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Northern Italy lakes – Territory

The province of Varese is one of the most beautiful provinces of Italy. If you view it from above, it looks like a green handkerchief dotted light blue: it is the harmony between these two colours, the colours of the lakes and the forests which characterised the province in a unique and exclusive way during all year-round.

An excellent accessibility for any mean of transport, including the intercontinental Malpensa airport, will make this destination pleasant and attractive, and able to give a different holiday offer: from the quiet stay on the lake till the trip in the village of art, from rural tourism holiday and pilgrimages till the cultural visits to villas and gardens and the walks by foot or by bicycle.

The province of Varese is a “land of water” for its numerous lakes and rivers. The geographic positions has undoubtedly impacted on the social evolution of the people who lived here generation after generation, at the outlet of some Alpine valleys and among two important streets, the Gotthard and the Simplon streets. It is a tourist area which combines the beauty of the land with a prestigious “background” and facilities able to satisfy every necessity: hotels, tourist residences, tourist camping, farmhouses, bed and breakfast, differentiated sports facilities well distributed throughout the territory.

In the tourist region of the great Italian lakes, the Lake Maggiore (or Verbano) is the most westerly and belongs in part to Italy, it is split between Lombardy and Piedmont, and partly (about 1/7) to Switzerland. The main feature of this lake environment is given by both the overlooking chain of the Alps, often covered with snow and shining and both by the existence of numerous villas, some of them historical, surrounded by flourishing gardens in the Italian way, with balustrades, statues, water games or in the English way (also called “romantic”).

A ring of mountains is all around the lake basin, and the scenery is dominated by the chain of the Alps and the massif of the Mount Rosa: only 50 km as the crow flies, separates the waters of the Lake Maggiore from these peaks, which exceed 4000 metres in height.
Moving from the banks of the lake, a visit to the numerous hilly and mountainous towns is obligatory, they give breathtaking views and preserve a precious heritage of folklore and ancient traditions.
The routes and the trips which you can undertake are fascinating, they bring you to the discover of the valleys near the Lake Maggiore: Formazza Valley, with its Cascata del Toce ( Toce falls); Vigezzo Valley, that is dubbed “Valle dei Pittori” / “Valley of Painters”; Anzasca Valley, which culminates in the town walser of Macugnaga and the Antona Valley that is dotted with fascinating alpine lakes.
Among these caskets of nature, in the high Lake Maggiore area, we find the “Parco Nazionale della Val Grande”(park), the largest wild area of Central Europe.
Along the lake, made famous by the presence of the Borromean Isles, which are located in the homonymous Gulf in front of Stresa, we find many others points of interest: the sumptuous villas and the beautiful gardens that are arisen between the Nineteenth and the Twentieth centuries along the Piedmontese shore. In this regard, Stresa and Verbania are worth a visit, in order to admire respectively, the Borromeo Gardens, “Villa Taranto” and “Villa San Remigio”.
Even t he nearby Lake Orta contributes to increase the charm of this tourist area. This expanse of water hosts the enchanting San Giulio Isle; it is the lake of  the town of Omegna and a point of reference for the entire Cusio region.
From Omegna we can arrive in Strona Valley, which is famous for the production of wood handicrafts, among them the Pinocchio of Collodi and wind instruments made of brass.

Lake Varese is located in a wonderful geographic position, at the foot of the Campo dei Fiori massif and it is 8.8 km long and 4.5km large. Driving through the final stretch of the Milano-Varese motorway we can enjoy one of the most beautiful view of the area: a broad and green basin that hosts the Lake, that is dotted with villas and settlements well harmonised with the landscape. The Campo dei Fiori massif degrades towards the Lake with a slight slope, while the chain of the Alps is the background in the distance, and in a clear day, Mount Rosa

stands out sharp, both to seem very close. In the middle of the Lake we find the very little Virginia Isle, on which have been and are discovering well-preserved lake dwelling rests.

Lake Ceresio or Lake Lugano is one of the most beautiful prealpine lakes and has a great tourist impact. Only a small part is of the province of Varese, while the rest is into Swiss territory.

From the beautiful hills that surround it we can enjoy beautiful panoramic views and the towns that border its shores are irresistible destinations for tourists who love peace and green. There are lots of cultural attractions and a lot of opportunities for day trips on foot or by mountain-bike.

