I had one more day left in Varese, and quite a few items left on my “to do” list.  So, it being a beautiful day, I set out right after breakfast to begin exploring.I was heading to the north part of the city, to visit a villa/park that I had read about.  This area is, literally, full of villas — some are now open to the public, and it would take more than one visit to Varese to be able to see them all.  It was early on a Sunday morning, and the churches all had masses at the time, so I only took pictures of the exteriors, saving the interiors of the beautiful buildings for another visit.  Note: it is not polite, or appropriate to visit a church in Italy, or any other country, for that matter, when there is a service taking place.  As the buildings became more spread apart, I figured that I was nearing my destination — and I was!  I was heading to the Castello di Masnago and the Parco Mantegazza.  The Castello di Masnago is a XV century castle, which is now a museum featuring modern and contemporary art.  This is a wonderful museum, and even though the walk from the town takes a while (about thirty minutes), it is well worth visiting.The frescoes that adorned the walls of the castle were just as interesting, to me, as the modern art was.After I finished my visit of the Castle, I explored the surrounding area a bit.

Next up: a wonderful afternoon exploring another villa in Varese, and a visit to a festival honoring Italian street food!

Note: this blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations which may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please check out our archives for more posts from bella Varese, as well as other Italian destinations.  Grazie!