Discovering Varese on bikes

Varese, a land of athletes. We are not only talking about the rowers who will take part to the World Rowing Championships Under 19 and Under 21 from 27 to 31 July. We are also considering the lovers of basketball, hockey, soccer and, last but not least, bicycle riding.

The province in fact is proud to have more than 100 kms of bike trails, which cross and link cities, mountains, lakes, plains, in a connection which can be appreciated by anyone who loves spending time surrounded by nature. But, you know, not everything is made of numbers. To ride by bike on trails and roads allows to enjoy oneself, alone or with other people, to stay in good health and, of course, to have a look at the surrounding space from a different point of view. All trails are fit to mountain bikes, to road bikes and to e-bikes; all of them can be rented in many shops of the area.

Between Varese and Comabbio

Let us start with the most famous bike trail of Varese, which is also the easiest one to be reached from the city centre: “the bike trail of the Lake of Varese”. We are talking about a trail 28 kms long, only 100 mts altitude difference and many different grounds, from concrete to asphalt to clay, making it suitable to any athletic training. Warnings are very clearly placed along the trail, being them related to directions or to the many points of interest, among which we can list the Cloister of Voltorre, the “Parco Zanzi” at Schiranna, the small church of Madonnina del Lago at Azzate, the old ice-houses at Cazzago Brabbia, the tiny isle “Virginia”.

A 4 kms connecting trail within the LIPU Natural Reserve of Palude Brabbia links our Lake to Comabbio Lake, where trail another 12 kms bike path around the Comabbio Lake crosses many woods and the 20^th century workers’ village of Varano Borghi.

From lake to river

Let us now talk of rivers. In the Southern part of our territory flows River Ticino, one of the most important affluents of River Po. A bike trail with very panoramic views leads from the Panperduto Dam in Somma Lombardo to Porta Genova in Milano, following the banks of Naviglio Grande. Along the trail, there are many places which are worth a visit, such as natural areas, the villas at Delizia di Cuggiono, small villages like Robecco sul Naviglio, stone bridges, frescoed small churches like Santa Maria in Binda, the Abbiategrasso Castle.

A few other trails depart from the main one, and can lead to Sesto Calende or, along the Old Naviglio, to Turbigo. Or, again, who decides to continue straight from the Naviglio Grande can reach the Austro-Hungarian Custom Office and the Gaggio wood, as far as Tornavento, which is considered one of the nicest little villages of the territory.

A bike trail which is worth a visit is the one following the footsteps of the old train rail of Valle Olona. Also here, the training performance is connected to the emotion of crossing green spaces like the Approdo dei Calimali, seeing historical points of interest like the Bunker of Prospiano, industrial archaeology like the Candiani Factory at Fagnano Olona and religious buildings like the Lazzaretto of Marnate. Up on the hill, the reward: the beautiful small village of Castiglione Olona.

A recently built bike trail connects Germignaga and Valcuvia, along the Margorabbia river. The point of strength of this trail is the distance from the main road, which makes it very safe.

Lake Maggiore can be reached also through Parco della Quassa along a 6 kmts bike trail between Ranco and Ispra.

Cycling towards mountains

Who feels more at ease in the mountain areas and in the valleys cannot miss the chance of a beautiful bike tour in the Valganna. Ganna or Ghirla can be the starting points of a trail which also crosses Parco dell’Argentera down to Ponte Tresa.

In the end, you cannot miss a tour of the Campo dei Fiori mountain, with challenging tours which lead to the top of the mountain and other, less demanding, ones which nevertheless offer breathtaking views, such as Trail n. 10 and the one leading to Forte di Orino.