Lake Monate is a small stretch of water, 3km long and 1km long. Already during the last century, it was an important resort and residential area; it is surrounded by meadows and woods, which are ideal places for periods of absolutely relaxation. Its waters are considered one of the clearest of the Italian lakes.

Lake Comabbio is another natural oasis of great interest; it comprises, among the plants that adorn its banks, some real rarities especially in the range of floating vegetation. Typical is the plant whose fruits are known as “water chestnuts”.

Lake Ganna is placed among the natural reserves of the region Lombardy. It is located in a wonderful woody area, 452 m above sea level and it is, from the naturalistic point of view, reason of noticeable interest for the survivor of plants and animals that had developed during the Ice Age, and at present are preserved thanks to special environmental conditions of the valley. From the Mount Procione in Ganna we can enjoy wonderful landscapes of the Lakes Ganna and Ghirla.

Lake Ghirla is one of the most picturesque lake of the area, it is equipped with a bathing centre, a camping and a manège for wonderful horse trips; it offers, above at the sunset, magnificent reflections of the mountains that rise above the calm waters of the lake.

Lake D’Elio is a small picturesque jewel nestled among the mountains, built to feed a power plant; it can be reached by car and also through beautiful and panoramic trails on foot or by bicycle. There are many possibilities of refreshment in the numerous farmhouses which produce renowned goat’s milk “Doc” products.

The small lakes of Brinzio and Montegrino Valtravaglia are small stretches of water wonderfully inserted among the rich prealpine vegetation. It has a great fascination during the winter because it is completely frozen and very often covered with snow.

While the pond Montegrino Valtravaglia has become ideal habitat for a small colony of wild ducks, amphibians and some fishes not very “indigenous”.

Lake Como, with an area of 146smq is the third lake for extension after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. Its characteristic reversed Y shape is given by three branches: Colico to the North, Lecco in the southeast, Como in the southwest, with a perimeter of expansion of 170 km.
The lake is surrounded by mountains whose highest point is Mount Legnone (2609 meters) above Colico. The tributary rivers are 37, among which the most important is the Adda, followed by Mera. The only isle in the lake is the Comancina Isle, located in the Como branch, in front of the town of Sala Comancina.

The northern part of Lake Como, also known as “Alto Lario”, is a land of ancient customs and it has been able to make the most of its proximity of Switzerland and the countries of northern Europe, becoming a destination for tourists who love water and mountainous sports.

The “Alto Lario” area offers opportunities for entertainment and enrichment for all tastes and all requirements, and it has become the favourite destination of a dynamic international tourism and it is the siege of different renowned school of nautical disciplines, from surfing to kate, from sailing to catamaran, by canoe to water skiing. Here, where the sun and the water combine themselves with the holiday, where the relaxation combines themselves with joy and nature is the queen, some different and little family business accommodation companies, which offers a warm and accurate welcome at all levels.

Instead, in the central area, the lake takes several shapes, due to the union of its two branches: we find large open areas among Menaggio – Bellagio - Varenna  and closed areas towards Argegno. At this point the mountains fall vertically into the lake, where the lake reaches its maximum depth (410metres, a record for the Italian lakes). It is an area full of history, with testimonies of a glorious past that you can discover in the beautiful villas scattered on the shores of the lake, both on the Como shore both on the Lecco shore.
The “Tremezzina” with its jewel, “Villa Carlotta”, whose gardens in spring give the show with the flowering of azaleas, is destination for green and nature lovers.

Varenna with its villas, “Villa Monastero” and “Villa Cipressi”, has reached levels of international fame as tourist and congress centre. In Bellagio, the “Pearl of Lario”, tourism is the first economic activity. Even here, an elite tourism, under the arcades, a real living room, where you can meet the stars of sport and entertainment. Here, art has left deep traces, the history with its villas and its picturesque villages, has many things to tell and the landscape is a charm.

Tremezzo, Griante, Cadenabbia, Menaggio, Bellagio, Varenna were the favourite towns of the nobility of Europe at the end of the century and it is related to this the birth of a tourist industry which is gradually increased until today, in order to offer a refined hospitality, with conference facilities, sports facilities, watercraft yards which build prestigious sporting and recreational boats that are exported world-wide.