Top 5 Natural Monuments around Gorla Minore

park to visit on foot

Along the Sorgiorile canal, between Premezzo and Besnate, this natural oasis is a real panacea in the province of Varese. The area is particularly suitable for mountain bike or gravel tours.

very fun route, some technical passages but nothing difficult, in many places lots of mud and paths full of brambles, I arrived home covered in mud and scratches but it was worth it 💪 in one point I ended up in quicksand and my bike drowned 🤣 but I had a lot of fun

A beautiful expanse of greenery with a pond and several benches to stop and enjoy the peace in the midst of nature

The archaeological area is part of the UNESCO site "The Lombards in Italy, The places of power (568-774 AD)". The site includes the remains of a fortified city from the 4th-5th century which was conquered by Ottone Visconti in 1287: he ordered its total destruction, except for the churches. The "castrum", surrounded by walls in the Gothic era, was accessed via a bridge. Inside the walls there are the interesting ruins of the early Christian complex of San Giovanni and those of the Romanesque church of San Paolo. Among the residential buildings there are remains of private houses from different eras.

The municipalities located south of the Lura Valley are often subject to flooding phenomena. The construction of the Lura stream lamination areas was designed for the hydraulic protection of the towns located downstream of Lomazzo and involved the residents of the surrounding municipalities in a truly participatory process right from the planning stages. Volumes (340,000 m3) of areas available for flood management were created. During the excavation phase, outcrops of "ceppo" emerged, a conglomerate rock typical of moraines. The "ceppo", from which the site takes its name (I Prati del Ceppo), can be observed as a covering for hydraulic structures, as anti-erosion bank protection, as a construction material for small structures for the collection, drainage and management of water, as flooring for paths, and perches for birdlife.

The "Medio Olona Park" is a Local Park of Supra-municipal Interest (PLIS) established in 2006 between six municipalities in the area in the province of Varese. Its main purpose is to protect the natural, landscape and historical-cultural resources of the Olona River Valley. The park extends over approximately 617 hectares, mainly in the territories of Fagnano Olona and Gorla Maggiore. Characterized by the presence of the Olona river, the park has a naturalistic value and represents historical Lombard land. Since 2020, it has been managed by the Pineta di Appiano Gentile e Tradate regional park. The park logo features an owl, the Olona river and a leaf which symbolize active participation in the life of the park. The purposes include the protection of biodiversity, the conservation of natural heritage and the integration between social enjoyment and environmental protection.

The Castelseprio Archaeological Park, located in Lombardy, Italy, preserves the remains of an ancient medieval settlement, known for its historical importance in the Lombard era. The Basilica of Santa Maria Foris Portas, with well-preserved frescoes, is one of the main elements of the site. In 2011, it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, part of the serial site "The Lombards in Italy: places of power (568-774 AD)". The park offers visitors the opportunity to explore the historical evidence of this ancient community.