Discover Monteggia

Monteggia is connected to nearby towns and lakes by several routes. Access to the cycle path at Lake Varese runs along Via Monteggia; other routes pass through Monteggia or lead to Cascina Monteggia. The Travedona-Monate area is home to prehistoric stilt-dwelling settlements, while Lake Monate offers opportunities for swimming, boating, and fishing. “Il giro dei cinque laghi” leads from Biandronno towards Cascina Monteggia and Travedona, continuing on to Lake Monate. The Pesche di Monate also give the area its own distinctive character.

Routes and lakes around Monteggia

From Travedona-Biandronno station, access to the cycle path at Lake Varese runs along Via Monteggia towards Biandronno. From there, the cycle path can be reached on Via Isola Virginia.

The “Travedona Biandronno Bregano” route runs from Travedona through the town of Monteggia and on to Biandronno and Bregano. Check route conditions before setting out. “Il giro dei cinque laghi” leads from Biandronno towards Cascina Monteggia and Travedona, continuing on to Lake Monate.

In the area around Travedona-Monate, the “Tour dei due laghi” route connects Lake Monate with Lake Maggiore. The difference from the other route connections is that this route explicitly links two lakes, whereas access via Via Monteggia leads to the cycle path at Lake Varese. Route conditions can change; check the route before setting out. The tour passes through hilly inland countryside and cultivated fields, including the peach orchards of Monate.

Stilt dwellings at Lake Monate

The prehistoric stilt-dwelling settlements of Sabbione, Pozzolo, and Occhio in Lake Monate, within the municipality of Travedona-Monate, yielded tools, other objects, and dugout canoes dating to around 2500 BC.

The Stazione dell’Occhio is specifically located in the Travedona-Monate area, next to the present-day Lido di Monate, 30 metres from the shore and at a depth of two to five metres.

Swimming, boat rentals, and fishing

Lake Monate is suitable for swimming throughout; local swimming conditions may vary by season. Boats and pedal boats are often available to rent at public and private beaches. Availability may vary by beach and season. Sport fishing for pike and largemouth bass is also possible on the lake. For planning purposes, conditions differ: swimming depends on the season, while boat rentals also depend on the specific beach.

Pesche di Monate and their history

Pesche di Monate are called “Perzic de Munà” in the local dialect. Their preservation tradition dates back to the 1920s; Luigi Colombo, a chef at Villa Motta in Travedona-Monate, developed a method for preserving them. Pesche di Monate are also listed in Italy’s national register of traditional agri-food products.

Discover more destinations: Albizzate, Busto Arsizio, Leggiuno, Malnate, Comerio, Vizzola Ticino, Ternate, Castellanza.

For the main travel overview: Varese.