A private tour to Villa Panza and a cool aperitif in Varese "the garden city"

A few kilometers away from Milan and Como lies Varese, a quite unknown destination which, indeed, was chosen as a leisure site by many wealthy and aristocrats families between XVII and XX centuries. The town has thus become a "garden-city", thanks to the several gorgeous villas and their gardens.
This private tour will take you to discover the amazing Villa Panza, close to the centre, which features a remarkable contemporary art collection (dan Flavin, Robert Irwin, James Turrell), perfectly blended with the Rococo furnitures and some African and Pre-columbian works of art. After a guided tour of its contemprary art collection and its beautiful garden, you will reach the centre of Varese by a pleasant walk, in order to enjoy a visit to its main monuments: Saint Vittore church with its bell tower, and the magnificent Estensi Gardens.Your experience will end with an exclusive aperitif, based on a typical drink served in a historical cafeteria.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Villa e Collezione Panza, Piazza Litta 1, 21100, Varese Italy

The villa was built after 1700 by marquis Paolo Antonio Menafoglio, who conceived it as a leisure residence, surrounded by an Italian style garden. After the financial decay of the family, in 1823, the villa was ceased to Pompeo Litta Visconti Arese, a milanese aristocrat who appointed the well known architect Luigi Canonica of the enlargement of the villa, including some modifications of the garden, according to the new English romantic taste.
Since 1956, the villa has bee the seat of an important contemporary art collection, gathered by the new owner, count Giuseppe Panza di Biurno. The count's taste blends American pop art with refined furnitures of the 16th-19th centuries and African and Pre-colombian pieces.

Duration: 2 hours

Pass By: Palazzo e Giardini Estensi, presso Comune Varese, Varese Italy

The palace was built in a Lombard "Barocchetto" style with Neoclassical influences, as a leisure residence for Francesco III D'Este, Duke of Modena and Reggio Emilia. After the Duke's death and due to the high maintenance costs, the palace changed various owners until it was bought in 1837 by Carlo Pellegrini Robbioni, who made some modifications to the garden, according to the English romantic taste of the age.
In 1882 the mansion was acquired by Varese City Hall and open to the public the following year.