Palazzo e Giardini Estensi

About

Palazzo Estense stands as a historic gem in Varese, once the summer and autumn residence of Francesco III d’Este, Duke of Modena. Designed by architect Bianchi in the second half of the eighteenth century, the palace – now the Town Hall – boasts the magnificent Salone Estense, a grand hall illuminated by a multicoloured marble fireplace. Behind its stone walls the Estensi Gardens unfold like a miniature Vienna, inspired by the Schönbrunn Palace and finished in 1787. These gardens offer a fragrant oasis of meticulously pruned hedges, ornamental water features, and strolling paths, making it one of Italy’s most charming public parks. Visitors can enjoy the open spaces year-round; summer hours run from 8 am to 8 pm, while in winter they close at 6 pm. Admission to both the palace and the gardens is free, and dogs of all sizes are welcome on leashes in designated areas. The site is ideal for a leisurely afternoon of architecture, history, and nature, and it seamlessly blends the grandeur of the past with the vibrancy of a living public square.