OLONAVALLEYDiscovering gastronomicand turistic richesof this area

English

TerraVIVAGastronomic and turistic guide of Olona Valley.Published between January and March 2015.

The project war carried uot by:Marco Cocchianellaterraviva@distrettomedioolona.com

Financed by:Camera di Commercio di VareseDistretto del Commercio del Medio OlonaASCOM Servizi Busto Arsizio.

Photos by:Marino bianchiinopat@alice.it

discover Terraviva Onlinewww.distrettomedioolona.com/Terraviva

also available in EN, DE, RU

ICONSLEGEND

FOOD ANDBEVERAGE

MOREINFORMATION

TRANSFORMERAND PRODUCER

Restaurateur

Restaurateur

Pizzeria

Agriturism

Fry Shop

Pub & Bar

Cocktail Pub

Beer Pub

Wine Bar

Caffè / Bar

Beer Shop

Transformer

Bakery

Patisserie

Butchery

Fishmonger

Gastronomy Shop

Ice-cream parlour

Producer

Farm

Plantation

Brewery

Coffee Shop

Town

Information

Spotlight

Curiosity

Tagline

Riference

€€€ Price Category

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INDEX

CONTENTS

Medio Olona and Terraviva

The Olona Valley

Gastronomy and Tradition

Towns

Cairate

Fagnano Olona

Gorla Maggiore

Solbiate Olona

Gorla Minore

Olgiate Olona

Marnate

Castellanza

Hotels, Bed&Breakfast

Transport, Service, Emergency

Partner and Acknowledgements

Poket Map

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The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.The same food on the plate of the other guests is more desirable.Well, we don’t think so, let us explain why!

TerraVIVA aims at helping and stimulating people to rediscover the history and beauty of the Olona Valley often hidden under fallacies and false beliefs. The project has been made possible thanks to the financial support of the Chamber of Commerce of Varese and the Associazione Commercianti of Busto Arsizio but, above all, thanks to the eight Municipalities of the Olona Valley which had the willpower and vision to join together and create DIVO: Distretto del Commercio del Medio Olona (Trade District of the Middle Olona). With this aim in mind, TerraVIVA looks at its region, geography, history and traditions with curiosity, greed, interest and passion. Cairate, Castellanza, Fagnano Olona, Gorla Maggiore, Gorla Minore, Marnate, Olgiate Olona and Solbiate Olona, the main characters of this guidebook, are reread and rediscovered both from a tourism and culinary point of view and as it happens with a tasty menu, whose dishes can be savoured and known thoroughly, past and sense experiences will seduce you and stick in your memory.By promoting our culture, the surrounding areas and their heritage, by raising the attention of citizens, shopkeepers and restaurateurs on this topics we will be able to make our Valley more and more “appealing” not only to our tourists but also to the inhabitants of the surrounding cities and the citizenry itself.

TerraVIVA is a new, free, coloured guidebook which combines new technologies with old tools: on the one side it is multimedia, free downloadable and accessible on the Net; on the other side it is graphically captivating, multilingual (IT, EN, DE and RU) and provided with an easy-to-use pocket-sized map. A condensation of 68 pages which allows us to relive and experience again the places where we were born, the traditions we grew up with and the recipes which warmed our heart... but it is also, and above all, a starting point, an incentive to promote us, to broaden our culinary and geographical knowledge in order to build closer relationships and connections between our region and people who work and live in it.

Industrial Archaeology, Valmorea railway, Visconti and gentlemen chefs, local and vegan recipes as well as places to visit in each town, restaurants and shops: these are just a few things that you will find in our guidebook.

MEDIO OLONA & TERRAVIVATHE PROJECT

So, all you can do now is discover and enjoy it... the Olona Valley I mean, not the guidebook!

GastronomicCulture

Territory andIdentity

VirtuousProduction Chain

Periodicity Service

Innovationand Research

Marco CocchianellaCreator and coordinator Terraviva project

THE OLONA VALLEY

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The selected area reflects the situation of all districts at the foot of the Prealps in Northern Italy: a very productive region from an economic and above all industrial point of view thanks to the presence of abundant water resources.

Most of the literature identifies the valley of the River Olona as one of the cradles of the Italian industrialisation of the early 19th century. Along the river the population could benefit from two intrinsic factors: the motive power of the river and the entrepreneurship of the inhabitants. This is the reason why the River Olona is commonly defined as river of civilization. Its waters were particularly essential to the development of the textile industry with its cotton mills, dyeing plants and leather factories. The greatest growth occurred during the industrial revolution but other important historical stages contributed to shape its environment and culture too. Thanks to its hydrographic and morphological features the Olona Valley has been a very flourishing region since the iron age. This has resulted in a rich cultural heritage.

Historical and geographical overview

The River Olona is the main axis. It rises in the Prealps at a height of 548 m above sea level, in the Rasa region. It flows for 71 km through the Olona Valley and the Plain north of Milan until it flows into the southern stretch of the River Lambro. As a consequence of the outbreak of the Second World War and the economic boom, the river Olona became one of the most polluted river in Northern Italy. Yet, since the 70s, thanks to the crisis of the manufacturing industry and the first river rehabilitation works, an important improvement in water quality and a new environmental interest have been noticed. The river, which represented the main resource for the manufacturing plants in the past, can be the main character of an eco-friendly development project today. The Olona Valley houses 14 municipalities: Castiglione Olona, Lozza, Vedano Olona, Castelseprio, Cairate, Gorla Maggiore, Gorla Minore, Solbiate Olona, Marnate, Olgiate Olona, Lonate Ceppino, Fagnano Olona, Gornate Olona and Castellanza. This group of towns and cities is also known as “Ambito del Medio Olona” (TN: area around the central part of the River Olona). Due to the presence of many woodlands, agriculture has never played an important role in this area. The region is currently characterized by only few small farms dealing with the direct cultivation of no more than 6 hectares each. On the contrary the industries of the Olona Valley experienced not only a local development: indeed the industrial history of this area has been one of

THE OLONA VALLEYTHE AREA

the most significant in Italy. From an historical point of you the textile industry was the most successful branch thanks to the presence of the river. In the early 20th century so many cotton mills developed in this region that a new infrastructure, the train of Valmorea, was inaugurated. This railway line, opened in 1904, connected each town of the valley to the one after, thus reaching also Switzerland. Its tracks ran parallel to the River Olona and it soon became an important axis comparable to the river.

On the one hand the crisis of important productive sectors along the River Olona since the mid-seventies has created social problems, on the other hand it has fostered the river rehabilitation process leading to a general improvement of the surrounding environment. This new attention paid since the 60s/70s to environmental issues has developed gradually in systematic interventions aimed at rehabilitating the river and more generally at finding a correct balance between development and environment.

Today the route of the river offers us the possibility not only to visit the old industrial areas with their now-closed factories, but also to rediscover the natural beauty of the landscape and the great historical and artistic heritage that the several communities preserve in their towns.

Also on the Map of the Parish of Olgiate Olona, designed on the occasion of the visit of Saint Charles probably occurred in 1582, the River Olona is portrayed as key element of connection among the several towns which stand along it, from its springs in the area of Varese to Castellanza where its waters enter the Po Valley toward Milan. (Corna Pellegrini, 1969).

by Luigi Roveda and Associazione Ecomuseo della Valle Olona

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Industrial Archaeology

The area shows a great industrial heritage resulted from the economic boom that the towns along the river experienced from the 18th century onwards. Still today you can admire many watermills and farmsteads built before the industrial revolution, when agriculture still played an important role in the region. Between the 19th and 20th century the infrastructures of the area multiplied exponentially so currently we have the possibility to appreciate both the well-preserved industrial heritage and the old neglected industrial buildings. Positive examples are the promotion of the old Valmorea railway line with its castles and the restoration of Cantoni, the ex-cotton mill of Castellanza, which today houses LIUC – Carlo Cattaneo University. There are many other finds of industrial archaeological interest which are waiting for a new location but they are equally fascinating from an aesthetic and cultural point of view. Many were the companies dealing with cotton processing (Ponti Cotton Mill of Solbiate Olona, Enrico Candiani Cotton Mill of Fagnano Olona, Schoch/Milani Cotton Mill of Castiglione Olona and Luigi Candiani Cotton Mill of Olgiate Olona), paper processing (Vita & Mayer paper mill of Cairate and Crespi Paper Mill of Castiglione Olona) and plastic processing (Mazzucchelli of Castiglione Olona).Particularly interesting are the watermills (or what’s left of them) along the river such as Taglioretti Watermill of Lonate Ceppino, Bosetti/Solmoiraghi Watermill of Fagnano Olona and Bianchi Watermill also known as “Mulino del Sasso” of Olgiate Olona.These watermills exploited the power of the River Olona, whose waters were extremely regular during the year, in order to mill grain, a cereal cultivated in the flat regions at the head of the valley.

By Associazione Ecomuseodella Valle Olona.

Valmorea Railway

The idea of building a railway line along the Olona Valley arose at the end of the 19th century when the first paper factories and many other manufacturing plants in search for clean and abundant water settled along the River Olona. In February 1900 the project of a single track railway was presented. It branched off from the Novara-Saronno–Seregno line in Castellanza and it reached Cairate and Lonate Ceppino. The new Castellanza-Cairate-Lonate Ceppino train line was opened on July,18th 1904. Twelve years later the tracks reached the border with

Walking or biking in the Valley

The first stretch of the cycle and pedestrian path of the Olona Valley was opened in spring 2006. Few years later it connected Castellanza to Castiglione Olona thus aiming at reaching even Switzerland. Today the path represents a real axis developed exclusively and entirely for pedestrians and cyclists. For this reason a brief guidebook “Ciclopasseggiando in Valle Olona” (Going along the cycle and pedestrian path of the Olona Valley) has been published. It is an useful tool to discover in complete autonomy the towns standing along the River Olona starting from this path on the valley bottom, a helpful suggestion not only for those who already know it but also for tourists. We are talking about a very simple editorial project, developed by the inhabitants of the area thanks to the collaboration of the Ecomuseo della Valle Olona together with institutions and associations. The guidebook is downloadable from the website www.ecomuseovalleolona.it.

