Laveno - Mombello
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 6 January 2023
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The lakeside town of Laveno - Mombello is situated in the Province of Varese, on the shores of Lake Maggiore. It has a population of around 9,000 residents and is located 77 kilometres north-west of Milan, the regional capital of Lombardy.
The double-barrelled name of the town refers to the two villages of Laveno and Mombello which together form the official comune. |
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Of the two villages, the main one of interest is Laveno: it's characterised by a narrow lungolago (lakeside promenade) called Viale de Angelo where you can take your pick from a series of waterfront cafes and restaurants. The promenade leads to a large marina area with its yachts gently swaying from side to side. What you might describe as the town centre is the point where the main lakeside road turns inland. To the left of this area is the Viale de Angelo, ahead a cluster of pretty buildings crowned by the town's main church the Chiesa di Sant'Ambrogio, and to the right another small marina.
The area just south of this smaller marina marks the town's significant transport hub: from here you can take a ferry to every major destination around Lake Maggiore or take the inland train towards the local main city of Varese. You can also make use of another type of transportation: the cable-car which carries passengers up the Sasso del Ferro; a 1,062 metre high mountain.
One of the most attractive areas of the town is a little way south around the headland of the lake. The village of Cerro has an attractive lakefront with a park and a cluster of medieval buildings. Among those buildings is the International Museum of Ceramic Design which celebrates one of the town's main historic industries.
If you don't have your own car, you can still get great enjoyment out of the local area by basing yourself in Laveno. Its excellent transport links are among the best around the whole lake area. Directly opposite Laveno and reachable by ferry is the city of Verbania which is home to the beautiful garden of Villa Taranto. The ferries will also transport you to the Borromean Islands with further gardens to discover on Isola Bella and Isola Madre.
Those locations are all on the Piedmont side of the lake with the dividing line between the two regions around half way across. Back on the Lombardy side of the lake and just a short distance south of Laveno is the monastery at Santa Caterina del Sasso which provides one of the defining images of Lake Maggiore.
Of course a car is advantageous as well; north of Laveno it's just a short run to the Swiss border with a series of beautiful towns to see along the way such as Castelveccana, Germignaga and Luino while inland there are three further lakes within a short distance of each other: the biggest of those is Lake Varese which lies just above Lake Monate and Lake Comabbio.
The area just south of this smaller marina marks the town's significant transport hub: from here you can take a ferry to every major destination around Lake Maggiore or take the inland train towards the local main city of Varese. You can also make use of another type of transportation: the cable-car which carries passengers up the Sasso del Ferro; a 1,062 metre high mountain.
One of the most attractive areas of the town is a little way south around the headland of the lake. The village of Cerro has an attractive lakefront with a park and a cluster of medieval buildings. Among those buildings is the International Museum of Ceramic Design which celebrates one of the town's main historic industries.
If you don't have your own car, you can still get great enjoyment out of the local area by basing yourself in Laveno. Its excellent transport links are among the best around the whole lake area. Directly opposite Laveno and reachable by ferry is the city of Verbania which is home to the beautiful garden of Villa Taranto. The ferries will also transport you to the Borromean Islands with further gardens to discover on Isola Bella and Isola Madre.
Those locations are all on the Piedmont side of the lake with the dividing line between the two regions around half way across. Back on the Lombardy side of the lake and just a short distance south of Laveno is the monastery at Santa Caterina del Sasso which provides one of the defining images of Lake Maggiore.
Of course a car is advantageous as well; north of Laveno it's just a short run to the Swiss border with a series of beautiful towns to see along the way such as Castelveccana, Germignaga and Luino while inland there are three further lakes within a short distance of each other: the biggest of those is Lake Varese which lies just above Lake Monate and Lake Comabbio.
Comune di Laveno-Mombello
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Province: Varese
Region: Lombardy Population: 8,324 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Size: 26 km² Elevation: 205 metres Highlights: Viale de Angelo, Chiesa di Sant'Ambrogio Close by: Santa Caterina del Sasso, Verbania, Lake Varese Recommended accommodation: Hotel de Charme Laveno |
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