• Religious Tourism
    • Unesco Sites
    • Art & Culture

Sacro Monte Varese

Timbre Siti Unesco Here you can stamp
your passport
SITI UNESCO #inLombardia
Where
Via Dell'Assunzione, 21, Varese
Contacts
+39 366 4774873
Official site

Art and nature, faith and sport.

The Sacro Monte di Varese has something for every tourist. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003, the 17th-century Holy Road and hamlet of Santa Maria del Monte are one of Varese and indeed Lombardy's must-visit destinations.

The site is easy to get to from Varese, with parking available in via Prima Cappella if you would like to start climbing from the very bottom. Alternatively, you can park in Piazzale Pogliaghi, behind the Santuario, at the top.

It can also be reached via public transport or the cable car.

The chapels

There are 14 chapels dotted along the Holy Road which leads to the top. All are dedicated to the Mysteries of the Rosary and constitute truly exceptional works of art.

Each one has its own architectural design, characterised by meticulous attention to detail, with sculptures and paintings inside. When you stop to admire the art, don't forget to tilt your head back and observe the magnificent frescoes on the ceilings. Sadly, the grates and glass installed to protect the art mean quality photographs cannot be taken – so we advise that you come and see it in person!

Santuario di Santa Maria del Monte

Once you have passed the final chapel, you'll find yourself before the ascent which leads to the Santuario and the hamlet of Santa Maria del Monte. Here, you are greeted by an enormous statue of Moses and a fantastic panoramic view, after which you can climb the steps and enter the Santuario. This represents the end of your journey through the Mysteries of the Rosary, depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven in the glory of the Angels and Saints; it is not very large, but packed with frescoes to admire.

We strongly advise that you also visit the adjacent crypt, which has been restored and is now open to the public, giving you the chance to admire the remains of the early-medieval church, decorated with stunning 14th-century frescoes. It costs to enter before 5:30 pm, but you get a fascinating guided tour included in the price. Entrance is free after 5:30 pm. 

The Museums

But that's not all. We've discovered two fantastic museums in Santa Maria del Monte that are certainly worth a visit. The Museo Baroffio is located by the entrance to the Santuario and holds Romanesque sculptures, illuminated manuscripts and paintings donated to the Santuario by Baron Giuseppe Baroffio. It was reopened in 2001 and extended to include a section on contemporary religious art.

Another must-visit is the Museo Pogliaghi, which is located in the house that the eclectic and brilliant Milanese artist chose for his home. From the outside, it seems like a regular early 20th-century house – perhaps a bit bizarre – but don't let that fool you. As soon as you step inside, you'll be surrounded by a myriad of sketches and sculptures by the artist, as well as a unique melting pot of Greek, Roman and Oriental artefacts. Half home, half artist's workshop, each room is different from the other and every door transports you into a new world. The highlight of the visit is the sitting room, which features the full-size plaster model Pogliaghi created while he was making the door for the Duomo in Milan – it's a spectacle that will leave you open mouthed!

The view and the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park

No visit to the Sacro Monte is complete without stopping to admire its stunning natural surroundings. Located on a hill behind Varese, on clear days visitors can admire a large part of the Po Valley and mountains of Lombardy, with the mountains of Bergamo and the Valtellina even visible in the distance.

It was Varese itself that really impressed us. The town appears almost swallowed up by the forest spilling down from the mountains – perhaps that's the reason why it is known as the "Garden City". Finally, for the more active among you, it's worth pointing out that from the summit of the Sacro Monte you can take several paths which set off through the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park. The terrain is largely accessible for all – perfect for a nice day in the great outdoors!

Text and photos from: 


Opening hours

Santuario di Santa Maria del Monte

8:00 - 12:00  and 14:00 - 18:00


Other links

Informazioni per turisti con disabilità
Take me here: Sacro Monte Varese

Places

Sacri Monti in Piedmont and Lombardy

  • Unesco Sites
Sacro Monte di Varese
35 mt

Lodovico Pogliaghi House Museum

Visit the Pogliaghi House Museum at Sacro Monte di Varese: discover art and history in one of the most fascinating museums in Varese.
  • Art & Culture
Hedges of the garden and entrance gate of the Lodovico Pogliaghi House Museum at Sacro Monte di Varese on a sunny day.
127 mt

Casa Museo Lodovico Pogliaghi | Varese Convention & Visitors Bureau

  • Art & Culture
Casa museo Pogliaghi
131 mt

Sacro Monte of Varese

Perched on a hill with breathtaking views, Sacro Monte di Varese has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2003.
  • Unesco Sites
Suggestive view of the tenth chapel of Sacro Monte di Varese, with the arch in the foreground, reflecting the artistic and spiritual beauty of this UNESCO site
482 mt