Switzerland and the Castellanza-Mendrisio line was inaugurated. Yet, this cross-border railway was short-lived: the shortage of passengers and the inability of developing a good freight service (because of the unwillingness of the Italian authorities to sign an agreement between the two countries for regulating the trade along the line) led to move the train terminal to Valmorea from June,1st 1928 onwards. The passenger service was discontinued in 1952. The freight service kept on working, thus enabling the circulation of many trains direct to the paper and chemical factories of Cairate and Castiglione Olona. In the mid-seventies the first energy crisis and the decline in the cellulose processing industry led to the shut down of large paper factories of Cairate, Lonate Ceppino and Vedano Olona. The F.N.M. (railway network north of Milan) declared the termination of the freight service. The last train left on July, 16th 1977 to Castellanza.

In 1993 the “Club of San Gottardo”, an association of heritage railway enthusiasts founded in the area of the River Ticino at the end of the 70s made an agreement with the Swiss Federal Railways in order to manage the service of tourist trains from Mendrisio to Stabio. On that occasion the suggested idea of opening the customs gate and let the trains travel for a few metres on the Italian territory gained ground and on September,12th 1993 the old customs gate was opened during the demonstration “Treno senza frontiera” (train without borders), thus allowing the two trains to cross the border. It was a matter of just few metres but from that day on the project of restoring the old line was launched. Year after year the work of the Swiss and Italian volunteers, the support of local authorities, the funding by Regione Lombardia (Lombardy Region), the Province of Como and Varese and F.N.M. allowed to regain kilometres of line.Last stop was the inauguration of the Malnate Olona station on May, 12th 2007. Currently the Valmorea railway runs from Mendrisio to Malnate Olona for a total of 7.5 kilometres. All tracks on the Italian territory have been completely renovated. After the inauguration of the Malnate Olona station, the “Associazione Amici della Ferrovia Valmorea” (an association which promotes the Valmorea railway line” is working to bring the train back again to Castiglione Olona, in the Seprio County, up to Castellanza.

By Marco Baroni and Associazione Amici della Ferrovia Valmorea.

GASTRONOMY AND TRADITION

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« You are truly seduced by a Menu when it feels like you have in your hands a piece of history of a Country, a town, an event or a memory that would otherwise be irremediably lost and that allows you to know and understand what was eaten on a specific occasion ».Livio Cerini di Castegnate

Talking about local products and traditional dishes in a region, the Olona Valley, where the borders are almost invisible and the towns seem to merge into a single large area, is quite difficult but if we read texts in this regard and we talk with restaurateurs and good food lovers, a treasure of unique traditions, anecdotes and life stories comes to light. This chapter offers you the possibility to become familiar with the Lombard cuisine and our products: in the following pages you will find recipes and some interesting information closely related to our Valley and the surrounding area.

Recipes, suggestions, cooking methods, food presentation, Michelin award winning chefs, sommeliers, gourmets, cutting edge chefs, food critics etc...are always in the spotlight. They appear in many books, magazines and on TV but... Who would be able to explain without any difficulty and hesitation what gastronomy and good food culture are? Meeting all people here mentioned, who daily deal with food and beverage, is useful to discover, or better still, to rediscover old values such as passion, the will to take a challenge everyday, a constant research, the pleasure deriving from perpetual learning, the beauty of creating new ideas and blends of flavours. The services and the hospitality offered by our shopkeepers and restaurateurs have nothing to do with the cold and impersonal relationship between a “consumer” (once called “customer”) and the shopping centres or fast foods: for example, the experience and passion of a supermarket butcher who, through no fault of his own, has never seen and experienced the whole cattle slaughtering process, will be obviously different and more “superficial” as his task consists simply in selling pieces of meat. Another similar example: a baker, or better still, a supermarket baker who bakes many times a day ready-to-bake bread that he receives from larger bread manufacturers. His job consists in an almost machinelike activity, which is very different from the one of the traditional baker (dialect word Prestinè) who, from the very beginning of the day till the end, chooses the flours, kneads, checks, waits for the cooking time, moves, shapes, checks again, waits again, divides the dough and only if everything has been well done, he will put the bread in the oven and will bake it!

GASTRONOMY AND TRADITIONFOOD

Magistero dei Bruscitti

A wine and food confraternity called “Magistero dei Bruscitti di Busto Grande” was founded in 1975 in Busto Arsizio (around 7.5 kilometres far from the Valley). The Magistero aims at preserving and spreading the traditional and rustic cuisine of Busto as well as the culture of the local dialect and traditions through conferences, publishing initiatives and its constant, active presence in the life of the city. The history of the Magistero, founded by Bruno Grampa with the help, since the very beginning, of Ernani Ferrario, secretary for many years and current Maestro, is full of significant events, among which the most important one is the “Gioebia”: on the last Thursday of January a large number of people meets to celebrate the end of winter and the hope for a rebirth. On that occasion an “evil old lady” is burnt at the stake.

“Güsta, güsta ‘sta bundânzae tramânda a nost’üsânza…!”

These are just two examples to summarize all stories and knowledge hidden behind the food we daily cook and eat... For this reason we invite you to read this guidebook and enjoy what food and conviviality offer us everyday.

Visconte Livio Cerini from Castegnate: the gentlemen chef

Livio Cerini from Castegnate was without a doubt one of the most significant, versatile and important personalities in the Olona Valley. A man of noble birth who originally ran his family business but in the course of time developed his passion for writing recipes which he used to preface with a historical prologue or interesting anecdotes. The peculiarity of his recipes consists in his efforts to maintain the flavours. His “dictate” has always been: “If we want that food keeps on preserving and maintaining its traditional flavour, it will have to be cooked without changing its recipe”. Livio Cerini wrote: Il Cuoco Gentiluomo (1980), very famous cookbook edited and printed many times. Il Gentiluomo in cucina (1983); Il Libro del Baccalà (1986); La Cucina delle Padrone di casa (1988), recipes collection of the time when women were called “house angels”. Erté e Il Cognac (1990) edited by Franco Maria Ricci for Courvoisier and translated into English (Erté and Cognac) and Japanese. Menù tra Storia ed Arte (1991); A Tavola per Amare (2000) and Gourmet Vegetariano per Carnivori (2002). Thanks to his passion he was awarded many honours and prizes and he is commonly remembered as the “Gentlemen Chef”.

« And he studied, he learnt, he discovered, he used to revise his texts with humility and to prepare all necessary ingredients before starting to cook; whereas I was the assistant chef: he didn’t move from the cooker, but as a surgeon he demanded that all scalpels, knives, spoons, forks as well as chopped vegetables, were ready. These last ones had to be cut the way he wanted otherwise the assistant chef was harshly rebuked because the result had to be simply astounding in terms of presentation and taste and it was, I can assure you. Our friends, who enjoyed his cuisine, still remember some recipes cooked by Livio and the idea of foretasting some other dishes made their mouth water. Once his recipes had been tasted he gave them a name. For example the “Rognone alla Sophia Loren”, (veal kidney) which was very soft and roseate. He used to ask the butcher to remove any fat; otherwise, as he explained, it is better not to eat it». Wilma Menotti Cerini, Livio Cerini’ wife.

CAIRATE

1918

WHERE TO EAT

AGRITURISMO IL PASCOLOstrada Vicinale dei Boschetti 4, 21050, Cairate / tel. 328 2522539 / €

Ideal place for having lunch with your family or dinner with your friends, for spending a day in a natural and simple landscape far away from the traffic of your city. You will savour homemade products as well as specialities of the surrounding farms.

IL SALUMAIOvia Marconi 24, 21050, Cairate / tel. 348 2431785 / €€

Family shop selling selected meat from Piedmont and Tuscany. We are specialized in traditional local products (mondeghili, bruscitt, cassoeula). We sell also the typical “brusella” and other local specialities.

LA CHICCAvia Molina 5, 21050, Cairate / tel. 346 6666386 / €

Handmade ice cream, bar and pastry shop: you can taste different kinds of ice cream flavours also dedicated to the tourist attractions of the town such as Manigunda flavour. Every day we prepare desserts, croissants and pastries in our workshop.

LA TERRA DEGLI ULIVIvia Milano 7, 21050, Cairate, frazione Peveranza / tel. 347 5605605 / €€

Homemade desserts, Mediterranean cuisine, kamut flour and sourdough pizzas, fixed price menu at lunch. We are closed on Saturdays (lunch) and Wednesdays. Please book your table in advance.

CAIRATEwww.comune.cairate.va.it

TOWN

................................. 100 g. .............................................................. 100 g.

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recipeMACH(chestnuts, honeyand rice soup)first course

IngredientsDried chestnutsRice Whole milkChestnut honeyA pinch of Salt

MethodLeave the chestnuts to soak in water for about 12 hours. Peel them and then boil them adding a pinch of salt. Once cooked, crush them roughly using a fork. Pour the milk in a pot and boil. When milk starts to boil, add the rice, chestnuts and two tablespoons of honey. Lower the heat and simmer for a further 18-20 minutes. Serve hot.

Some restaurants have transformed it into a refined dessert: while the soup is cooking, pour the caramel into a wet pudding mould. Once the rice is ready, pour it into the mould with a ladle and let it rest in the fridge for at least 8-12 hours. Turn out the “pudding” and serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Titbit: this soup was used, without milk, to feed pigs, it was called “a mach” food, that is to say costless.

from www.valleolona.com

ABOUT

Cairate is a hilly town situated at the bottom of the Prealps. It stands on a high ground overlooking the Olona Valley where the river with the same name flows separating the territory of Cairate from the one of Tradate.

The area of Cairate has a quite regular geometrical outline with a little relevant altitude range which gives rise to a typical hilly landscape once rich in vineyards but currently involved in the urban and housing expansion process. The main villages belonging to the municipality of Cairate are Bolladello and Peveranza.

Its main sources of income derive from the industry sector, specialized in different branches, from the agriculture sector, focussed on the production of cereals, wheat and cheese and from the trade sector, which is linked to both activities. The industry sector is mainly developed in the textile, food, woodworking, plastic items and building materials branches. Chemical, metallurgical, mechanical and manufacturer companies play an important role too: the last ones are specialized in manufacturing furniture, toys and jewellery. Quite relevant is the third sector too: among the services, software provision has to be mentioned. Another well-developed sector is cattle breeding (sheep, pigs and horses breeding).

