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Varese
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VARESE
is a gracious purpose-built town of gardens, marble Fifties villas and rectangular Fascist-era buildings, fringed with shoe factories. Its inhabitants are every bit as obsessed with style as the Milanese and look almost as perfect as the window-display mannequins in the designer shops that line the main street, Corso Matteotti.
The centre of town is
Piazza Monte Grappa
, not far from the city's main attraction, the formal gardens around the long, pink
Palazzo Estense
, built in the eighteenth century for the Este Dukes of Modena (daily 8am-sunset, until 11pm July & Aug; free). The
raison d'A©tre
of modern Varese is to provide alternative accommodation for the thousands who visit Milan's trade fairs, especially the fashion shows in April and October. Consequently, the majority of the
hotels
are aimed at an expense-account clientele, though there are a half-dozen two-stars in the price category L90,000-120,000/a?¬46.48-61.98 range, and a cheaper option in the shape of the
Stadio
, Via Bolchini 24 (tel 0332.224.069; L60,000-90,000/a?¬30.99-46.48), which also has rooms for up to four people - there's also a reasonably priced restaurant next door. For inexpensive meals and snacks such as roast beef and fresh salads, there's
Bistrot
on the corner of Via Manzoni and Via Mazzini. The
tourist office
at Via Carobbio 2 (June-Sept Mon-Fri 9am-12.30pm & 3.15-7pm, Sat 9am-12.30pm & 3-6pm; Oct-May Mon-Fri 9am-12.30pm & 3-6.30pm, Sat 9am-12.30pm) can give the full picture. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Italy,
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