Places
Viewpoint·Moderate·Family·Popular
Sacro Monte di Varese
Lombardy
From the village of Sant'Ambrogio a stepped, cobbled pilgrim way rises through beech woods, punctuated by fourteen frescoed 17th-century chapels, to the sanctuary and old village of Santa Maria del Monte. The terrace looks over Varese, its lakes and the Prealps to Monte Rosa.
Duration
2–3 hours
Distance
5 km
Elevation
+350 m
Best season
Year-round
Parking · Paid
Paid parking at the first chapel; a funicular also runs from Vellone.
Water
Fountains along the Via Sacra and in the summit village.
Highlights
- UNESCO Sacri Monti chapel walk
- Frescoed Baroque chapels
- Lakes-and-Monte-Rosa panorama at the top
With your dog
Leashed dogs welcome on the cobbled Via Sacra and forest paths.
