• Religious Tourism
    • Art & Culture

The Abbey of San Donato

In Sesto Calende the beautiful and ancient Romanesque church is worth a visit

Where
Via Abbazia 6, Sesto Calende (VA)

This is the finest monument of Sesto Calende. Today, the only remnant of the ancient abbey is the Church of San Donato, built between the 9th and 10th century, which is located near a nucleus of restored farmsteads and old homes.

Cyclists will have no trouble reaching it from the riverside road, if they follow directions for Lentate and Taino. Travellers coming from Angera can reach San Donato by leaving the provincial road SP69, toward the left, just after the village of Lisanza.

This locality, now simply called Abbazia or Badia, is remembered in documents from the 9th to 13th centuries as "Scozola". According to a very convincing reconstruction, this place was once the site of a cove - now filled in - which was the harbour of Sesto where the boats paid navigation duties.

In the vicinity, secondary roads and trails branch off and connect Sesto Calende to nearby Lake Comabbio (in the direction of Oneda): in the woods to the north, particularly in the vicinity of the small church of San Vincenzo, there are partially marked mountain bikes paths that allow travellers to have fun cycling towards Taino or Lentate.

The church of San Donato preserves valuable Romanesque art and, on the inside, precious frescoes dating back to various eras, from the 15th to the 19th century. There are also an ancient wooden crucifix and a crypt that preserves bas-reliefs.

Take me here: The Abbey of San Donato

Places

Sass da Preja Buia

The erratic boulder at Sesto Calende
  • Art & Culture
Sass da Preja Buia
1.37 km

Park of the Ticino Valley

The park covers about 92,000 hectares from Lake Maggiore to the confluence with the River Po
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Park of the Ticino Valley
1.67 km

Lake Comabbio

Discover the Hidden Gem of Varese
  • Rivers
Passerella in legno sul lago di Comabbio, con alberi sullo sfondo in una giornata di sole.
5.79 km

Borromean Fortress of Angera

Explore the enchanting Museum of Dolls and Toys and serene Medieval Gardens at the Angera Fortress, also known as Rocca of Angera
  • Art & Culture
Vista della Rocca di Angera posta sulla sommità di uno sperone di roccia. Il tramonto colora le nuvole di arancione in un cielo azzurro. La Rocca è circondata da piante verdi.
6.27 km

Angera

An ancient town in the province of Varese on the Lombard shore of Lake Maggiore.
  • Villages
Lakeside promenade of Angera, with a small beach. By the lake, there is an empty sun lounger, and you can see the Rocca in the distance.
6.44 km

Angera municipial archaeological museum

  • Art & Culture
Civico Museo Archeologico di Angera
6.48 km

Visconti di San Vito Castle

Castle and museum in Somma Lombardo.
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Visconti di San Vito Castle
7.62 km

Panperduto | Varese Convention & Visitors Bureau

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Panperduto | Varese Convention & Visitors Bureau
7.69 km

Lake Monate

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Lake Monate
7.79 km

Ispra

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Ispra
9.46 km

Golf dei Laghi

The undulating of the Golf dei Laghi, hilly course offers breathtaking views of Monte Rosa and Lake Maggiore, making the game enjoyable.
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Golf dei Laghi, Travedona Monate (VA)
9.51 km

Prehistoric Alpine Stilt Houses

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Palafitte Arco Alpino
11.28 km

Varese Lake

The hidden gem in Lombardy to explore
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Vista dal drone del Lido della Schiranna di Varese all'alba.
12.39 km

Volandia Park and the Aviation Museum (Somma Lombardo)

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Volandia Park and the Aviation Museum (Somma Lombardo)
12.4 km

Lago di Varese

Liberty villas, gardens on the lake, itineraries in the woods. And an islet with stilts from the Neolithic. Discover the Lake of Varese
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Lago di Varese
12.42 km

Lake Varese: the cycling route and footpath

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Lake Varese: the cycling route and footpath
14.18 km

Museo Gallaratese per gli Studi Patri

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Museo Gallaratese per gli Studi Patri
14.47 km

Church of San Pietro

Gallarate (VA)
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Church of San Pietro
14.66 km

Activities

Italian cooking class

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Italian cooking class
1.13 km

Bike Tour around the Lakes of Comabbio and Varese

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Bike Tour around the Lakes of Comabbio and Varese
3.72 km

English Style Riding Weekend

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English Style Riding Weekend
10.82 km

Where to sleep

Ortensia

SESTO CALENDE
Ortensia
320 mt

Azalea

SESTO CALENDE
Azalea
320 mt

Dalia

SESTO CALENDE
Dalia
320 mt

Camelia

SESTO CALENDE
Camelia
346 mt

FOR ZHOU BOZONG Sesto Calende Corso Matteotti 54

SESTO CALENDE
FOR ZHOU BOZONG Sesto Calende Corso Matteotti 54
502 mt

B&B Liberty

Sesto Calende
B&B Liberty
596 mt

APPARTAMENTO VICTORIA

Sesto Calende
APPARTAMENTO VICTORIA
631 mt

Hotel Ristorante 3 Re

Sesto Calende
Hotel Ristorante 3 Re
691 mt

B&B ON THE RIVER

Sesto Calende
B&B ON THE RIVER
691 mt

HOTEL DAVID

Sesto Calende
HOTEL DAVID
697 mt

HOTEL DEL SOLE

Sesto Calende
HOTEL DEL SOLE
719 mt

Bed and Breakfast Monterosa

Sesto Calende
Bed and Breakfast Monterosa
722 mt

BED&BREAKFAST LA COLOMBA

Sesto Calende
BED&BREAKFAST LA COLOMBA
856 mt

ACCOGLIENTE CAMERA IN MANSARDA

Sesto Calende
ACCOGLIENTE CAMERA IN MANSARDA
865 mt

CAMPEGGIO LA SFINGE

Sesto Calende
CAMPEGGIO LA SFINGE
997 mt

Your Place By the Lake

SESTO CALENDE
Your Place By the Lake
1.01 km

Cascina Ronco dei Lari - Il Nido - Lake Maggiore

SESTO CALENDE
Cascina Ronco dei Lari - Il Nido - Lake Maggiore
1.2 km

Cascina Ronco dei Lari - La Torre - Lake Maggiore

SESTO CALENDE
Cascina Ronco dei Lari - La Torre - Lake Maggiore
1.2 km

LMI SESTO CALENDE Via Case Nuove

SESTO CALENDE
LMI SESTO CALENDE Via Case Nuove
1.68 km

LA CORTE DI SILVIA 4

Sesto Calende
LA CORTE DI SILVIA 4
1.72 km