Bardello
The Wonderful Lake of Varese
Hello friends, today we talk about the beautiful Lake of Varese, located at the foot of the Varesine Prealps in Lombardy. If you love nature and sports activities, this lake is the perfect place for you!
Formation
Lake Varese was formed about 15,000 years ago during the retreat of the glacier of the nearby Lake Maggiore. Its surface area is 14.2 square kilometers and its maximum depth reaches 35 meters.
Surrounding municipalities
The lake bathes nine Italian municipalities, including Varese, Azzate, Bardello with Malgesso and Bregano, Biandronno, Bodio Lomnago, Buguggiate, Galliate Lombardo, Cazzago Brabbia and Gavirate, which was the main municipality facing the lake for many years.
The Lake of Seven Lakes
Lake Varese is one of the Seven Lakes of the Varese province, along with the Lakes of Maggiore, Comabbio, Lugano, Ganna, Ghirla and Monate.
Rowing and the Canottieri Varese
Lake Varese is renowned for being a racing field for rowing. Here is the headquarters of Canottieri Varese, organizer of national and international rowing events. The Canottieri Gavirate, which has brought numerous successes such as the Montù Cup in 2007, 2008 and 2009, also has its headquarters on the lake.
Fauna
Lake Varese is famous for its abundant amount of ducks.
Isolino Virginia
The Isolino Virginia of the municipality of Biandronno is the most interesting site of Lake Varese.
History
The islet was called ''Isola di San Biagio'' and ''Isola di Donna Camilla Litta'' before becoming Isolino Virginia, in honor of Virginia Pigna, the wife of the owner, whose name it still retains today.
Archaeological finds
In 1863, remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling civilizations were found, currently preserved in the Ponti Museum on the islet itself. Thanks to the numerous findings, Lake Varese was declared a UNESCO Site as one of the most important "Prehistoric pile-dwelling sites in the Alps."
Waters
After 60 years of being non-swimmable, the lake has become swimable again, on an experimental basis, on the beaches of Schiranna di Varese and Bodio Lomnago starting from July 2, 2022. This result was made possible thanks to interventions aimed at restoring the waters carried out by the municipalities overlooking its shores, Varese province and Lombardy region.
Flora
Palude Brabbia is a nature reserve that protects one of the best-preserved examples of a plain bog, lying between the basins of Lake Varese and Lake Comabbio. The protected natural area extends for 459 hectares and is an ideal place for nature and animal lovers.
In summary, if you're looking for a place to relax and enjoy nature, Lake Varese and its surroundings are the ideal destination. You can take a swim in the newly swimmable beaches or engage in sports activities such as rowing and hiking. Don't miss the opportunity to visit the enchanting Isolino Virginia, a place where you can discover local history and culture.
