Lake Varese, Lake in Lombardy, Italy

Lake Varese is a lake in Lombardy, northern Italy, located near the small town of Cazzago Brabbia on its southern shore. The water is calm, the banks are low and flat, and the surrounding land is a mix of small villages, fields, and wetlands.

The shores of the lake were settled thousands of years ago, as shown by the pile-dwelling villages found on the small island of Isolino Virginia, recognized by UNESCO. Over the centuries, communities around the lake lived from fishing and from collecting peat from the nearby marshes.

A flat bike path runs all the way around the lake, making it easy for families and casual riders to explore at their own pace. Those on foot can walk the southern shore from Gavirate to Cazzago Brabbia in roughly two hours.

Near Cazzago Brabbia, there are several small stone buildings with cone-shaped roofs called ghiacciaie. They were once used to keep fish fresh for months without refrigeration, by packing lake ice inside them during winter.