SPOTLIGHTS

Monastero Benedettino di Santa Maria Assunta

Particularly significant is the presence of the Benedictine Monastery of Saint Mary Assumed into Heaven, founded in 737 by the noble Longobardic Manigunda who became a nun as a consequence of her vow after being healed by the miraculous well of Bergoro. In the course of time it became one of the most important monasteries in the North of Italy. It owned three fourth of the area of Cairate and four mills, the real economic and social core of the town. It was a fortified monastery provided with a moat. The whole village was surrounded by a moat too: until the 19th century along it there was the so-called “moats’ way” which corresponded to the current streets via Bologna–Cairoli-Alberti-Crosti. The monastery was the core of the political power: a functionary was elected as leader of a small parliament composed of the heads of the families of Cairate who, in the Middle Ages, met themselves at

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regular intervals in order to make decisions about issues in common. Emperor Frederick Barbarossa is said to have spent the night before the famous Battle of Legnano (1176) in this monastery.

This historical complex includes the church and a big Late Gothic cloister of great architectural interest. The huge church was remodelled many times: inside it you can admire a valuable series of frescoes about the life of the Virgin Mary by Aurelio Luini (1571).

In 1796 the monastery was in a state of decay so it was sold to private individuals who revolutionized the church and the cloister. Today the whole complex belongs to the Province of Varese, which thanks to several restoration projects, has enabled its first historical and architectural recovery.

Santuario della Madonna di San Calimero

Situated in Bolladello of Cairate, the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Saint Calimerius can be reached via a short uphill road which connects via Cavour to the hill where the old building stands. The Shrine Church, as it appears today, is the result of many enlargement and restoration works. It dates back at least to the 13th century but the current building shows three different construction stages. The oldest one, still visible today in the eastern part of the church, dates back to 1470. Remarkable is the eighteenth-century painting hanging above the altar which portrays the Virgin nursing the Child. Unfortunately all works of art you can admire today inside the church are copies. The original ones are preserved elsewhere because of frequent thefts: perhaps the thieves were looking for the legendary treasure that Frederick Barbarossa is said to have hidden just near the old shrine church.

Monastero Santa Maria Assunta

Chiesa Santa Maria Assunta

Santuario della Madonnadi San Calimero

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The stock

Our great-grandparents travelled for pleasure much, much less than us. The trip was a reasoned, scheduled in advance and prepared in great detail event [...]. The hotel [...] was a definite place where you had to feel comfortable and be treated better than at your home. The access to the hotel restaurant or to another well-chosen place in that area was like a rite, a ceremony [...].These gentlemen in stiff collar, bowler or boater hat, gaiters and capes were accompanied by their wives in travel dresses and boots with hundreds of buttons, huge hats and veils. As soon as they arrived to the hotel they withdrew to their bedrooms, they undressed, rested, refreshed themselves, got dressed again with great attention to details to make their first entry into the Salle à Manger. As soon as they sat down they asked for a stock. This was just to find some comfort after the efforts and strains of the travel and to settle their upset stomach after the train or carriage journey. Actually, the real reason was another one: the stock was what we would call a test for the hotel and it would have been the same for another restaurant after a few days. If the Bouillon clair or the Consommè was well prepared and well served they could be quiet for the rest of the trip.

Taken from “Il gentiluomo in cucina” (1983) by Livio Cerini

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FAGNANO OLONA

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FAGNANO OLONAwww.comune.fagnanoolona.va.it

TOWN

WHERE TO EAT

ACQUERELLOvia Patrioti 5, 21054, Fagnano Olona / tel. 0331 611394 / €€, €€€

A meal becomes the occasion for making a taste experience and discovering strange and odd mixes of flavours as well as simple savours however characterised by a great attention to details and first-rate raw materials.

RISTORANTE MENZAGHIvia San Giovanni 74, 21054, Fagnano Olona / tel. 0331 361702 / €€

Small, welcoming and pleasant restaurant. In winter a fireplace will warm also your heart. We pay great attention to raw materials and your comfort is our mission.

DOLCISSIMA BY FAVAROvia Tronconi 3, 21054, Fagnano Olona / tel. 0331 361950 / €€

In 2011 we opened our new shop, café and bar where our customers can relax in a welcoming and elegant place sipping a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate and tasting our pastries.

LA CORTE DEI SAPORIvia Cesare Battisti 55, 21054, Fagnano Olona / tel. 0331 619076 / €€

Situated in an eighteenth-century Visconti villa with a large park, our restaurant is ideal for a romantic dinner or unforgettable celebrations. Our main room is characterized by a coffered ceiling and fireplaces, the meeting and party room is lit up by large windows.

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..................................... 1 glass..................................... 2 spoonfuls

recipeVEAL KIDNEY(MEATLOAF)second course

IngredientsVeal KidneysSlices of RumpMarsala wineBouillonWhite flourRosmaryGarlicPepperSalt

MethodRinse the kidneys carefully and after having removed any fat and skin, boil them in salted water for about 10 minutes. Brown with rosemary, garlic and butter. Dust with white flour and baste with bouillon and Marsala wine. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook for 1 hour.Once cooked, wrap immediately each kidney in a slice of rump and tie with kitchen string. Brown again with herbs and spices until cooked. Once the “meatloaf” is ready cut it into about 1cm slices. Garnish with diced potatoes cooked with butter and parsley.

sourcewww.Ilvaresotto.it

ABOUT

The Roman origin of Fagnano Olona is proved not only by some evidence found in its area but also by its toponym originated from the Latin adjective Fannianus which refers to the family name Fannius. Fagnano was part of the parish of Olgiate Olona. In a parchment of 1045 the Roman Emperor Henry III confirmed to the monastery of Saint Dionysius in Milan that he owned some lands in this area. Fagnano was an important fortified village of the Seprio County until the end of the thirteenth century.

Dating back to early history are the Castello Visconteo (Visconti Castle), two industrial buildings of particular interest (Pigni bleaching company and Candiani cotton mill) and several places of worship such as a fifteenth-century Shrine Church, a chapel, two oratories and four churches.

SPOTLIGHTS

Castello Visconteo

In the Middle Ages the history of this village was strictly linked to the fortune of the fief and the parish of Olgiate Olona: indeed both ones were part of the Seprio County in which Castelseprio represented the main village. The role of Fagnano consisted especially in keeping a close watch on the River Olona and on the road which connected Castelseprio to Milan. It had also a strategic position as it was a key trade and travel hub, this is the reason why its castle was point of contention between the Della Torre and the Visconti families. The old military role of the castle is proved by the presence of a defensive moat, today completely dried out: fortunately a bridge enables the access to the building.In the second half of the 15th century the castle was transformed in a manor house.The dispute between Spain and France worsened in the 16th century so the castle got its old defensive role back. In 1551 Vitaliano Visconti Borromeo was awarded the noble title of Count of Fagnano by the Emperor Charles V; in the same century enlargement works were commissioned by Gaspare Visconti with the aim at doubling the surface of the castle in its southern part by adding new bodies and a second courtyard facing the village. The fief was abolished in 1798. The currently municipal-owned castle hosts not only the headquarters of the ProLoco of Fagnano (association promoting local culture and tourism) but also events and exhibitions organized by it and other numerous associations of the town.

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Santuario della Madonna della Selva.

This is the oldest church of the town. Part of its original structure can still be seen in the main chapel; whereas the front porch dates back to the 16th century. According to the tradition its name derives from a wooden statue of Our Lady of Pity which is said to have been found in the surrounding woods. Probably the current main chapel (14th-15th century) was part of the original building; whereas the nave was built in the following centuries. Inside the church, on the right wall, you can admire a fresco dating from 1543 portraying the Virgin Mother on the throne nursing the Child with Saint Martha and Saint Anthony Abbot. Other valuable works of art preserved in the church are a seventeenth-century sculpture, an eighteenth-century altar frontal and frescoes painted by Domenico Pellegrino in 1613.

Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista

The Church of Saint John the Baptist already existed in the 15th century, although the oldest descriptions about the building date back to 1566. The earliest restoration works started in 1852 and then they were carried on in 1913 and 1918 when the vault above the main altar was raised and the baptistery renovated. In 1960 the nave of the church was extended by one third; the façade made of lime and bricks was demolished and replaced by a new one made of cotto tiles and decorated with friezes. Particularly interesting is the lunette above the portal representing “Saint John baptizing the people, around”.

Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Gaudenzio

The Parish Church of Saint Gaudentius was built in the first half of the eighteenth century and designed by Dionigi Maria Ferrari, an architect from Milan. It is the biggest church in Fagnano Olona. As we can deduce from the historical documents, the building was inspired by the sixteenth-century church of Saint Fidelis in Milan, a model for many generations of architects between the 16th and the 17th century. Among its works of art particularly interesting is the fourteenth-century picture of “Our Lady of Providence” by an unknown painter.

Chiesa Parrocchialedi San Gaudenzio

Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista

Santuario della Madonnadella Selva

Castello Visconteo

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From “Palio” to “Girinvalle”

From 1996 to 2011 five municipalities standing along the River Olona (Fagnano Olona, Gorla Maggiore, Marnate, Olgiate Olona and Solbiate Olona) organized every two years the Palio of the Olona Valley; through games and ceremonies this event celebrated the traditions of this area. The municipality of Gorla Minore joined the group in 2000. In December 2008, the Palio of the Olona Valley took the name of “Palio of the Middle Olona”. The last edition was held in 2011. Currently the area organizes another event, the “Girinvalle”: every summer thousands of people meet along the cycle lane which runs parallel to the River Olona. Dozens of activities, events, initiatives and rest stops entertain both children and adults along the long and green path.

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GORLA MAGGIORE

3130

GORLA MAGGIOREwww.comune.gorlamaggiore.va.it

TOWN

WHERE TO EAT

LE ACACIE RISTORANTEvia Gobetti 3, 21050, Gorla Maggiore / tel. 333 2648377 / €€

Welcoming and informal restaurant where traditional flavours and savours are combined with innovative trends. Our specialities: typical dishes of Friuli (eastern Italian region), game, fish, meat and light cuisine.

