoes. The castle also houses a museum of historic dolls and toys from all over the world.

Leggiuno

Leggiuno is a small town located near Lake Maggiore in the Province of Varese, best known for a nearby historic hermitage.

Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso

The Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso (Eremo di Santa Caterina del Sasso) is a historic religious site located on a cliffside overlooking Lake Maggiore. The complex was erected in the Late Middle Ages and later expanded various times. The hermitage features a rich series of ancient frescoes and artworks, and it houses some relics. Thanks to its peculiar position, the site also offers a great view on Lake Maggiore.

Luino

Luino is a town located along the northeastern shore of Lake Maggiore in the Province of Varese. A town of ancient origins, Luino was contested for centuries between local powers, and it remained relevant as a trading center. The area was industrialized in the 19th century, but today Luino is best known as a tourist destination and for its weekly market.

Luino Promenade

The promenade of Luino runs along the shores of Lake Maggiore and features various attractions. Among these are the lakeside gardens of Parco a Lago and Palazzo Verbania, an Art Nouveau palace erected in the early 20th century. The area also offers a great view on the lake and the surrounding mountains.