Varese

Varese is the provincial capital of the eponymous province in the north-western corner of Lombardy, just a few kilometres from the Swiss border. With around 79,000 inhabitants, the city is nicknamed Città Giardino (Garden City) for its magnificent 18th-century villas surrounded by lush parks, among which Villa Panza stands out with its contemporary art collections. The Sacro Monte di Varese, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, crowns the city's natural landscape and draws pilgrims and visitors from across Europe. A natural gateway to the Swiss Alps and green lung of northern Milan, Varese offers an exceptional setting for outdoor sport.

Sportingly, Varese boasts a heritage of the highest order: Pallacanestro Varese is one of Europe's most decorated basketball clubs, with multiple national and international titles, while cycling has found in its roads and the historic Varese Circuit a reference venue for Italian two-wheeled sport. Watersports on Lake Varese, athletics, sailing, and alpinism complete a sporting offer that makes the city a regional benchmark for physical activity for all.