Villa Guardia – Cultural Heritage and Cycling Routes

Villa Guardia combines cultural history, with the Torre dei Rusca, churches and historic villas, with paths and nature features in the PLIS Sorgenti del Torrente Lura. The former Malnate–Grandate railway line and a historic shop in Maccio round out these local attractions. If you are looking for a hotel, these specific themes can help you decide what you would like to focus on during your stay.

Cultural history: tower, churches and villas

The Torre dei Rusca is the only surviving part of the castle built by the powerful local Rusca family in the 13th century. The tower is therefore a tangible link to Villa Guardia’s medieval history.

Since 2010, the new Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta has been recognised as the Santuario della Santissima Trinità Misericordia. This sanctuary houses the altarpiece of the Assumption of Mary, painted by Cesare Carpano in 1595.

The Chiesa dei Santi Cosma e Damiano adds a bronze portal by Severino Trinca, depicting the patron saints in a contemporary style. The rectangular floor plan includes two side chapels and an apsidal presbytery. The artistic detail of the portal and the layout of the church interior thus offer two distinct architectural features.

The churches in Maccio also reflect different historical periods. The old parish church of Maccio, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, probably has Early Christian origins dating to the 5th–6th centuries. The present-day parish church of Maccio, by contrast, was built in the late 19th century.

Villa Mugiasca is a neoclassical conversion carried out by Simone Cantoni between 1788 and 1804. Villa Sebregondi alla Macciasca is a 17th-century manor house on a small hill, surrounded by extensive green space. The complex also includes the Oratorio di Santa Gaudenzia alla Macciasca. Villa Sebregondi alla Macciasca is privately owned and cannot be visited. If you plan to view it from outside, check the local conditions beforehand.

Paths and nature in the PLIS Sorgenti del Torrente Lura

Villa Guardia is one of the eight municipalities in the PLIS Sorgenti del Torrente Lura in the Province of Como. The park area includes wetlands and agroforestry ecosystems that provide habitats for numerous animal and plant species. Within the PLIS, the Ciclovia dei Laghi passes through the municipalities of Lurate Caccivio and Villa Guardia.

The former Malnate–Grandate railway line also runs through Villa Guardia. Much of its former trackbed is open to pedestrians and is regarded as a green corridor and an alternative cycling route to the Varese–Como road. Its restoration and conversion are ongoing. The Ciclovia and the former trackbed are two distinct route references: the former is mentioned in connection with the park, while the latter links the railway line’s history with its described use for walking and cycling.

Visiting and local products

The municipal regulations approved in 2020 ensure that Parco Comunale Giuseppe Garibaldi is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. Confirm the specific on-site conditions before your visit.

At Salumificio Gini’s historic shop in Maccio, you can buy traditional cured meats bearing the Gini name. This adds a local shopping stop to your travel plans, alongside architectural history and landscapes.

Discover more destinations: Bellagio, Peglio, Vercana, Lenno, Castelmarte, Zelbio, Pellio Intelvi, Brunate

For the overview of the wider area: Como.