Holiday apartment in Maccagno: lake, history and village life

Holiday apartment in Maccagno: lake, history and experiences

An important cultural site is the Museo Civico Parisi Valle, which spans the Giona River and was designed by architect Maurizio Sacripanti. The museum houses a collection of contemporary paintings and sculptures donated to the municipality of Maccagno by Giuseppe Vittorio Parisi, as well as a permanent archaeological exhibition. The tourist information point for Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca is also located here: you will find it at the Museo Civico Parisi Valle, Viale Leopoldo Giampaolo 1, 21061 Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca (VA).

Historic townscapes in Borgo Inferiore

In Borgo Inferiore, Contrada Maggiore, with its closely packed houses and narrow lanes, shapes the townscape. The Torre Imperiale, a distinctive building, also stands there. The Santuario della Madonna della Punta is likewise located in Borgo Inferiore and faces directly onto the lake. It has been documented since the 16th century and acquired its present form towards the end of the 18th century.

The history of Maccagno Inferiore also includes special rights: the village was elevated to an imperial fief, meaning a privileged fief with a special connection to the emperor, and had the right to mint coins in its own mint. The former mint was located in a building directly on the lake at what is now Piazza Roma. At Porto della Gabella, boats travelling on Lake Maggiore once had to stop to pay a duty on goods.

Lakeshore, views and routes

Parco Giona in the centre has a beach of pebbles and grass overlooking the Castelli di Cannero. From Borgo Superiore, the panoramic view extends across the lake to the golfo Borromeo. Ronco delle Monache beach lies beyond the tunnels on the road to the Swiss border. These different landscape settings help you choose a holiday apartment in Maccagno to suit your preferred holiday focus, without separating culture from nature.

Water, festivals and special events

Sporting and social events are also part of the character of the village. The ninth Traversata dei Castelli took place on Sunday, 3 August 2025, starting at Lido di Maccagno. It comprises open-water swimming routes leading from Lido di Maccagno around the Castelli di Cannero. On 15 August 2025, Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca hosted the historic international Regata del Canalone. The regatta reached its 60th edition; world champions and America’s Cup sailors took part. It consists of a single race along the section of the lake bearing the name Regata del Canalone and is open to dinghies, catamarans, keelboats and yachts.

The traditional Festa della Gabella combines good food and musical entertainment at Lungolago Girardi. As part of Maccagno Imperiale, guided tours of the medieval village were offered, departing from Piazza Santo Stefano at 10:00, 10:20, 10:40, 11:00, 11:20 and 11:40. The village streets, courtyards and squares also featured educational stalls run by medieval craftsmen. For an active day itinerary, there is the “Salto dell’acqua” route: it starts in Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca on Lake Maggiore, passes by Lago Delio and continues to Passo della Forcora at an altitude of 1,179 m.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Maccagno, you can therefore plan your trip around a wide range of interests: narrow historic lanes and architecture, lakeside landscapes and views, or water-based, cultural and event experiences. This leaves room both for shared discoveries and for days with a clear focus.

For regional orientation, you can also find Ardena Di Brusimpiano, Lonate Pozzolo, Sesto Calende, Cunardo, Mercallo, Colmegna, Varano Borghi and Cassano Magnago.

For the broader travel overview: Varese.