The pile-dwelling sites
on the southern shore of Lake Varese
where ancient history meets rich, unspoilt nature
On the southern shore of Lake Varese, ancient pile-dwelling villages have yielded precious traces of life from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age.
The best way to discover them is the cycle and footpath linking Bodio Lomnago to Cazzago Brabbia, a route that winds between woodland and the calm waters of the lake.
Isolino Virginia
and the Museo Ponti
Follow the path on to Biandronno, on the lake's western shore, and you reach the boarding point for Isolino Virginia (the “Virginia islet”). A short boat crossing brings you to one of the most important prehistoric sites in the Alps.
The visit combines an open-air learning trail with a small museum, where an introductory film and the finds on display tell the island's story. Upstairs you can step inside a full-scale pile dwelling, reconstructed using the techniques of experimental archaeology and furnished with copies of the objects unearthed in the excavations.
The Prehistory District
Where the invisible comes into view
Experience the ancient history of the Varese area through original finds, immersive museums and open-air trails.
From the Besano Fossil Museum to the NeoBodio Open Air Museum, by way of the pile-dwelling sites along the southern shore of Lake Varese, a journey through nature and archaeology awaits.
NeoBodio Open Air Museum
Via Monte Rosa, Bodio Lomnago (VA)
The NeoBodio Museum is an innovative place where archaeology, technology and storytelling meet. Here you can discover the original finds from the Bodio Centrale pile-dwelling site, step into a faithful reconstruction of a Bronze Age pile dwelling and enjoy a fully immersive experience of landscape, water and history.
NeoBodio is the ideal starting point for exploring the whole Prehistory District.
The Besano Fossil Museum
Via Prestini 5, Besano (VA)
Set against the natural backdrop of Monte San Giorgio, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Besano Fossil Museum tells of a truly remote past: the Triassic. Its galleries hold superbly preserved fossils of prehistoric fish and marine reptiles — among them the celebrated Besanosaurus — and offer learning activities designed for every age.
After your visit, round off the experience on a loop trail through woods and sites of geological interest, leading to the places where the fossils were found. The path takes you through the very landscape that guarded the traces of prehistoric life for millions of years — an immersive walk through nature and history.
The Archaeological Museum
of Villa Mirabello
Piazza della Motta 4, Varese (VA)
In the striking setting of Villa Mirabello, the Museum safeguards evidence at the heart of the Varese area's history. Its displays trace the changing daily life of prehistoric communities among lakes and hills, with tools, objects and archaeological finds that reveal how the region's first inhabitants lived, worked and organised themselves within their villages.
Here you can explore the Celtic culture of Golasecca (9th–4th century BC) through unique finds: a stele from Vergiate, an inscribed cup and the grave goods of a warrior from Sesto Calende. In the Roman section, inscriptions and epigraphs chart the story of how Celts and Romans came together, touching on the economic, social and personal life of the age.
