Monteggia: Cycling Routes, Lake Monate and Regional History

Monteggia brings together three travel interests in the area around Lake Monate: swimming and water sports, cycling tours through the hilly countryside, and the history and food traditions of Travedona-Monate.

Lake Landscape and Prehistoric Traces

The history of the surrounding area goes back a long way. In the municipality of Travedona-Monate, the prehistoric pile-dwelling sites of Sabbione, Pozzolo and Occhio yielded tools, other objects and dugout canoes dating from around 2500 BC. The prehistoric pile-dwelling site of Stazione dell’Occhio is located in the area of Travedona-Monate next to today’s Lido di Monate, 30 metres from the shore and at a depth of 2 to 5 metres.

Water Activities on Lake Monate

Lake Monate is entirely suitable for swimming. Boats and pedal boats are frequently rented at public and private beaches on Lake Monate. Sport fishing for pike and largemouth bass is also possible on Lake Monate. This allows you to vary your time by the water: swimming, taking a boat or pedal boat trip, or fishing. These activities relate to the lake and its beaches, not to any particular accommodation in Monteggia.

Cycling Routes through Monteggia and the Hilly Countryside

Several routes for cycling travellers pass through different landscapes and places. From Travedona-Biandronno station, access to the cycle path at Lake Varese leads via Via Monteggia towards Biandronno; the cycle path is then reached on Via Isola Virginia. In the area around Travedona-Monate, the route Tour dei due laghi connects Lake Monate with Lake Maggiore. It passes through the hilly inland area and across cultivated fields, including the peach orchards of Monate. The route Travedona Biandronno Bregano leads from Travedona through Monteggia and on to Biandronno and Bregano. On Il giro dei cinque laghi, the route runs from Biandronno towards Cascina Monteggia and Travedona, continuing to Lake Monate. Depending on your preferred direction, you can use these routes to focus your cycling days on connections between lakes, hilly landscapes or several towns.

Pesche di Monate and Local Tradition

The food tradition also gives Monteggia and the surrounding area a distinctive connection. The preserving tradition of Pesche di Monate is known in the dialect as “Perzic de Munà” and dates back to the 1920s. Luigi Colombo, chef at Villa Motta in Travedona-Monate, developed a method for this purpose. Pesche di Monate are also included in Italy’s national register of traditional agricultural and food products. This allows you to discover the region’s distinctive character not only through its landscapes and routes, but also through a culinary tradition with deep historical roots.

Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Travel Plans

Those who also wish to take the pile-dwelling sites in the municipality of Travedona-Monate and Pesche di Monate into account can combine their stay with the historical and culinary themes of the surrounding area.

Other Places in the Travel Area

Other places in the same travel area: Malnate, Laveno-Mombello, Carnago, Cantello, Mercallo, Brissago-Valtravaglia, Biandronno and Leggiuno.

For the higher-level travel overview: Varese.