LA COLOMBERA RISTORANTEvia Garibaldi 7, 21054, Gorla Maggiore / tel. 0331 611452 / €

Family restaurant with a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere, the perfect place where spending a romantic evening or some hours with your family and friends. Our Italian cuisine combines modern recipes with the traditional ones. We offer an excellent selection of wine.

PUB COLOMBERA COCKTAIL & DREAMvia Garibaldi 13, 21054, Gorla Maggiore / tel. 347 4134322 / €

A very nice, comfortable and welcoming place where spending your happy hour with your friends. We organize all types of event: birthday parties, graduation parties, special dinners, christening parties, celebrations, etc…

DINA ALBERGO RISTORANTE BAR viale Europa 33, 21054, Gorla Maggiore / tel. 349 2895211 / €€

All our dishes combine traditional flavours and savours with the new trends of the modern and innovative cuisine. We pay great attention to raw materials and we offer an excellent quality/price ratio.

LA MAISON DE LA PATISSERIEvia Cavour 2, 21054, Gorla Maggiore / tel. 346 7927402 / €

Pastry shop selling completely handmade pastries: we offer fresh and first-rate products. We pay great attention to their presentation too. Our specialities: cream horns, cream puffs, fruit tarts, traditional yeast cakes, chocolate and new desserts.

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recipePAN DEI MORTIdessert

IngredientsCookiesSugarWhite FlourSultanasAlmondsEgg whitesDried figsBaking powderVino biancoWafersPowdered sugar Cinnamon

MethodPlunge the almonds in boiling water, peel them and then grind them. Leave the sultanas to soak in lukewarm water for some minutes before straining and drying. Crush the cookies and add the white flour, sultanas, chopped dried figs, baking powder, a little bit of cinnamon, sugar and almonds, then blend all ingredients together. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the white eggs. Knead the flour adding enough white wine to make an elastic dough; divide it into lozenge-shaped cookies. Place a wafer under each cookie and lay them on a baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°until cooked through. Take out the oven and dust with powdered sugar.

sourcewww.valleolona.com

ABOUT

Together with the municipality of Solbiate Olona, the town of Gorla Maggiore experienced its most important development period during the industrial revolution. Many watermills (Latin word molendina) were in fact situated on its territory: initially their main activity consisted in milling but later they were used for producing water power. From the beginning of the nineteenth century in the valley all nouveau riche families of the middle class rushed to purchase this new “energy generators” in order to transform them not only in a farming but also in an industrial business. The expansion of the industrial area of Solbiate Olona and some changes to the road network, occurred just before the second half of the nineteenth century, led to a geographical and economic isolation of the Olona Valley area of Gorla Maggiore.So the mills became houses for many families who lived peacefully until 1907 when the railway line of the Olona Valley was built.

SPOTLIGHTS

Chiesa dei Santi Vitale e Valeria

This is the smallest and oldest church of Solbiate Olona. It is situated in an isolated area. It’s old history is proved by the presence of a Roman altar and two tombs dating back to the Middle Ages. A plan of the building dating from 1580 has enabled us to reconstruct the original architecture of the church. If we look at its southern side it is possible to identify its three construction stages; the first one in 1580, the second one in 1619 and the last one, which gave it the current look, in 1900. During the recent restoration works it has come to light that in the 17th century the Romanesque apse was demolished in order to extend the church and to build a square presbytery.

Chiesa di San Carlo

The Church of Saint Charles has a peculiar structure: just one nave divided in three spans with a square apse facing east. It was designed by the architect Giovanni Battista Bombarda, author also of the Church of Saint Mary of the Fountain (Santa Maria della Fontana) in Milan. It has a 29 m tall bell tower which gives a sense of ascent to the whole building. Inside the church the architecture is very simple: the presbytery has some fresco decorations painted by Nicora at about the end of the 19th century; on the walls there are 12 recesses, only six of them contain the statues of the Apostles.

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Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta

This is the Parish Church. The oldest news about it dates back to 1147 and 1176. However the current look of the church dates back to 1850: only the Romanesque bell tower belongs to the original project. It is one of the most beautiful example of medieval architecture in the Po Valley together with the ones of Saint Magno in Legnano and Saint Michael in Busto Arsizio. The decorations were made on the occasion of the pastoral visit of Cardinal Ferrari in 1901. The church was restored in 1976.

Torre Colombera

Among the monuments of the town particularly significant is the twelfth-century Torre Colombera (Colombera Tower), situated in the Lombard Canton. Unlike the Colombera Tower placed in the area of the old benefice and used for residential purposes, this tower played a key defensive role. This is proved by the thickness of its perimeter walls and by the lack of paintings. Quite interesting is also the presence of Roman finds used as building materials. The tower was renovated some years ago and today it is used as exhibition centre for the events organized by the ProLoco and the Colombera Tower Foundation.

Ex-palazzo Negroni-Casati

Interesting architectural model is also the ex-Negroni-Casati Palace, municipal building since 1923. The palace was mostly inhabited by the Terzaghi family (from 1650 to 1857) initially as feudal lords, then as main landowners (previously it belonged to the Frotta family from Varese). The building was called “nobles’ house”, however it is characterised by a sober style: the staircase goes from the entrance hall on the ground floor up to the first floor, the walls haven’t got any decorations and the cloister vault lacks typical elements of the noble houses. Unlike the outside, its oldest part has smooth walls. Although the building was registered as “manor house” of the Terzaghi family and it was connected to the farm behind, its design and architecture are not inspired by the typical models of the villas: probably other different solutions were not possible.

Chiesa dei SantiVitale e Valeria

Chiesa di San Carlo

Torre Colombera

Ex-palazzo Negroni-Casati

Chiesa di SantaMaria Assunta

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Gulula or Gurgula?

The etymology of the name, shared with the neighbouring municipality of Gorla Minore, has two main derivations: the first one is from the Latin word gulula, diminutive of gula (ravine); the second one is from gurgula, still a diminutive from the Latin word gurgus (vortex). An even more recent hypothesis, however, suggests the meaning of “clearing” or “army field”. The first document to be considered for an etymological study dates back to 1046. The Latin name of Gorla Maior is here reported followed by another name, “Minor”. Still to be solved is the meaning of the adjective Maior, as in many other cases the terms Superiore-Inferiore or Nuovo-Vecchio are more commonly used.

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SOLBIATE OLONA

3736

SOLBIATE OLONAwww.comune.solbiateolona.va.it

TOWN

WHERE TO EAT

PASTICCERIA CAFFETTERIA COLOMBO GIANLUCAvia Sant’Antonino 123, 21058, Solbiate Olona / tel. 0331 641270 / €€ / €

Pastry shop and café offering handmade products, hot chocolate included. Since 2014 we have specialized also in vegan sweet and salty pastries. We use stone-milled flour and first-rate organic ingredients.

VAI DI PIZZApiazza San Gervasio 11, 21058, Solbiate Olona / tel. 0331 640993 / €

Takeaway pizza baked in a wood-fired oven. We offer you a wide range of vegan pizzas and “pagnotti”: we use special types of flour which require long rising time and we serve pizzas prepared with seasonal and local ingredients.

MISERIA E NOBILTÀ RISTORANTE PIZZERIA via dei Patrioti 14, 21058, Solbiate Olona / tel. 0331 640073 / €€

Here you can savour the real traditional Neapolitan pizza with a thick but soft crust as well as Neapolitan specialities such as aubergine parmigiana, arancini (fried rice balls), scialatielli in coccio (a kind of fresh pasta), fantasia del marinaio (fish), pastiera, babbà (two Neapolitan desserts) and finally limoncello from Sorrento!

APPALOOSA BAR via Monte Grappa 41, 21058, Solbiate Olona / tel. 349 2957905 / €

Bar Brewpub Bistro. We are open from 7.00 am to late in the evening. Day off: Sunday. We offer Piadine (Italian flatbread), sandwiches, big sandwiches, cold cuts but also entertainments, table football, darts, themed events, parties.

recipeASPARAGUS WITHFRIED EGGS(‘in cereghin’)second course

Rinse the stems of the asparagus under running water and divide them in bunches. Stand the spears in slightly salted boiling water for 20 minutes, keeping the tips out of thewater. Drain the asparagus and lay the spears on a plate. Keep warm. Brown the butter in a pan, break the eggs into it and salt. Cook on a high heat. Top each portion of asparagus with the eggs (pour the butter over!) and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

vegan recipeRYE CHICKPEA BISCUITSsweet

Rice oilMargarine Agave syrupMaple syupRye flour (stone-ground)Chickpea flourCocoa

MethodEmulsify the oil margarine with rice, add agave and maple syrup and incorporate very slowly rye flour with chickpea flour. Add cocoa. Place the dough in a pastry bag, form a sort of “S”, bake at 200 degrees for about 8 minutes. Let them cool and cover with 75 % dark chocolate. Match with tea Rooibois: also called red tea , is a caffeine-free beverage with a slight nutty flavor naturally sweet.By the Pastry-chef Gianluca Colombo

..................................................... 200 g. .................................................. 80 g.

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ABOUT

Solbiate Olona is situated on the border between Olgiate Olona and Fagnano Olona. It is not far from Busto Arsizio and it shares the River Olona with the towns of Gorla Maggiore and Gorla Minore. The name “Solbiate” probably derives from “sol - abas” which means “a single abbot” who is said to have lived in the monastery of the order of the Humiliati once located on Via Sant’Antonio.

SPOTLIGHTS

Cotonificio di Solbiate

After the outbreak of the Second World War the cotton mill had to face on the one hand an increasing demand for military supplies and on the other hand the shortage of raw materials, fuel and male workers. This emergency was excellently tackled by its technical manager Alfredo Tobler. Despite the negative circumstances the cotton mill didn’t break its relationship with the community of the town and it committed to supporting the families of the servicemen called on duty again, of the soldiers and prisoners.It continued developing its business until the first half of the 60s, then the decline of the textile industry started affecting the cotton mill as well. Currently the building is privately owned and it is opened to the public only for special events.

La Scaletta

The Flight of Steps dates back to 1823, precisely to August, 23rd like the cotton mill located on the valley bottom, once owned by Andrea Ponti. It is used once a year as location for a cyclocross racing, on the other days of the year it functions as a connection to the valley bottom not for work purposes anymore but for those who want to sink into the landscape.The flight of steps is composed of 166 steps divided in two parts. Starting from the bottom, the direction of the steps changes after the first 122 steps, thus 44 steps before arriving to the square of the old Church. In proximity to this change of direction there is the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes dating from 1904. Currently it is a place of worship for the local population but originally it was used as votive corner by the workers. In conclusion, the flight of steps is composed of 166 low steps for a total height difference of 33 m.

