Laveno-Mombello between Mountain Panorama and History

Laveno-Mombello brings together mountain panoramas, historic townscapes and a variety of routes. This creates a destination with clear ways to explore: views, culture, ferry trips, cycling routes and a longer stage can each be experienced in their own way.

Mountain Panorama and Hang Gliding

Sasso del Ferro reaches an elevation of 1,062 metres and is considered a panoramic balcony over the landscape around Laveno. The cable car to Sasso del Ferro starts in the centre of Laveno and reaches a point near the summit after about 15 minutes. Its arrival point, Poggio Sant’Elsa, offers views of the Verbano, the Alps, the Pre-Alps and their lakes.

Laveno’s hang-gliding tradition dates back to around the mid-1970s. Launches take place at Sasso del Ferro and Monte Nudo. The tradition also includes tourist tandem flights, in which non-experts are accompanied by a flight instructor.

Between the Town Centre and the Lakeside Promenade

The Laveno–Intra–Laveno ferry service runs approximately every 20 to 30 minutes; the crossing takes 20 minutes. Laveno’s restored historic centre is connected to the lakeside promenade by a tourist circular route with 15 stops marked by information boards.

History, Ceramics and Architecture

Piazza Fontana is the heart of Laveno’s historic centre. In Parco delle Rimembranze stands a war memorial designed in 1923 by architect Piero Portaluppi. Villa De Angeli Frua is located on the main square of the historic town centre; its west façade offers views of Lake Maggiore, the Verbano and the Alps. Villa Fumagalli Frascoli expresses Piero Portaluppi’s personal modernist style.

The Museo Internazionale Design Ceramico, or MIDeC for short, is located in a 16th-century palace in Cerro, a district of Laveno-Mombello, and documents the region’s ceramic history. Santa Maria in Ca’ Deserta is considered Laveno’s oldest place of worship. The church was first mentioned in 1081, when it was donated to the Abbey of Saint Peter of Cluny.

The Fondazione Officine dell’Acqua in Laveno-Mombello originated from an urban renewal project involving the former warehouses of the port and railway station. There, an important collection displays historic boats as well as volumes, images and eyewitness accounts relating to the Verbano’s craft tradition.

Cycle Route and Longer Stage

Laveno-Mombello offers further concrete options for different travel paces. Admission to the Labirinto delle Camelie is free. The approximately 5-kilometre cycle route between Laveno and Cittiglio runs along the Boesio. One stage of the Cammino del Lago Maggiore leads from Laveno to Luino and covers 24 kilometres as well as 1,450 metres of elevation gain. The different distances and elevation gains help you distinguish a short outing from a considerably more demanding stage.

Other local destinations: Vararo

For the broader travel overview: Varese.

More Destinations

More places within the same destination:

Besnate, Casale Litta, Sesto Calende, Gallarate, Montecatini, Luino, Brezzo Di Bedero.