Discover Varano Borghi: Culture, Lakeshore and Nature

At Lake Comabbio, Varano Borghi combines a protected lakeshore landscape with distinctive traces of industrial, religious and villa architecture. If you are looking for a place for your trip to Italy where cultural history, the townscape and nature can be explored together, the municipality offers several different points of interest – from the Cimitero di Varano Borghi to the Palude Brabbia. The historical sites range from a cemetery and a chapel to church architectural drawings and a cotton mill site.

Architecture and History in Varano Borghi

The Cimitero di Varano Borghi opened for burials in 1911. At the same time, it is one of the stops on the Museo Diffuso di Varano Borghi. The architect Paolo Cesa Bianchi designed the cemetery on behalf of the Borghi family.

Religious architecture includes the Chiesa del Divino Redentore. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century as part of the urban redevelopment promoted by the Borghi family and was designed by the engineer Paolo Cessa Bianchi. For the Chiesa del Divino Redentore, drawings reproduce the floor plan and elevations of the Collegiata di Castiglione Olona from 1422 to 1425 almost faithfully.

Another highlight is Villa Borghi, an elegant estate built in the second half of the 19th century in eclectic Baroque forms. It was built on an existing structure. The Cappella Borghi has a gabled façade with triforas and ceramic decorations reminiscent of the works of the masters of the Della Robbia family.

The townscape of Varano Borghi is also shaped by 19th-century industrial architecture. The origins of the Cotonificio e Villaggio Operaio di Varano Borghi date back to 1819: Pasquale Borghi, the head of the family, bought an old mill on the Torrente Brabbia and a large part of the municipality in order to establish a cotton company. Thus, religious architecture, family history, historical architectural forms and industrial development stand side by side in Varano Borghi.

Lakeshore and Religious Sites

At Lake Comabbio, the lakeshore area in Varano Borghi is protected as a landscape. In the hamlet of Boffalora, the Church of San Giuseppe is located near the shore of Lake Comabbio. It is used for weekly Masses. In addition to its larger historic buildings, Varano Borghi therefore offers a specific religious site with its own local context.

Cycling Route and Nature Observation

The cycle and pedestrian path connecting the lakes passes through Varano Borghi. For those interested in nature, the Palude Brabbia nature reserve offers nature trails, observation huts, an educational pond and a boat leading to a floating observation hut. The two themes focus on different experiences: travelling along a chain of lakes or engaging in concentrated nature observation.

Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Interests

When choosing a hotel in Varano Borghi, you can therefore decide above all according to your preferred daily rhythm. Visitors interested in culture can explore the cemetery, churches, villa and industrial architecture; those who prefer landscapes and nature observation can include the protected lakeshore area and the facilities of the Palude Brabbia in their plans. This allows you to base your accommodation choice on the themes you would like to combine during your stay.

If you would like to compare other places for planning your trip to Italy, you can also explore Castello Cabiaglio, Reno, Azzate, Porto Valtravaglia, Valganna, Vergiate, Brunello and Cardano Al Campo.

For the overarching travel overview: Varese.