Top 15 Natural Monuments around Albizzate

a nice relaxing route

park to visit on foot

Estensi Gardens and the Palazzo Comunale in Varese The Estensi Gardens and the Palazzo Comunale are located in the center of Varese. THE PALACE In 1766, the Duke of Modena, Francesco III d'Este, Captain General and Governor of Austrian Lombardy, decided to buy the residence located on the outskirts of the village for his holidays. Varese had been enfeoffed to him in a personal capacity with civil and judicial powers by Maria Theresa of Austria on 23 June 1765. Immediately after the acquisition, Francesco III began to expand the property by annexing the neighboring property. The renovation and construction lasted from 1766 to 1773, while the garden was completed in 1771. The architect Giuseppe Antonio Bianchi was in charge of the project and directed the works, including the design of the hill that became known as Castellazzo Flat to create the gardens. The palace consists of a central nucleus with two side wings connected by the underlying portico, which houses a stone cutter. The long façade on Via Sacco is equipped with three stone portals and balconies. Entering through the main portal, which leads into the central portico and the courtyard of honor, you pass from the austerity of the external façade to the internal façade, which is lively and overlooks the picturesque garden. The interior of the palace is an example of the so-called Teresian Baroque. The Hall of Honor (or Salone Estense) is full of precious elements such as the illusionistic frescoes by Lodovico Bosellini and the central medallion by Giovan Battista Ronchelli. Going up to the first floor, along the staircase of honor, there are four niches with eighteenth-century copies of female busts and putti with stucco lamps. ……….. Text / Source: FAI - FONDO PER L'AMBIENTE ITALIANO ETS - Via Carlo Foldi, 2 - 20135 Milan https://fondoambiente.it/luoghi/giardini-estensi?ldc

Laghetto dei cigni / Swan Pond in the Giardini e Palazzo Estensi in Varese The history of Palazzo Estense and its beautiful gardens was born thanks to a real love at first sight. It is said, in fact, that Francesco III d'Este, Duke of Modena and governor of Austrian Lombardy, fell so much in love with the beauty of Varese that he requested it as a fief from Maria Theresa of Austria. From then on it is history: the Duke bought the villa, now known as Palazzo Estense, and entrusted its restoration to the architect Bianchi, making it his summer residence. The garden behind the building was laid out in Italian and French style, inspired by the park of the residence at Schönbrunn. The main feature of the garden is the parterre, punctuated by flowerbeds and low-stemmed plants, which houses the large central fountain. Today the area is a public park, directly connected to the gardens of Villa Mirabello, which attracts hundreds of visitors every day who crowd the paths to fully enjoy this beauty. Text / Source: Turismo-in-Lombardia https://www.in-lombardia.it/it/ https://www.in-lombardia.it/it/turismo-in-lombardia/varese-turismo/giardini-di-palazzo-estense

very fun route, some technical passages but nothing difficult, in many places lots of mud and paths full of brambles, I arrived home covered in mud and scratches but it was worth it 💪 in one point I ended up in quicksand and my bike drowned 🤣 but I had a lot of fun

The cycle path that surrounds the lake makes it an absolutely must-follow cycling destination. The cycle path was recently rebuilt and is constantly up and down.

The archaeological area is part of the UNESCO site "The Lombards in Italy, The places of power (568-774 AD)". The site includes the remains of a fortified city from the 4th-5th century which was conquered by Ottone Visconti in 1287: he ordered its total destruction, except for the churches. The "castrum", surrounded by walls in the Gothic era, was accessed via a bridge. Inside the walls there are the interesting ruins of the early Christian complex of San Giovanni and those of the Romanesque church of San Paolo. Among the residential buildings there are remains of private houses from different eras.

The "Medio Olona Park" is a Local Park of Supra-municipal Interest (PLIS) established in 2006 between six municipalities in the area in the province of Varese. Its main purpose is to protect the natural, landscape and historical-cultural resources of the Olona River Valley. The park extends over approximately 617 hectares, mainly in the territories of Fagnano Olona and Gorla Maggiore. Characterized by the presence of the Olona river, the park has a naturalistic value and represents historical Lombard land. Since 2020, it has been managed by the Pineta di Appiano Gentile e Tradate regional park. The park logo features an owl, the Olona river and a leaf which symbolize active participation in the life of the park. The purposes include the protection of biodiversity, the conservation of natural heritage and the integration between social enjoyment and environmental protection.