Varese
With an enchanting old town, unmatched natural beauty and plenty to explore, Varese and its surroundings are one of Lombardy’s best-kept secrets. Only one hour’s drive from Milan and a stone’s throw from Malpensa airport, this lovely town at the foot of the Alps sits quietly in the embrace of beautiful lakes, verdant valleys and monumental parks – a location that has earned it the nickname of “Garden City”.
During the mid-1800s, such a beautiful landscape prompted the development of the tourist industry in the area. Varese became the preferred holiday destination of the wealthy Milanese, who built grand mansions and parks that today represent an important part of the city’s diverse sightseeing agenda – one that offers visitors a wondrous 48-hour travel adventure.
The first surprise awaits me at the Estense Palace, one of the city’s key symbols and the starting point of my adventure in Varese. As soon as I enter the gate from the busy Via Sacco, I hear myself whispering “wow” at the view that opens up in front of me. A fantastic park in all its green glory sprawls over a hill, with trees and hedges trimmed with geometric precision framing views of the pink facade of the palace. No wonder that the Italian poet Giacomo Leopardi once described it as “Little Versailles”.
The Duke of Modena Francesco III d’Este, who gained the lordship of Varese from the Empress
