Villa Guardia between churches, villas and nature

Villa Guardia combines local history with sacred art, neoclassical architecture and the landscape of the PLIS Sorgenti del Torrente Lura. The Torre dei Rusca, churches, historic villas and the former railway track offer you different points of connection for a trip to Italy. Depending on your interests, you can shape your stay around culture, nature and outdoor activities.

History, Sacred Art and Villas

The Torre dei Rusca is the only surviving part of the castle built by the powerful local Rusca family in the 13th century. The new Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta provides a different historical focal point: since 2010, it has been recognised as the Santuario della Santissima Trinità Misericordia. The sanctuary contains an altarpiece of the Assumption of the Virgin, painted by Cesare Carpano in 1595. Here, architectural history and sacred art come together.

Villa Mugiasca represents a neoclassical renovation carried out by Simone Cantoni between 1788 and 1804. Villa Sebregondi alla Macciasca, by contrast, is a 17th-century manor house situated on a small hill and surrounded by extensive green spaces. The complex of Villa Sebregondi alla Macciasca also includes the Oratorio di Santa Gaudenzia alla Macciasca. The two estates represent different historical and architectural points of reference.

Plan Your Visits Realistically

Villa Sebregondi alla Macciasca is privately owned and cannot be visited; take this into account when planning your cultural stops.

Landscape and Trails

Villa Guardia is one of the eight municipalities belonging to the PLIS Sorgenti del Torrente Lura in the Province of Como. The PLIS includes wetlands and agroforestry ecosystems that provide habitats for numerous animal and plant species. Within the PLIS, the Ciclovia dei Laghi passes through the municipalities of Lurate Caccivio and Villa Guardia. The former Malnate–Grandate railway line runs through Villa Guardia. A large part of its former railway track is considered suitable for walking and serves as a green corridor and an alternative cycling route to the Varese–Como road.

Church Architecture and Sacred Details

The Chiesa dei Santi Cosma e Damiano has a bronze portal featuring a contemporary depiction of its patron saints by Severino Trinca. Its rectangular layout includes two side chapels and an apsidal presbytery. In Maccio, the old parish church dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta probably has early Christian origins dating from the 5th to the 6th century. The present parish church of Maccio was built at the end of the 19th century. Here, you will encounter probable early history, later church architecture and contemporary sacred design.

Park and Regional Specialities

The municipality ensures accessibility for everyone, including people with disabilities, at Parco Comunale Giuseppe Garibaldi. At the historic Salumificio Gini shop in Maccio, you can buy traditional cured meats bearing the Gini name. This allows you to include both a public park and regional food products in your travel plans.

When choosing your hotel or another type of accommodation, you can take the focus of your daily itinerary into account: churches and villas provide the cultural emphasis, the PLIS caters to an interest in nature, and the former railway line complements walking and cycling activities.

Further destinations for your travel plans: Lurate Caccivio, Argegno, Cima Di Porlezza, Grandola Ed Uniti, Lanzo D’intelvi, Sant Abbondio, Civenna, Pusiano

For the overarching travel overview: Como.