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Chiesa del Sacro Cuore

After the visit of Charles Borromeo it became Parish Church in 1582. The first parish priest, Father Donato Armiralio, was priest in Solbiate since 1549. After this first visit two new elements were added to the building: the baptistery and the chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, dedicated also to Saint Vitus to remember the small country church situated 700 cubits far from the village (the current via San Vito), which had just been demolished.

The bell tower dates back probably to 1604, date carved in the architrave of its door.In 1880 the church was enlarged again thanks to the munificence of the cotton mill owner, Andrea Ponti.

Chiesa di Sant’Antonino

In 1927 the then parish priest of Solbiate Olona, Father Giovanni Calvi, created an “executive committee for building a new church”. Despite the difficult circumstances and thanks to the efforts of the parish priest and his successor Father Carlo Parravicini, the project was designed in 1938 and works started in the following year. The first stone was laid on October, 10th 1939 in the presence of His Eminence Cardinal Alfredo Idelfonso Schuster Archbishop of Milan. After the outbreak of the Second World War the economic and social situation got worse but the town of Solbiate faced it with extraordinary efforts and generosity. Therefore on July, 30th 1943 the Cardinal came back to consecrate the “new church”. Because of the sounding of air-raid sirens the ceremony started at 4.30 a.m.

Museo Socio Storico

The Social History Museum was opened on December, 17th 2006 and it is the result of an enthusiastic 35 years long collection made by the historian Aldo Tronconi from Solbiate. Thanks to 450 antiques it offers a picture of the local society from a historical point of view, thus becoming an important landmark for future generations. “Small things survived through time, through the wear and tear of time, carrying the illusion of eternity and showing the innocence, faith, joy, pain and death of those who have preceded us in the inexorable flow of time of human existence writing their brief or long page of history. Preserving them with passion and love makes us good citizens, heirs of a world which does not exist anymore but that should not be forgotten”. (Aldo Tronconi)

La Scaletta

Chiesa di Sacro Cuore

Chiesa di Sant’Antonino

Cotonificio di Solbiate

Museo Socio Storico

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La torta sole (sun cake)

The artisanship of Pasticceria Monfrini (located in via Varese, Solbiate Olona) is evident in each of its desserts prepared using fresh and high quality ingredients: an example thereof is given by the mastery of combining the puff pastry harmonious aroma with the appetizing custard. So simple but sublime, this union creates the dessert which has been offering, for more than 30 years, an undeniable and unique taste experience to those who savour its deliciousness. The passion for his job has inspired Antonio, the pastry chef, to reconsider the traditional millefeuille recipe by placing a number of cream horns around it to represent the rays of the sun: here is how Torta Sole (Sun Cake) is made. The tastiness of this simple cake is appreciated both by children and adults; over the years, it has been becoming one of the distinctive desserts of the town where it was invented. 1

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GORLA MINORE

4342

GORLA MINOREwww.comune.gorlaminore.va.it

TOWN

WHERE TO EAT

L’ALTERNATIVA PIZZA WINE & FOODvia Vittorio Veneto 112, 21055, Gorla Minore / tel. 0331 644372 / €€

Taste our sourdough pizzas, you can choose among several special types of flour (5 cereals, whole wheat, soy, wild fennel, chilli pepper). We offer selections of local cold cuts and cheese, grilled meat, fried seafood, light and dark beer, 15 varieties of wine – all carefully selected.

PANIFICIO BERTOLINIvia Volta 8, 21055, Prospiano di Gorla Minore / tel. 0331 601257 / €€

Every day we take very fresh bread, focaccia bread, pizzas and pastries out of the oven. Thanks to the professionalism of our chef Luca we offer Italian, local and international dishes prepared with first-rate and fresh ingredients which we select with great attention.

COLOMBO MACELLERIA GASTRONOMIA via Roma 8, 21055, Gorla Minore / tel. 0331 601175 / €€

Own slaughtering. We exclusively sell meat from Piedmont as well as some cold cuts and cheese, ham steaks, bresaola and delicatessen. We offer a home delivery service.

PIZZERIA DA CARLETTO via Roma 15/17, 21055, Gorla Minore / tel. 349 6931063 / €

Panacea or.. pizzeria! Pizzeria da Carletto offers several products from the traditional round pizza to the squared thick pizza slices and the homemade “panazzi” and “piade” (Italian flatbread). Everything is baked in a wood-fired oven by skilled bakers.

THE WALL ITALIAN CRAFT BEERvia Galileo Galilei 17, 21055, Gorla Minore / tel. 0331 366012 / €€

Our beer has an important mission: winning the heart and delighting the palate of whom tastes it. It is brewed with hops according to the Anglo-American tradition. We are specialized in drinkable and first-rate beer.

recipePANCOTTOTypical dish which usesleftover ingredients.

IngredientsStale breadStockSaltButter

PreparazioneSoak the bread into the stock. Boil gently for half an hour adding a pinch of salt and a knob of butter. Once thick, remove from heat and serve hot. Some recipes suggest to add some eggs beaten with grated Parmesan cheese while the soup is boiling. Keep stirring vigorously until the eggs thicken. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.

sourcewww.valleolona.com

ABOUT

Gorla Minore stands on the terracing sloping down to the River Olona. On the steep sides of the valley the soil of alluvial origin has still traces of conglomerates dating from the first glaciation.

SPOTLIGHTS

Chiesa di San Lorenzo

It’s quite difficult, if not impossible, to identify what the first Christian place of worship in Gorla Minore was and when it was built. Maybe a first small church was built in the same pagan place of worship, as it happened in many other towns. The presence in the 13th century of a church dedicated to Saint Lawrence is confirmed by the fourteenth-century painting of Our Lady Help of Christians that originally, that is to say before its mutilation, was a triptych: the patron saints of Gorla, Saint Lawrence and Saint Vincent, were frescoed next to the Virgin. The church was first enlarged in the second half of the 16th century. Its dimensions remained the same until 1852; whereas the interior was adorned by marble altars and decorations. In the second half of the last century all its fifteenth-century architecture was modified (albeit it remained an aisleless church): a new façade was built, the main altar was moved back, the choir was added and the original coffered ceiling was replaced by a barrel vault. On that occasion the porches dating back to 1776 were partially demolished and the bell tower became part of the façade. Construction works of the side aisles started a half-century later and they ended in 1901. The church, with its new main altar, was consecrated by the Archbishop of Milan, Andrea Carlo Ferrari, on May, 11th 1901.

La Chiesa dei SS. Nazario e Celso

Notevole interesse riveste anche la chiesa dei SS. Nazario e Celso, di Particularly interesting is the old Church of Saints Nazarius and Celsus situated in the village of Prospiano. These two saints are said to be the protomartyrs of the Church of Milan:they were martyred in 64 AD under Nero’s persecution.Only in the second half of the 17th century the building was transformed: its original structure, probably a Romanesque architecture, was remodelled thus giving the church its current look. The friezes made on the cotto tiles of the façade, the rose window and the beautiful portal date back to the second half of the 19th century. In 1933 a spire was placed on the top of the square bell tower. In 1961, as the church was not able to contain the increased number

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of believers anymore, a new part started to be built according to the design of the architect Enrico Castiglioni. In 1964 it was consecrated with the same name. This church is widely considered one of the best model of contemporary architecture.

La Madonna dell’Albero

In Prospiano there is also the Shrine Church of Madonna dell’albero (Our Lady of the Tree), originally called “country church of Santa Maria in Albore”. The series of frescoes whichdecorates the interior is attributed to the monk of the order of the Humiliati Giacomo Lampugnani and it dates back to the late 15th century; probably it was commissioned by some local noble people. Its history is linked to the apparition of the Virgin Mary among the trees, occurred in 1507. The originally square building was remodelled again and again in the course of the centuries.

Collegio Rotondi, con l’attiguo Oratorio di San Mauriz

This is the most prestigious catholic college of the Diocese of Milan in terms of age, history and tradition: it is older than three centuries and a half. It dates back to 1599 when Giovanni Andrea Terzaghi died and left the oratory of Saint Maurice (on condition that a brother could live there for celebrating Mess daily) and his house (on condition that it would be used for educating young people) to the Congregation of the Oblates of the Holy Sepulchre.

Palazzo Comunale

The eighteenth-century Villa Durini situated in the heart of the town is the municipal building of Gorla Minore. The value of its artistic heritage has been recently enhanced by a wide collection of works of art (31 paintings and 2 sculptures) dating from the 16th to the 20th century. The paintings portray a series of well-known people of the Counts Durini family. The collection was donated to the municipality of Gorla Minore by the Countess Carlangela Durini Ajmone Cat, the last direct heir of the family, in 2004. The works of art, currently under restoration, will be the core of a public art gallery which the department of local administration intends to set in the rooms of Villa Durini. It will be dedicated to the countess Carlangela Durini.

Chiesa dei SS. Nazarioe Celso (antica)

Palazzo Comunale

Collegio Rotondi

Chiesa dei SS. Nazarioe Celso (nuova)

Madonna dell’Albero

Chiesa di San Lorenzo

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Ancient Rome in Gorla

The Roman presence in Gorla Minore is evidenced by the discovery of many tombs in an area called “Costa” on the right of “strà santè”, which today is via Rotondi, and by a votive altar dating back to the first century BC which came to light in a vineyard in the north of the town, not far away from the parish church. After being abandoned in the countryside for a long time, the stone was placed in the garden of the priest and in 1926 it was relocated in the museum of Legnano. On the serizzo stone there is an inscription which tells the story of a certain Rivasia who offers the altar to Diana for her father’s lucky escape. Moreover, in 1905 a large brick floor was found in Prospiano at a depth of one and a half metres; it was part of a Roman house and it measures 4 by 6 metres.

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OLGIATE OLONA

4948

OLGIATE OLONAwww.comuneolgiateolona.it

TOWN

WHERE TO EAT

MA.RI.NA. RISTORANTE piazza San Gregorio 10, 21057, Olgiate Olona / tel. 0331 640463 / €€€

Family restaurant. We are specialized in fresh fish dishes, we serve also raw fish and homemade pastries and desserts. We have an excellent selection of wine, you can also simply order wine glasses.

