Eremo di Santa Caterina del Sasso
Medieval monastic complex overlooking Lake Maggiore, with churches, a frescoed convent and a Renaissance portico, reached by a long staircase or by lift.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
According to tradition, around 1170 the merchant Alberto Besozzi, who survived a shipwreck, vowed to live as a hermit in a cave on this shore of Lake Maggiore, and built a chapel there dedicated to Saint Catherine. After his beatification his remains were placed in the church.
Between the 13th and 14th centuries nobles from Ispra had the churches of Santa Maria Nova and San Nicolao built. The Dominicans ran the site for a short time and left frescoes in San Nicolao. From 1379 the complex belonged to the Ambrosian friars, until the suppression of their order in 1643, and from 1648 to the Carmelites of Mantua, until 1770.
After the suppressions the site was divided among the local parishes and fell into decline. Declared a national monument in 1914, it was bought by the Province of Varese in 1970; consolidation led to the reopening of the church in 1986. In the 19th century a landslide destroyed the ancient path and a long staircase was built; since 2010 a lift carved into the rock has made access easier.
The complex includes the southern convent with the frescoed chapter house and the refectory with a 17th-century Last Supper, the press courtyard with a wine press of 1759, the medieval small convent with fragments of a Dance of Death, the Romanesque bell tower and the church with the Renaissance portico of 1508.
Highlights
- Complex overlooking Lake Maggiore
- Renaissance portico of 1508 with frescoes
- Chapter house with medieval frescoes and refectory with a 17th-century Last Supper
- Wine press of 1759 and fragments of a Dance of Death
- Lift carved into the rock since 2010
Permanent exhibition
- Convento, chiese e portico dell’eremo – Route through the chapter house, refectory, small convent, church and the 1508 portico, with medieval and Renaissance frescoes.
- Founded
- 1101
- Operated by
- Provincia di Varese
- Visitors per year
- approx. 148,227
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3people over 65, residents of the Province of Varese and groups of at least 15 paying people |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under 18s. |
| Seniors | €3Over 65s. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and one family member or companion, with documentation from social and health services. |
| Students & apprentices | –Free for students and teaching staff of architecture, cultural heritage conservation, education sciences, humanities and fine arts academies, with a certificate of enrolment. |
| Groups (15+ people) | €3 per personGroups of at least 15 paying people; school groups from EU schools with teachers free, by reservation. |
| FAI partner ticket | €4For members with a valid card |
| Lift | €1Free for people with mobility impairments and one companion |
| Audio guide | €3In Italian, English, French, German and Spanish |
| Guided group tour in Italian (about 1 hour) | €100Per guide, for 25–30 people |
| Guided group tour in a foreign language (about 1 hour) | €120Per guide, for 25–30 people |
Free admission also for licensed tour guides, EU tourist interpreters accompanying a guide, ICOM members, school teaching staff with certification and residents of the municipality of Leggiuno. A free ticket for the church, available at the ticket office, allows entry 30 minutes before Mass solely to attend it.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
There is a lift near the car park (€1, free for people with mobility impairments and one companion). Otherwise, 268 steps must be descended from the upper car park, or about 80 steps from the lake landing.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Frequent boats from Arona or Stresa; connections from Laveno Mombello depend on the season. Trenord trains to Arona, Stresa and Laveno Mombello; at Laveno also the TILO S30 line.
By car
Parking available
Ample car park a few metres from the ticket office, in the square above the hermitage.
By car from Varese (22 km, SP1 and SS394), from Milan (78 km, A8/A26, Vergiate–Sesto Calende exit) and from Lugano (42 km, Lavena Ponte Tresa border crossing). Public transport information refers to 2025.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (IT, EN, FR, DE, ES) |
| Good to know | Groups visiting without a guide or with their own guide must report their presence in advance; school groups and pilgrimages must book. Dogs are admitted as far as the foot of the stairs and in the garden area, but not in the monumental part. The church is not open to visitors during religious services. |
