Where to stay in Varese: the best neighbourhoods (2026)
You don't visit Varese for Varese itself, and that is the whole point. The city sits 50 minutes from Milan and 30 minutes from Malpensa Airport, right at the foot of the northern lakes. Many travelers only sleep here because a room costs less than in Como, or because they have an early morning flight.
Even so, Varese deserves more than just a quick stopover. A member of our community spent several days here and describes it as a walkable, human-scaled Italian city with great food and zero crowds. The Sacro Monte and the historic villas do the rest. Here are 3 neighborhoods, depending on what brings you here.
Fantastic area for winding down in the fresh air. I took a boat cruise on the lake, which gave me entirely new perspectives on the shoreline and the surrounding landscape.
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At a glance: our picks by traveller type
Pick the profile that suits you to head straight to the recommended neighbourhood.
The neighbourhood map in Varese
Get your bearings on the neighbourhoods and must-see sights before choosing where to drop your bags. Click a name to jump to its description.
The historic center Around Palazzo Estense and San Vittore
for skipping the car and catching a train straight to Milan
Everything sits in a compact footprint, from the San Vittore basilica and its baptistery to Piazza della Motta, the Broletto, and above all the Palazzo Estense, whose gardens stay open to the public free of charge year-round. A member of our community calls it a welcome shaded stroll on hot days, noting that the palace interior itself is only accessible via guided tour. This is the pocket of town that renders a car completely unnecessary, with the train station running toward Milan, restaurants right at your doorstep, and the center buzzing come warmer weather. What it lacks is a view.
I really liked my stay in the city of Varese. It is a very pretty Italian city on a human scale. The center is lively and vibrant, especially on nice days. You eat well there and there are fewer crowds than in other, more touristy cities in the country.
What to see & do in the area
Where to stay in this area
Art Hotel Varese Luxury
A 4-star hotel on viale Aguggiari that proudly displays its rating, complete with an on-site restaurant and bar. It serves as a practical base for Villa Panza and Sacro Monte, a claim backed up by its location just north of the center.
Albergo Ristorante Bologna Mid-range
A townhouse on via Broggi in the heart of the old center, set inside a 1550 monastic complex run by the Lorenzini family for over 65 years. Its restaurant holds a Michelin distinction, making it just as much a destination for dinner as for an overnight stay. It closes for two weeks in August.
Hotel Stelvio Budget
A no-frills spot right on via Tonale, complete with private parking. The house sits close to the highway off-ramp and sits 25 km from Malpensa, making it the textbook overnight stop before an early morning flight.
Pros
- The train station, dining spots, and the Estense gardens all within walking distance
- The villas and museums accessible without a car
Cons
- Zero views down here, which you have to earn by heading up to Sacro Monte
- A handful of spots close for two weeks in August
The Sacro Monte Up north, in the village of Santa Maria del Monte
for the heritage-listed site and the view over the lakes
A 2 km path climbs toward the sanctuary of Santa Maria del Monte, lined with 14 chapels you visit on the way up. A member in our community describes it as doable for everyone, even if you are not particularly athletic, and remembers it fondly. A funicular skips the climb for anyone who prefers it. At the top, the village is tiny and the terraces look out over the lakes, Monte Rosa, and Campo dei Fiori. The trade-off is clear: you are 8 km from downtown on a winding switchback road, and come evening, only the hotel dining rooms are still serving.
Sacro Monte del Rosario is a roughly 2 km trail you can walk at your own pace. It is dotted with fourteen traditional little chapels you can duck into along the way. The route is accessible to anyone, even if you are not big on hiking.
What to see & do in the area
Where to stay in this area
Hotel Sacro Monte Varese Luxury
A 4-star hotel on via Salvatore Bianchi in the heart of the village, billing itself as the oldest inn in the area, once built to house pilgrims. Its front terrace faces the lakes and Monte Rosa, and it welcomes guests year-round.
Hotel Colonne Mid-range
A 4-star boutique hotel with just 9 rooms a short walk from the sanctuary, featuring multi-level terraces overlooking the valley. The property spans several floors and also houses a bar and a bistro.
Hotel Al Borducan Mid-range
A Liberty style villa right in town, named after an orange liqueur invented on site. Only a handful of rooms, a terrace overlooking the valley, and the feel of someone's home rather than a hotel.
Pros
- The protected site and its 14 chapels right on your doorstep
- A view over the lakes and Monte Rosa
Cons
- 8 km from downtown via a switchback road
- After dark, only the hotel restaurants stay open
Lake Varese At Schiranna, 5 km west of downtown
for the water, biking, and quiet evenings
The lake stretches out to the west, ringed by a cycling path with access through the Schiranna neighborhood. Two members of our community describe it the same way, as a peaceful spot for walking and cycling where boat cruises depart for fresh perspectives on the shoreline. Of the three sectors, it is the quietest and least developed, with a few waterfront houses, no shopping streets, and downtown sitting 5 km away.
Lake Varese is a must-see in the region. The lake is vast and pretty peaceful. You can walk around it or go biking. I recommend booking a cruise on the lake.
What to see & do in the area
Where to stay in this area
Hotel Mariuccia Varese Mid-range
A hotel and restaurant on via Macchi right on the water, situated near the boat launch and the start of the bicycle path. The rooms look out over the lake and the terrace sits right at the water's edge.
I Giardini del Lago Budget
A farm stay on via Vigevano offering rooms and breakfast nestled among orchards and plants. You sleep here in the middle of active farm life, which is about as far from a transient hotel as you can get.
Pros
- The lakeside bike path and boat cruises departing from the shore
- The quietest spot in the area once evening sets in
Cons
- Very few places to stay and zero retail streets
- Downtown and the train station remain 5 km away
Our tips for booking the right place
- Malpensa and why so many people sleep here: If one main reason brings people here, this is it, and it has nothing to do with the city itself. The airport sits about thirty minutes away by drive, making it easy to stay in town the night before an early flight without paying airport hotel rates. Watch out for addresses with Malpensa in the name though, as most of them sit in other towns like Somma Lombardo or Ferno and only share the Varese province. If getting to the airport drives your choice, double-check the actual address before trusting the name.
- Two ways to reach the sanctuary: The chapel path runs 2 km from the bottom, and a member of our community describes it as manageable even without any training. The funicular carries those who prefer to save their legs, and the switchback road allows cars right up to the village. Staying overnight up top completely changes the rhythm: tour buses arrive mid-morning and clear out before evening, leaving the sanctuary and terraces peaceful once you have your room there.
- The schedules that drive the schedule: Two details are worth knowing before you arrive. The Palazzo Estense only opens its interior for guided tours or events, while its gardens stay open to everyone all year long, and a member of our community suggests checking ahead rather than showing up at a locked door. Saint Victor Basilica takes about half an hour to see, with smaller crowds in the early morning, according to the same traveler.
- Booking near Sacro Monte while planning to dine in town: 8 km of switchbacks separate the village from downtown, and once night falls, the only dinner options up top are at the hotels.
- Picking a Malpensa address without checking the town: several listings are in Somma Lombardo or Ferno, meaning they are neither in Varese nor necessarily any closer to the airport than the city itself.
- Relying on Schiranna for a car-free trip: the neighborhood touches the lake and its bike path, but downtown is still 5 km away and no shopping street connects them.
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