OSTERIA DEL SAGRANTINOvia San Genesio 1, 21057, Olgiate Olona / tel. 333 3377505 / €€

A typical Italian farmstead surrounded by greenery. We have a summer garden, the indoor is characterized by a fireplace and a beamed ceiling. Here you’ll find healthy cuisine and traditional recipes.

EREDI CALÓ via A. De Gasperi 8, 21057, Olgiate Olona / tel. 333 6714919 / €€

Italian restaurant with specialities from Salento (southern Italy), wine shop and wine bar. It’s possible to drink some still wine, sparkling wine and spirits. You can also book business dinners.

PASTICCERIA CHIARAvia Piave 91, 21057, Olgiate Olona / tel. 348 1537540 / €

We offer a wide range of small confectionary products, cakes and pralines prepared with a great attention to raw materials. We are specialized in handmade sweet and salty products as well as in several types of chocolate desserts.

OTTOCENTO RISTORANTE PIZZERIAvia Piave 1, 21057, Olgiate Olona / tel. 348 6690230 / €

A restaurant and pizzeria where the Italian tradition meets modern needs. Mediterranean cuisine, all-you-can-eat pizza, grill restaurant and lounge bar characterized by high quality and honest prices.

BUONO E GIUSTO (e-commerce)via Don Giacomo Tovo 15, 21057, Olgiate Olona / tel. 380 1844809 / €€

We offer natural, traditional, handmade, first-rate and fair trade products as closest to the consumers as possible. We pay great attention to the production chain and the promotion of local specialities, thus supporting that agricultural economies. www.buonoegiusto.it

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recipeCAZZOEÙLAsingle course

IngredientsSpare ribsfresh pork rindssausage from MonzaOne pork knuckle.One chopped stalk of celery.One sliced onion.Four sliced carrots.Two heads of washed Savoy cabbage(outer leaves removed).One glass of dry white wine.Butter, oil, salt, pepper.

MethodSinge and rinse the pork knuckle and rinds under running water. Halve the pork knuckle lengthways and boil gently with the pork rinds for 1 hour. Melt a big knot of butter in another saucepan, add one spoonful of oil and brown the onion. Add the spare ribs, season with salt and pepper and cook for 30 minutes.Baste with a glass of dry white wine. Add the celery, carrots, pork knuckle and pork rinds. Cover with the lid and continue to cook gently for 1 hour, stirring often. If it dries too much, add some spoonfuls of cooking liquid of the pork knuckle. Wash and dry the Savoy cabbage carefully, add its leaves into the saucepan and dip the sausage, previously pricked in several places, in the sauce so that it is completely covered. Cover with the lid and cook for 25/30 minutes. The “Cazzoeùla” will have to be quite thick, not liquid and “tachenta”, that is to say sticky.

sourcewww.valleolona.com

ABOUT

The town of Olgiate Olona is divided in three “neighbourhoods”: Town centre, Gerbone and Buon Gesù. Each of them is provided with a primary school and its own church with the adjacent parish youth centre. The town centre represents the oldest part of Olgiate, where the municipal building, the public library, the comprehensive school and the historic villa Greppi-Gonzaga are located. In the original village a beautiful castle was situated there too. However some interesting examples of medieval rural buildings are still visible on via Tovo and via San Genesio (two accessible streets).

SPOTLIGHTS

Villa Greppi-Gonzaga

The building stands on the site of a seventeenth-century villa bought by Count Alessandro Greppi in 1820. At his death the Count left all his possessions to his wife Isaura Saulx Tavanes who decided to remodel the villa and transform it in a veritable classical palace reflecting the typical French style of that time. Isaura commissioned a lawn framed by a double “carpinata” (a path created by two opposite lines of hornbeams) surrounded by fir trees and oaks. The lawn was connected to the vegetable gardens below by a massive flight of steps made of granite from Como. At the beginning of the twentieth century the palace was bought by the Congregazione delle Pie Signore della Presentazione, a congregation of nuns from Como, who opened a girls boarding school.

In 1918 the Infantile Tuberculosis Prevention Organization (O.P.A.I) became the new owner. On that occasion three new pavilions were opened. In 1932 an agricultural school was founded and later a shoemaker’s workshop and a carpenter’s workshop were added. Cardinal A. I. Schuster commissioned a church to the architects Candiani and Bonicalzi. In 1955 the isolation pavilion for infectious diseases designed by the engineer Carlo Greppi was opened. After 70 years the OPAI closed down so on April,2nd 1976 the building was left to the municipality of Olgiate Olona. Today Villa Gonzaga houses a part of the municipal offices, the primary school Ferrini, the public library, a rest home, a cooperative, an athletics field (track and field) and a big park. (from Eugenio Cazzani, “Olgiate Olona e la sua Pieve”, Saronno, 1985).

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Prepositurale antica Collegiata Santi Stefano e Lorenzo martiri

The Old Collegiate Church of Saints Stephen and Lawrence Martyrs with Provostship is considered the place of origin from which the Word was proclaimed and spread all over the Olona Valley and the surrounding area. Today the church looks homogeneous thanks to its architectural exterior designed by the architect Ugo Zanchetta from Milan on the occasion of its second enlargement and thanks to its works of art preserved in the interior and painted from 1943 to 1946 by the artist Torildo Conconi from Como (1909-1988). Chiesa San Gregorio Magno “al lazzaretto”

The Church of Saint Gregory the Great “in the Lazar House” shows a renovated look thanks to the recent exterior and interior restoration works carried out in 2011 and 1998, respectively. The history of Saint Gregory’s Church reveals three key features. First of all the mystery of death: in fact, the church, blessed in April 1688, was built thanks to Count Giuseppe Besozzi who donated the land where the victims of the plague broken out in 1631 had been laid to rest more than a half century earlier. Second feature is the Eucharistic worship: the church was chosen as place of worship by the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament of Olgiate Olona founded canonically in 1604. The confreres met to pray together for centuries, until the second half of the twentieth century. The third feature is youth education: thanks to the enthusiasm of the parish priest, Father Pietro Colombo, the church hosted the parish youth club from 1875 to 1881. This educational aspect was enhanced when Prince Emanuele Gonzaga, major of Olgiate Olona from 1890 to 1896, donated a piece of land beside the church of Saint Gregory the Great where the parish priest, Father Francesco Basilico, opened the new parish youth centre which was defined “true providence for our youth and our parish”.

Chiesa Sant’Antonio abate a Moncucco

The Church of Saint Anthony Abbot of Moncucco was built with a small adjacent monastery by the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance in the sixteenth century. Church, monastery and all church properties were renovated by Monsignor Carlo Bozolo when he became the new owner in 1670. Monsignor Bozolo embellished the church with the chapel of the Crucifix, he improved worship and decor and he guaranteed an efficient administration. In the interior, the Annunciation is depicted in the frescoes on the top, near the archway of the main altar. On the walls there are figures and symbols which celebrate the spiritual depth of Our Lady; at the bottom of the walls St. Charles Borromeo and St. Barbara are portrayed surrounded by some decorations. Two paintings depicting Blessed Caterina Moriggi from Pallanza and Blessed Giuliana Puricelli from Busto Arsizio are framed in the wooden altar of the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmelo. The Church of Saint Anthony Abbot has been initially managed by the Council of Maintenance and later by a group of qualified volunteers.

Chiesa Sant’Antonioabate a Moncucco

Villa Greppi-Gonzaga

Prepositurale antica CollegiataSanti Stefano e Lorenzo martiri

Chiesa San Gregorio Magno

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Cinquanta metri di fantasia*(Fifty meters of fantasy*)

Antonio Rubino, famous illustrator of Corriere dei Piccoli, by means of its paintings made in 1938, embellished with light and colors the place usually used for the playtime of hundreds of Opaini, as the children hospitalized at Opai (the first Infantile Tuberculosis Prevention Organization) were called. The big room regained its sparkle and it was reopened after thirty years on November 8th, 2014.

* Wonderful book by Battista Arioli, published with stunning photographs of the paintings by Antonio Rubino hanging in the Sala Alba at Villa Gonzaga.

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MARNATE

5554

MARNATEwww.comune.marnate.va.it

TOWN

WHERE TO EAT

AGRODOLCE / Sporting Club Mondo Domani via Pascoli 222, 21050, Marnate / tel. 0331 601097 / €€

We are surrounded by a 33,000 sqm park: a small relaxing oasis where practising sports and breathing clean air. Gianni, Chef at “AGRODOLCE”, the bar and restaurant inside our Club, will meet all your needs!

LA BOTTEGA DI STELLA via Varese 71, 21050, Marnate / tel. 346 5134750 / €€

Retail sale of cold cuts, cheese, bread, first courses, main courses (meat and fish), vegetables, baked products, desserts, homemade cakes, cookies etc… in a warm, welcoming and comfortable place.

CAPOLINEA LIVEvia Roma 260, 21050, Marnate / tel. 0331 369320 / €

The perfect club for fun-loving young people: we offer good beer, pizzas, appetizers and all-you-can-eat pizza. We also organize quizzes (Dr Why) and on Saturdays several bands play live music.

SIMPATHY BARl.go Giovanni XXIII 14/c, 21050, Marnate / tel. 334 5049861 / €

In our bar you will savour delicious sandwiches prepared with carefully selected ingredients as well as homemade tasty appetizers. In our indoor we can host 60 guests and we are provided with a small amusement arcade. We can also organize parties.

BIRRIFICIO EXTRAOMNESvia Pertini 578, 21050, Marnate / tel. 0331 600426 / €€

Extraomnes brewery offers Belgian-style beer, that is to say top fermented, unfiltered and unpasteurized beer. We sell it in 33cl bottles or in 30l single-dose barrels. Our brewery is well-known in Italy and abroad.

EL MUNDOvia Generale Galvaligi 102, 21050, Marnate / tel. 0331 600426 / €€

Coffee import and roasting for bars and private individuals. We sell coffee beans in 1kg bags and single-dose vacuum-sealed pods as well as vacuum-packed ground coffee (500gr- 250gr).

