While being a small, provincial town with few urban amenities and little night-life, Ispra and its surroundings have a lot to offer, especially for nature-minded and adventurous people. Be it hiking in the Alps, enjoying the beauty of Lago Maggiore and the other lakes in the area, exploring the beautiful little villages of Lombardia and Piemonte or skiing and snow-shoe hiking, every season has its own allures, though summer is surely the favourite season of most trainees. Here is a list of places to visit and things to do in the area.

 

Places to visit:

• Eremo (monastery) Santa Caterina del Sasso

• Sacro Monte close to Varese

• Cinque Terre (Liguria)

• cities: Varese, Milano, Torino, Arona, Stresa, Laveno, Lugano (CH)

• the lakes: Lago d´Orta, Lago Maggiore, Lago di Monate, Lago die Varese, Lago di Comabbio, Lago di Lugano, Lago di Como (from West to East)

 

For the active and adventurous:

• hiking in Val Grande or Valle Verzasca (CH)

• rock climbing close to the monastery Santa Caterina del Sasso

• water sports on the lakes and rivers

• cycling routes with designated cycling paths: along the river Ticino, around Lago di Comabbio and Lago di Varese