LUINO & SURROUNDINGS
Just 5 minutes from our hotel is Luino: an ancient and elegant village where art, history, and culture intertwine with tourism and economic development.
This gem in the province of Varese is part of the MAB (Man and Biosphere) Reserve “Ticino Val Grande Verbano,” which includes the Piedmontese Ticino Park and the protected areas of Lake Maggiore, the Lombard Ticino Park, the Val Grande National Park, and the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park.
ROOTS
The village’s roots date back to ancient times. The village has played crucial roles in history, such as during the clashes between Garibaldi and the Austrians on August 18, 1848, or the bread revolt on May 10, 1898.
This is a place that has always embodied independence and the struggle for rights and freedom. The history and culture are well visible on the streets of the city, which was the birthplace of poet Vittorio Sereni and the writer Piero Chiara. Dario Fo lived here, and Ernest Hemingway included Luino in his novel “A Farewell to Arms.”
ITINERARIES
You can stroll on the lakefront to admire the 15th-century Church of Madonna del Carmine, the private Chapel of the Serbellonis, Palazzo Verbania with its library, and the Civic Archaeological Paleontological Museum. Following the “Belvedere” route from Piazza San Francesco, you can climb up to Carnella to admire Luino from above and reach Colmegna through a charming trail. From Le Motte, you can explore buildings dating back to World War II.
Art fans can quench their thirst for knowledge by visiting the Church of San Giuseppe, the Church of Carmine on the lakefront, the Church of SS Pietro e Paolo in the historical center, and San Pietro at the cemetery, where you can admire a fresco by Bernardino Luini.
Beautiful Liberty-style villas and palaces decorate the shores of the lake.
THE LUINO MARKET
Our Wednesday market is famous: It also features 350 stalls that attract visitors from Switzerland and Germany.
This picturesque weekly event has an ancient history, dating back to 1541, thanks to a concession by Charles V, and is known as the Luino Market, the most important one on Lake Maggiore.
PLACE TO DISCOVER
There are numerous cultural attractions, including the Masnago Castle, the Angera Fortress, and the Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso, all set in a natural and scenic context of particular charm.
The mountains north of Lake Maggiore embrace the area, offering a mild climate, while the surrounding hills and valleys represent one of the greenest areas of the Italian peninsula. This wild nature gets revealed from various panoramic viewpoints on the lake, among hermitages, sanctuaries, and castles overlooking the vast lake basin.