............................................. 400 g.......................................................... 150 g.

recipeMUSTAZZITTdessert

IngredientsWhite flourSugarWaterCinnamonNutmeg

MethodMescolare gli ingredienti con l’acqua e impastare fino a giusta consistenza. Stendere la pasta con un mattarello e tagliarla a rombi allungati. Cuocere in forno a 160-180°C. In origine, l’acqua e lo zucchero erano sostituiti con il mosto d’uva, da cui il nome di mustazzitt.

sourcewww.valleolona.com

ABOUT

Marnate lies on a flat area that overlooks the valley of the River Olona on its western side. It’s eastern hillside part includes the village of Nizzolina, its industrial area and woods.

SPOTLIGHTS

Chiesa di Sant’Ilario

The church of Sain Hilarius was built around the 16th century on the ruins of the older church of Saint Mary and Saint Hilarius. In 1902 it was enlarged according to the design of the architect Camillo Crespi from Marnate, who built the current façade with the central bell tower: an exception in religious architecture. Inside the church you can admire the old organ built in 1770 by the Carreras from Legnano, well-known church organ builders. Thanks to the restoration works carried out at the end of the 70s wonderful sixteenth-century frescoes portraying putti and angels are visible again.

Chiesa di Santa Maria In Piazza

Originally this church played a key defensive role for its strategic position on the road which connected the village to Gaul but later it was transformed in a place of worship. Inside the church particularly interesting is a beautiful fresco dating from 1200 which portrays Our Lady with the Child from which the name of the church derives. During the restoration in 1930 the bell tower and the frames of its big windows were covered with mortar: only the columns still show their original cotto tiles.

Chiesa di Santa Maria Nascente

The church of Sain Hilarius was built around the 16th century on the ruins of the older church of Saint Mary and Saint Hilarius. In 1902 it was enlarged according to the design of the architect Camillo Crespi from Marnate, who built the current façade with the central bell tower: an exception in religious architecture. Inside the church you can admire the old organ built in 1770 by the Carreras from Legnano, well-known church organ builders. Thanks to the restoration works carried out at the end of the 70s wonderful sixteenth-century frescoes portraying putti and angels are visible again.

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Chiesa di s. Rocco - Lazzaretto

It’s no coincidence that this church is dedicated to two saints which are said to be protectors of the sick, in particular protectors against plague; in fact this leads us to think that this place of worship was built - if not necessarily during the epidemic - at least with the aim at remembering the victims of such a terrible pestilence that affected our region starting from the early 17th century. This is proved by the fact that in 1911 this church became a sort of hospital: it was well equipped to welcome and treat people affected by the last cholera epidemic. Thus it’s reasonable to think that it was firstly built in memory of the victims of the seventeenth-century plague and that in the later centuries it was used to host people affected by other several epidemic diseases. Inside the church noteworthy is the fresco preserved in the oratory which portrays the Virgin with Saint Roch and Saint Sebastian in the purgatory. This work of art confirms not only the dedication of the church to the two saints, but also the theory about the commemoration and the probable burial of victims. Air-raid shelter of the Second World War

The structure was built by the Germans in 1944, probably in the same period of the so-called ODESSA operation (Organization of Former Officers of the S.S). Its role at the end of the Second World War is still not clear. Thanks to the local sections of Anpi (National Association of Italian Partisans), the patriot divisions unit Alfredo di Dio of Busto Arsizio and the financial commitment of the seven municipalities its central part has been transformed in the Resistance Museum. This bunker is 180 cm large and 210 cm tall, it has a total length of 143 m and it is situated on the uphill road toward Prospiano. Since it was conquered by two brigades of partisans between April, 25th and 26th 1945 it was used for many purposes. Air-raid shelter, logistics junction, documents archive, warehouse of precious materials: today the ways of defining and summarizing the history of this building are still subject of debate. New park of the mill on the valley bottom

The mill of Marnate is said to exist since 1469. It was owned by the Balbi family until 1566 as it is proved by an official document dating back to that year which mentions Lord Gian Filippo Balbi as the owner of the mill. Later the mill was left to the Cuttica family, then to the Isimbardis, to the Robaglias and finally to Giovanni Candiani. The mill worked until the end of the 20s. Next to it there was a sort of washhouses, this is the reason why this place is known as “lavandé” (laundry).

Chiesa di S.Ilario

Chiesa di S. Maria Nascente

Chiesa di S. Maria in Piazza

New park of the mill on thevalley bottom

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Theories on the origin

There are various theories on the origin of the name: someone refers it to a character named “Marino”, one of the first inhabitants of the area that he called Marinate and afterwards Marnate. Others refer it to “marna”, argillaceous limestone used to make the land more productive. Someone else refers it to “Marna” as the place where the provisions to be sent to the Roman legions in Cisalpine Gaul were deposited.

Ligurian tribes

The first inhabitants in the area of Marnate were probably Ligurian tribes: still today there is a certain similarity between some dialect words and the Ligurian way of speaking. After the arrival of new migrations from the north and the west and the spread of agriculture, the river became the easiest route for trading with the neighbouring tribes.

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CASTELLANZA

6160

CASTELLANZAwww.comune.castellanza.va.it

TOWN

WHERE TO EAT

CIVICO 11Via Sempione 11, 21053, Castellanza / tel. 393 4384957 / €€

Fish from Gargano, creative pizzas, delicious hamburgers, Gnocco Fritto and homemade Focaccia (Italian flatbread). Always fresh, PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), not frozen and first-rate products in a modern industrial-chic-style restaurant.

IL DOLCE SOGNO via Don Minzoni 45, 21053, Castellanza / tel. 347 4443521 / €€

Our shop is the result of Lucia Sapia’s culture and passion for ice creams (world champion at SIGEP 2008/2009), together with her knowledge and meticulous choice of the greatest raw materials as well as her constant training and experimentation.

CENTOUNDICI CAFÉ via Binda 14, 21053, Castellanza / tel. 334 1057400 / €€

In our Bar/brewpub you can find 7 types of draft beer and more than 60 types of first-rate bottled beer; in addition we offer delicious pizzas, “piadine” (Italian flatbread) and sandwiches. Our skilled staff is at your complete disposal to help you choosing the perfect beer for you.

UPTOWN piazza Castegnate 23, 21053, Castellanza / tel. 348 9140136 / €

We open at 7.00 a.m. offering handmade croissants, during the day we cook the first and main courses you find on our menu, we serve appetizers during your happy hour and drinks in the evening. We are provided with an outdoor space for smokers.

recipeRICE SOUP WITHPARSLEY (erborìn)first course

IngredientsRiceGrated Grana Padano cheeseBouillonParsleyButter

MethodWash and finely chop the parsley.Bring the bouillon to the boil. Add the rice and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. Once the rice is cooked, remove from heat and add the parsley and butter. Stir well and serve with a sprinkle of grated Grana Padano cheese.

sourcewww.valleolona.com

ABOUT

Castellanza is the most southern city of the Olona Valley and the furthest one from the Prealps of Varese. It is located in the middle of the conurbation which includes Busto Arsizio, Legnano and Olgiate Olona, just over the border with the Province of Milan.

The municipality of Castellanza was established on May, 1st 1869 through the union of the two old villages of Castellanza and Castegnate for representing the respective communities. It was awarded the title of “city” with a Presidential Decree on January, 4th 1974. The distinction between the two is still evident as the local area is cut in two parts by the flow of the River Olona. Among the villages of Castellanza there is the neighbourhood of Buon Gesù, otherwise called Cascina del Buon Gesù. It is placed on the border with Busto Arsizio, Castellanza and Olgiate Olona along the Strada Statale 33 of Sempione (a state highway).

In 1600 agriculture (wheat and grapevine) was the main source of income of Castellanza but from the second half of the 19th century the village experienced a period of industrialization thanks to the birth of Cantoni cotton mill, the setting up of Pomini mechanical company and the construction of Villa Carminati – Brambilla, municipal building since 1921. This process of industrialization became more intense in the 20th century, in particular after the Second World War, thanks to a great increase in industrial activities which attracted manpower not only from the neighbouring countries. Montedison chemical company was founded in that period.

SPOTLIGHTS

Università Carlo Cattaneo - LIUC

Carlo Cattaneo University was founded in the site of the ex-cotton mill in 1991. It was promoted by the Unione degli Industriali of the Province of Varese, a group of companies part of Confindustria, an Italian industrial institution. The university has restored old industrial buildings in a covered area of 68,000 sq m but it has also a wide park of 26,000 sq m in the heart of the city which is open to the public. The restoration works of the neglected industrial buildings overlooking the River Olona are still in progress. They are part of a renewal programme along the river started particularly in the second half of the 90s.

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Villa Pomini

“La Lombardesca”, better known as Villa Pomini from the name of its first owner Ottorino Pomini, was built in 1919. Its architectural structure dates back to Late Eclecticism, a philosophy developed from the second half of the 19th century until the first years of the 20th century. Particularly fascinating is the “torretta”, a small tower, typical element of this kind of buildings, which stands out against the sky over the top floor characterized by an entirely windowed room that overlooks a wide landscape. The house is currently located in an area of about 5,300 sq m surrounded by a park with plants and flowers of different species. In 1982 Luciano Ottorino Pomini, the original owner’s son offered the property disposal to the municipality of Castellanza. During the meeting on May, 28th 1983 the City Council gave approval to this purchase for a total amount of 155 thousand euros: a “symbolic” amount if we consider the real value of 439 thousand euros estimated by technical appraisals. It was a moderate money request with a precise goal: transforming Villa Pomini in a multi-purpose cultural centre open to all inhabitants and aimed at growing thanks to a series of proposals and opportunities to be created through the contribution of everyone. Finally, noteworthy is the birth of the “Città di Castellanza” Music School and Academy of Music Masterclasses which has its headquarters in a specific area of Villa Pomini. The dream of Villa Pomini about becoming the cultural and social centre of Castellanza seems to have come true. The community wishes that the city will continue committing to carrying on such a cultural project of both individual and collective development and growth. (Source: Vareserfocus.it)

Park/ Enzo Pagani Museum

Castellanza offers also a Park/Museum characterized by the presence of modern and contemporary works of art. It was opened in 1965 in a natural location rich in woods which is quite difficult to be found in close proximity to Milan.

