Let's Start with Varano Borghi

The History of Varano Borghi

The area where Varano is located has been populated since prehistory. There are still the remains of prehistoric stilt houses in the nearby Varese lake with a great archaeological site. In the medieval time Varano was a feud from the family Trecchi from Cremona, but the Borghi family is the most relevant in Varano’s modern history.

Varano became a commune in 1808 and thanks to the Borghi’s family it became the second larger automized cotton and silk textile town in Italy in the 1800s. Borghi built the church, the cemetery and the entire town (at that time, the building of the square and few more) for their workers. In 1913 the Borghi family had to sell the company to a larger French/Italian company call Textilox and in 1923, 2,400 workers were employed in Varano Borghi. After the II World War Varano Borghi had a second renascence with yet another Borghi family who created the largest appliances factory in Italy called Ignis, just a mile away. Ignis was sold to Phillips and today it is the European headquarter of Whirlpool. Most of the manufacturing of Varano moved abroad in 1990s and since than Varano is struggling to find a new identity.

What to do in Varano Borghi

Varano B is close to Malpensa airport, the international airpot of Milan which is also the hub for EasyJet, the low cost airline that flies all over Europe. From Varano you can go shopping in London for the afternoon and be back by night. Varano is also located on a beautiful area called “The 7 lakes”, the biggest lake being Lake Maggiore, the George-Clooney-less version of Lake Como.

Here are some things of what to do in Varano:

• Supermercati Tigros (Viale Vittorio Veneto, 2 - the main street): Easy walk. You can find all you need for an Italian kitchen. The supermarket follows traditional Italian hours of operation. It is closed on Sunday and it does a lunch break. Open 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and opens again at 3pm to 7:30pm. Have some Prosciutto di Parma or the ham called Grand Biscotto.

• SPA Villa Borghi: Piazzetta Borghi, 1 (left of the villa) Ph. 39 0332 960914 spa@graniero.it. Easy walk. Book the massage in advance if you want it the same day of your arrival, otherwise they should be able to fit you in for the day after. If you just want to use the Spa they will get you in the same day. The Spa offers a swimming pool, jacussi, sauna, doccie emozionali, salt room (for extra $). Ask for a list of their services at the front desk of the Spa.

• Friday morning open air market: Easy walk. A group of traveling merchants have been gathering in the Piazza on Friday’s morning since the beginning of time. The entire town goes out to visit the market. It is the busy day for Varano. Buy some roasted chicken with fries, some local honey and fruits. There is some clothing as well. 

• Pasticceria Zanchin Viale Vittorio Veneto, 28. Easy walk. This is the pastry shop. It is worth a visit. They have pastries, gelato only in summer, bread (limited), coffee and some wine BTG. A perfect place for an italian breakfast or just a break.

• Bar Tata, Viale Vittorio Veneto, 7. Easy walk. I usually go there for the aperitivo, which is a glass of wine and some snack before I go for lunch. You have to try this. A glass of wine will also get you some free light appetizers. Their wine selection is not vast, but it is good. Tata also has coffee and freshly squeezed orange juices for breakfast and deliciuos croissants.

• There are 2 coffe shops in the main piazza as well; check them all out!

• Ciokolatte - Piazza Matteotti. Easy walk. Here is your ice-cream shop. Open only in summer.

• Parco di Ternate - This is a large beautiful park by the lake. There is a casual restaurant, tennis courts and a bocce field. The park is on a bicycle path of 12 km that goes all around the lake. Rent bikes at hotel Montelago by the park.

• Hairstylist - I like the way they cut and color hair in Italy. They are good and inexpensive. Go to the hairstylist in the Piazza, her name is Tiziana. You will need a reservation. 

Restaurants in the area: The area if full of great restaurants, I will give you a few ideas and I start with the closer one. Don’t go to Italian restaurant before opening time or they will ask you to come back later (the pizza oven is not warm enough). There will also be so many restaurants you will see in the tour. If you find something amazing let me know.

• La Scuderia at Villa Borghi - $$ Easy walk. Nice pizzeria with a large variety of pizzas and other italian food. It is a modern and very pretty place. Opens at 7pm. They do lunches only on weekends but dinner every night. EASY WALKING DISTANCE.

• Pizzeria da Leo and Pizzeria Europa are 2 pizzerias in town. Gino also does home delivery. Leo mainly does take out.

• Trattoria Lago dei Cigni closed Monday. $ Drive 1.5 miles or stop of your bike ride. Nice restaurant with a view of the lake. They do lunch on a prefix menu for about 15 Euro.  In the evening the menu is a la carte. The food is good and the service is fast.

• Cesarino closed Wednesday. Drive 2 miles. $$ This is a very charming restaurant in front of the lake owned by Cesarino and his family from over 50 years. Cesarino is passionate about food and wine and you will find a good wine list and some creative cuisine. He cooks Lombardia dishes and fish from lake.

• Ristorante Verbella - Sesto Calende. I love this place, in summer you can even use their pool. It is by the river and the pizza and other food is great!

• Peperosa. Drive 6 miles. $$ This is maybe the best pizza in the area and it can be very busy. The restaurant specialize in pizza and grilled juicy meat. The restaurant is classy, the service is good, the wine list is also good. 

• Corte Visconti Somma Lombardo. $$$ Drive 6 miles. The restaurant is located inside a medieval castle. The ambiance is unique and food and services are good.

• Osteria dei Sass Via S. Antonio, 17b, 21023 Besozzo VA. $$$ Drive 8 miles. Lunch and dinner. Dinner starts at 7:30pm. Sunday they only do lunch. Beautiful just remodeled restaurant with creative and delicious creative food. You will not be disappointed here. If you don’t mind the drive I strongly recommend this restaurant.

• Maremio in Lisanza. If you want to eat fish, this is the place

• Sole di Ranco Piazza Venezia, 5, 21020 Ranco VA- $$$$ Drive 10 miles. With a terrace on Maggiore Lake, Sole di Ranco is the place you want to be for good service, consistent great food and the charming lake feel.

• Ristorante Villa Crespi Drive 25 miles. $$$$$ It is not a short drive, for dinner, but they are open for lunch as well, so you may make a day out of this as it is in Orta san Giulio a marvelous little town by lake Orta. The restaurant is a 2 star Michelin and it is owned by one of the most famous chef in Italy Anonino Cannavaciuolo. He is one of the judges in Italian Master chef with Joe Bastianic. The restaurant is in breath taking moorish villa, something dreamy that will wow you right away. Everything is beautiful here and they expect you to fit in with a business casual dress code. The food is incredible, the wine list extensive and the service impeccable. If you are a foodie you need to go here. You will be reasonably full with 150 euro per person.

The Lake District and Milan

This is a beautiful sub alpine area of Italy with 7 beautiful lakes, great restaurants and many things to do. It is a marriage of natural beauty and history. I will talk about the area in the Guided Tours. You can spend a day here, or you can spend weeks discovering the area. Have  fun exploring.