• Lifestyle
    • Art & Culture
    • Food & Wine

Varese: the old town

where
Where
Piazza Podestà, Basilica di San Vittore, torre campanaria, Chiostro di Sant'Antonino
Corso Giacomo Matteotti, Varese

The old part of the city of Varese is quite distinctive with ancient porticoes and galleries where the city’s traders have plied their wares since time immemorial. When strolling around the streets if you raise your gaze you can see the architectural features of the old city centre around which the life of Varese once revolved. Houses were usually built with the shop on the ground floor under a portico for protection from the rain, the home on the first floor and behind would have been gardens and a small vegetable patch to feed the household. Other stunning historical locations include Piazzetta del Podestà with the monument to Garibaldi’s troops during the Battle of Varese, Palazzo del Pretorio and Palazzo Biumi (“Broletto”), the Basilica of San Vittore with its bell tower. At the end of the footpath is the Cloister of Sant'Antonino on which construction began in 1599. A little further along is a row of bars that keep the Varese night life buzzing late into the night.

  

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Plan your stay and your experience in the land of the lakes.

Take me here: Varese centro storico

Places

Arco Mera and Basilica of San Vittore

View of the ceiling of Arco Mera with some zodiac signs and the dome of the Basilica of San Vittore in Varese
  • Art & Culture

Basilica di San Vittore

Entering the historical core, walking through the streets of the center you'll be enchanted by the vision of the Basilica
Basilica di San Vittore, Churches of Varese
  • Religious Tourism
95 mt

Cloister of S. Antonino

One of the most historic places in the centre of Varese, known for the spring blossoming of azalee.
Chiostro di Sant'Antonino - Varese
  • Art & Culture
110 mt

Discover Varese and the history of the "Garden City"

  • Active & Green
127 mt

Campo dei Fiori Regional Park

  • Itinerari
127 mt

Waterfalls | Varese Convention & Visitors Bureau

Waterfalls | Varese Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Active & Green
198 mt

Palazzo Estense

  • Art & Culture
211 mt

The Gardens of Palazzo Estense

The Gardens of Palazzo Estense
  • Active & Green
251 mt

The Ginkgo Biloba in the Estensi Gardens

  • Art & Culture
301 mt

Infopoint Varese

  • Infopoint
301 mt

Estense Gardens, Villa Mirabello and Civic Archaeological Museum

Estense Gardens, Villa Mirabello and Civic Archaeological Museum
  • Art & Culture
441 mt

The Plane Tree of Villa Mirabello

  • Art & Culture
455 mt

The Cedar of Villa Mirabello

The majestic tree dominates the historic centre of Varese and leaves anyone standing under its imposing foliage speechless.
  • Art & Culture
455 mt

Villa Menafoglio Litta Panza

Villa Menafolio Litta Panza (VA) is a Mecca for art lovers and tourist who come to visit the contemporary art exhibitions it hosts.
  • Art & Culture
659 mt

Ville Ponti

An ancient residential complex owned by a Ponti’s family and now an efficient Congress Centre, property of Varese Chamber of Commerce.
  • Art & Culture
736 mt

Panza Art Collection

Panza Art Collection
  • Art & Culture
736 mt

Villa Torelli Mylius

Villa Torelli Mylius
  • Parks
755 mt

The Cork Oak of Villa Augusta

With its thick, wrinkled bark, it amazes visitors of Villa Augusta Park.
  • Art & Culture
967 mt

The Beech of Masnago Castle

With its purple leaves and size, the large red beech embellishes the atmospheric Mantegazza Park.
  • Art & Culture
2.02 km

Masnago Castle and Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art | Varese Convention & Visitors Bureau

Masnago Castle and Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art | Varese Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Art & Culture
2.16 km

Events

La casa dei pazzi

  • Art & Culture
34.76 km

Questo Otello è tutta un'altra storia - 18 aprile 2026 Nibionno

  • Art & Culture
34.76 km

La ranocchietta cerca amici

35.42 km

La ranocchietta cerca amici

  • School
35.42 km

A passo di donna tra lago e natura

  • Sport
35.75 km

Ma è una roba da femmine?

  • Art & Culture
37.51 km

Mercatino Svuota soffitta

  • Lifestyle
38.93 km

Racconti di cuore

39.03 km

Maria Montessori. Una questione di metodo

  • Art & Culture
39.21 km

La storia: tracce di paesaggio nella pittura antica

  • Art & Culture
39.32 km

Il silenzio è dolo

  • Art & Culture
39.32 km

La nascita di un genere: dal sublime romantico al paysage historique

  • Art & Culture
39.32 km

Impressione di paesaggio: la nascita della pittura en plen air

  • Art & Culture
39.32 km

La lista di Socrate

  • Art & Culture
39.35 km

Mercatino delle pulci

  • Lifestyle
39.4 km

L'atlante geologico della provincia di Lecco

  • Art & Culture
39.4 km

Curare i bambini è la mia medicina

  • Art & Culture
39.4 km

Malala

  • Art & Culture
39.4 km

La nostra storia, tutto il mondo di Happy Days

  • Art & Culture
39.4 km

Cartoon music. Esecutori di metallo su carta

  • Music and show
39.51 km

Activities

Bike Tour around the Lakes of Comabbio and Varese

Bike Tour around the Lakes of Comabbio and Varese
  • Cycle Tourism
14.28 km

Italian cooking class

  • Food & Wine
17.33 km

English Style Riding Weekend

  • Active & Green
17.66 km

E-Bike Tour Lake View, Old Hamlets & Vineyards

  • Cycle Tourism
18.74 km

Ghisallo & Muro di Sormano

  • Cycle Tourism
18.74 km

Bike & Sail to Bellagio

  • Cycle Tourism
18.74 km

Mountain Bike in "Spina Verde Park"

  • Cycle Tourism
18.74 km

Lake Como Villas

  • Lakes
19.47 km

Como Food Tour

  • Lakes
19.69 km

Le Robinie Golf Club Resort, Varese - Golf travel

  • Golf
19.77 km

The avelli's mystery, the pendula stone and the boulders

  • Active & Green
19.87 km

A day on Lake Como

  • Lakes
19.93 km

Bike Rental: City or Electric & Luggage Storage

  • Cycle Tourism
20.04 km

Guided eBikes Tour with Multi-Lingual iPad Guide

  • Cycle Tourism
20.04 km

WEEKEND - TRAVERSATA DEL TRIANGOLO LARIANO - DA COMO A BELLAGIO

A META' PERCORSO
  • Active & Green
32.1 km

VILLA DEL BALBIANELLO AND SACRO MONTE IN OSSUCCIO along the Greenway

Lago di Como
  • Active & Green
33.35 km

Teenagers and adults Package

  • Lakes
34.82 km

Baby Package

  • Lakes
34.82 km

Kids and Teenagers Package

  • Lakes
34.82 km

Kids Package

  • Lakes
34.82 km

Where to sleep

LANCASTER HOTEL

Milano
46.4 km

HOTEL IMPERO

Cremona
120.53 km
S

DELLE ARTI DESIGN HOTEL

Cremona
120.77 km

CONTINENTAL

Cremona
120.78 km