Università Carlo Cattaneo

Park / Enzo Pagani Museum

Villa Pomini

Parco LIUC e Villa Jucker

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Ottorina Perna Bozzi

Another well-known and historical personality of the local gastronomy was undoubtedly Ottorina Perna Bozzi, who passed away on February 14th, 2013 at the age of 104. For many, her name is connected to her famous cookbooks “Vecchia Brianza in Cucina”, “Vecchia Milano in Cucina” and “La Lombardia in Cucina” which are considered the cornerstones of the culinary publishing industry and have been recently made available again in the bookshops. The names of her recipes refer to the traditional ingredients: meatloaf, rice and Savoy cabbage soup, busecca (tripe), roast meat, escallops and three recipes for cooking saffron risotto. Not to mention the pages dedicated to vegetables: from asparagus to pumpkin. Then the desserts, preserves and home-made liqueurs. A very different way of living and enjoying food: with Ottorina, even preparing the simplest salad takes you at least half an hour, without considering the time you need to go shopping.

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RECEPTIVITYHotels, Rooms and Bed&Breakfast

IN THE VALLEY

AGRITURISMO IL PASCOLO Cairate - Strada Vicinale dei Boschetti, 4

Tel: 328 2522539 - ilpascolo.cairate@alice.it

LA CANONICA Cairate - Via Jesi 3

Tel: 0331/360927 - beb.lacanonica@gmail.com - http://www.beb-lacanonica.com

ARRIGHETTI HOTELS Fagnano Olona - Via Dante 215

Tel: 0331/617240 - info@hotelcampodeifiori.it - http://www.hotelcampodeifiori.it

HOTEL CAMPO DEI FIORI Fagnano Olona - Via Dante 215

Tel: 0331/617328 - info@hotelcampodeifiori.it - http://www.hotelcampodeifiori.it

IL CASTELLAZZO - PARK HOTEL Fagnano Olona - Via Cesare Battisti 55

Tel: 0331/617453 - info@hotelilcastellazzo.it - http://www.hotelilcastellazzo.it

LA VILLA Fagnano Olona - Via Dante 27

Tel: 0331/617240 - info@hotelcampodeifiori.it - http://www.hotelcampodeifiori.it

DINA Gorla Maggiore - Via Europa 33

Tel: 0331/617318

ALBERGO SANT’ANNA Solbiate Olona - via Mazzini 29

Tel: 0331/649678 - st.anna@tin.it - http://www.albergosantanna.eu

EXPO HOSTEL Solbiate Olona - Via Fiume 6

Tel: 0331/642640 - expohostelsolbiate@gmail.com - http://www.expohostelsolbiate.com

HOTEL LE ROBINIE Solbiate Olona - Via per Busto Arsizio 9

Tel: 0331/329260 - booking@lerobinie.com

CAIRATE

FAGNANOOLONA

GORLAMAGGIORE

SOLBIATE OLONA

GORLAMINORE

CASTELLANZA

OLGIATEOLONA

CA’ BETTI Gorla Minore - Via Silvio Pellico 5

Tel: 340 0771881 - bebcabetti@hotmail.it

ALBERGO D120 Olgiate Olona - Via Diaz 120

Tel: 0331/635115 - info@hoteld120.com - http://www.hoteld120.com

GUEST HOUSE BY ROSE Olgiate Olona - Piazza Volontarie della Libertà 2

Tel: 348 6410266

IL GECO Olgiate Olona - Via Adige 21

Tel: 331 639566

MO.OM HOTELS Olgiate Olona - via San Francesco d’Assisi 15

Tel: 0331/327240- info@moomhotel.com - http://www.moomhotel.com

ST. GREGORY Olgiate Olona - Piazza S. Gregorio 6

Tel: 333 8358470

HOTEL MONTECARLO Castellanza - Via Saronno 4

Tel: 0331/480568 - info@montecarlohotel.It - http://www.montecarlohotel.It

LA VOLPE PESCATRICE Castellanza - Via Nizzolina 22

Tel: 339 8796217 - lavolpepescatrice@virgilio.it - http://www.albergocastellanza.it

PICCOLO MONDO ANTICO Castellanza - Via Giusti 24

info@nelpiccolomondoantico.it - http://www.nelpiccolomondoantico.it

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TRANSPORT AND SERVICEHow to get in Valle Olona and useful phone numbers

INFO

Reaching any town of the Olona Valley is quite simple: the territory is well provided with county roads, main roads and regional roads. Public transport services (railway stations, airports, motorways included) are at your disposal covering a wide area. Moreover they are very close to the heart of these towns.

A8 Autostrada dei laghiIt connects Milan to Varese. Exits: Legnano, Castellanza, Busto Arsizio, Solbiate Olona junction with A36 - Pedemontana Lombarda), Gallarate.

A36 Pedemontana LombardaJunction with A8 Milano-Varese, A9 Milano-Como e A4 Milano-Venezia. Exits: Solbiate Olona

Freeway SS336 (state highway from and to Malpensa Airport)It connects the motorway Milan-Varese to the motorway Turin-Milan and to Malpensa Airport

SS33 - Strada del Sempione, Milan-ParisFrom Legnano to Gallarate

Malpensa (MXP)Maps and directions: www.milanomalpensa-airport.com/it

Bergamo - Orio al Serio (BGY)Maps and directions: www.sacbo.it

Milano - Linate (LIN)Maps and directions: www.milanolinate-airport.com/

Website, schedule and bokking: www.trenord.it

The closest railway stationsBusto Arsizio Nord, Busto Arsizio, Castellanza, Tradate, Rescaldina,Gallarate, Legnano

MOTORWAYS AND FREEWAYS

AIRPORTS

RAILWAY STATIONS

FNMAutoservizi: Legnano - Tradate // Busto Arsizio - Tradatewww.fnmautoservizi.itSTIE: Gallarate - Fagnano - Cairate // Fagnano - Busto Arsizio www.gruppostarlodi.it

www.tuttocitta.it/taxi

CairateVia Corridoni Filippo 5 - 21050 Cairate - Tel: 0331 360870Via Edmondo De A. 36 - 21050 Cairate (Bolladello) - Tel: 0331 310045

Fagnano OlonaV. Montello 2/E - 21054 Fagnano Olona - Tel: 0331 614990Via Alessandro Volta 11 - 21054 Fagnano Olona - Tel: 0331 612222

Gorla MinoreVia Raimondi 50 - 21055 Gorla Minore - Tel: 0331 644030

Gorla MaggioreViale Europa 34 - 21050 Gorla Maggiore - Tel: 0331 618038

MarnateVia Roma 31 - 21050 Marnate - Tel: 0331 600454

Olgiate OlonaVia Conciliazione 2 - 21057 Olgiate Olona - Tel: 0331 375666Via Giuseppe Mazzini 34 - 21057 Olgiate Olona - Tel: 0331 649166

Solbiate OlonaViale Vittorio Veneto 2 - 21058 Solbiate Olona - Tel: 0331 649637

CastellanzaCorso Matteotti 2 - 21053 Castellanza - Tel: 0331 501130Via Cavour 5 - 21053 Castellanza - Tel: 0331 501122Via Nizzolina 10 - 21053 Castellanza - Tel: 0331 500159

Ambulance: tel. 112Carabinieri (Italian Police): tel. 112 Forestry Authority: tel. 1515Police: tel. 112 - Web: http://www.poliziadistato.it/articolo/10619-englishFire Brigade - Tel. 112

TAXI

PHARMACIES

EMERGENCY

BUSES

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PARTNER, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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Distretto del commercioMedio Olona

Associazione Commerciantidi Busto Arsizio

Camera di Commercio di Varese

Associazione CulturaleEcomuseo della Valle Olona

On behalf of all editorial, graphic and operating staff I would like to thank (in no particular order): Camera di Commercio di Varese (Chamber of Commerce), Distretto del Medio Olona and Ascom Busto Arsizio for having funded and made the project possible. The Majors and Cabinet Members for Commerce of the eight involved municipalities for having believed in it and having committed to this initiative at institutional but also personal level. The local Pro-Loco for their daily efforts aimed at promoting our region. Gianluca Colombo, Erika Bassi and Samantha Caprioli, soul and backbone of the “Distretto” who, with their irrepressible energy and enviable professionalism, shared this troubled but exciting experience with me. Alessandro Castiglioni and Francesco Dallo, Vice Director and Director, respectively, of “Associazione Commercianti di Busto Arsizio”, for their great trust and constant helpfulness. Andrea Carminati, great friend and colleague, who with his innate talent was able to make TerraVIVA graphically pleasant and captivating. Marino Bianchi, already historic and undisputed representative of the photographic research and rediscovery of our region; all people of Associazione Ecomuseo della Valle Olona, Michele Palazzo and Giuseppe Goglio in particular, who contributed to the editorial part and who, with their passion and initiative, let me discover and “see with my own eyes” the innumerable treasures of our valley. The fellow members of Cipta Onlus, Amici della Ferrovia Valmorea, Legambiente and ValleOlona.com who wrote part of the texts and commit daily to preserving and promoting our heritage. Wilma Minotti Cerini, wife of the historic gentlemen chef Livio Cerini, who generously put at our disposal many recipes contained in this guidebook. Antonio Colombo and Carlo Farioli, illustrious members of “Magistero dei Bruscitti di Busto Grande”, who collaborated to study and write the oldest recipes here mentioned. Maria Vorobyeva, fast and skilled translator who was able to transform and optimise the texts in very short time. Matteo Ganna and his staff, for their suggestions and help. Franco Codoro and Roberto Cattaneo, who, with patience and competence, were able to meet any printing request. Finally, all mentioned restaurateurs and shopkeepers, who daily work with passion, zeal, personality, tenacity and hope: without them this guidebook would make no sense, thanks to them our social, cultural and economic fabric gains in value day by day. Laura Colombo, friend and also future wife, proofreader 24 hours a day, who, with limitless patience and love, endured all emails received at 6 a.m. and those at 2 a.m., all phone calls, the strain and all time spent personally visiting and meeting each main character of this guidebook.

TERRAVIVAQualità.

Passione. Territorio.

15 febbraio 2015Marco Cocchianella

Creator and Coordinator

Partners of “Distretto del Commercio del Medio Olona”