Baroffio and Sanctuary Museum

Discover one of the museums of Santa Maria del Monte in Varese: A treasure of art bridging history and modernity
  • Art & Culture
Museum Baroffio Entrance Facade and View of Lake Varese
1.01 km

Villa e Parco Toeplitz

  • Art & Culture
Villa e Parco Toeplitz
2.15 km

Castiglioni Museum

Un affascinante viaggio tra archeologia e etnologia, tra deserto e savana, tra mito e realtà
  • Art & Culture
Castiglioni Museum
2.39 km

From Varese to Campo dei Fiori

Segregated bike lanes, fishing villages and historic parks. On the roads of a memorable edition of the Road World Cycling Championships
  • Cycle Tourism
The Basilica of San Vittore in Varese
2.41 km

Birrificio Angelo Poretti

  • Lifestyle
Birrificio Angelo Poretti
2.76 km

Golf Club Varese

Golf Club Varese offers incomparably beautiful views that embrace Monte Rosa, the Maggiore, Varese and Monate lakes.
  • Golf
Golf Club Varese, Luvinate (VA)
3.2 km

Masnago Castle and Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

  • Art & Culture
Masnago Castle and Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
3.53 km

Induno Olona

Important in the past due to its numerous factories, Induno still retains a certain historical-industrial relevance today
  • Art & Culture
Induno Olona
3.65 km

Villa Torelli Mylius

  • Ville e giardini
Villa Torelli Mylius
4.47 km

Ville Ponti

An ancient residential complex owned by a Ponti’s family and now an efficient Congress Centre, property of Varese Chamber of Commerce.
  • Ville e giardini
Ville Ponti
4.73 km

Waterfalls | Varese Convention & Visitors Bureau

  • Active & Green
Cascate Varese
5.03 km

Cloister of S. Antonino

One of the most historic places in the centre of Varese, known for the spring blossoming of azalee.
  • Art & Culture
Chiostro di Sant'Antonino - Varese
5.12 km

The Gardens of Palazzo Estense

  • Active & Green
The Gardens of Palazzo Estense
5.15 km

Palazzo Estense

  • Art & Culture
Palazzo Estense
5.18 km

Arco Mera and Basilica of San Vittore

  • Lifestyle
View of the ceiling of Arco Mera with some zodiac signs and the dome of the Basilica of San Vittore in Varese
5.23 km

Varese: the old town

  • Lifestyle
Varese: the old town
5.23 km

Events

Boldini, De Nittis, Zandomeneghi. The 19th Century Salon

Villa San Martino
Villa S. Martino Via Ferruccio Bolchini 24, Barasso
13/10/2024 - 03/11/2024
  • Art & Culture
Image of a Woman from De Nittis' Painting
3.06 km

Where to sleep

HOTEL AL BORDUCAN

Varese
HOTEL AL BORDUCAN
80 mt

ALBERGO SACROMONTE

Varese
ALBERGO SACROMONTE
114 mt

ALBERGO COLONNE

Varese
ALBERGO COLONNE
172 mt

IL PARCO E GLI AFFRESCHI

Varese
IL PARCO E GLI AFFRESCHI
190 mt

VILLA KAIROS

Varese
VILLA KAIROS
756 mt

LOCAZIONE QUIRICI

Varese
LOCAZIONE QUIRICI
1.25 km

C.A.V BILO

Varese
C.A.V BILO
1.92 km

B&B VILLA ADRIANA

VARESE
B&B VILLA ADRIANA
2.06 km

B&B VILLA GIULI

Varese
B&B VILLA GIULI
2.33 km

PETITHOME IN VARESE

Varese
PETITHOME IN VARESE
2.48 km

LOCANDA VECCHIA OSTERIA

Varese
LOCANDA VECCHIA OSTERIA
2.64 km

B&B LE ORTENSIE

Varese
B&B LE ORTENSIE
2.99 km

KIBILU' RESIDENZA PANORAMA

Varese
KIBILU' RESIDENZA PANORAMA
3.12 km

CASCINE CONTI

Induno Olona
CASCINE CONTI
3.21 km

CASCINA CONTI - MELOGRANO

Induno Olona
CASCINA CONTI - MELOGRANO
3.21 km

CASCINA CONTI - GELSO

Induno Olona
CASCINA CONTI - GELSO
3.21 km

CASCINA CONTI - MELO

Induno Olona
CASCINA CONTI - MELO
3.21 km

IL NONARO

Varese
IL NONARO
3.28 km

LOCANDA DEL BRINSC

Brinzio
LOCANDA DEL BRINSC
3.29 km

SHG VILLA PORRO PIRELLI

Induno Olona
SHG VILLA PORRO PIRELLI
3.46 km