The city of Varese lies on the shores of the lake of the same name. It is called the Garden City thanks to the numerous and beautiful private and public gardens within the municipality. The city of Varese is located in a distinctive position, at the foot of the Sacro Monte di Varese, which is part of the Campo dei Fiori massif and hosts an astronomical observatory. Varese is nestled on seven hills: San Pedrino Hill (402 m), Giubiano Hill (407 m), Campigli Hill (453 m), Sant'Albino Hill (406 m), Biumo Superiore Hill (439 m), Montalbano Hill (411 m), and Miogni Hill (492 m). The municipality's territory ranges from 238 to 1,150 meters above sea level. Varese’s winter is minimally affected by the mitigating influence of Lake Maggiore and the other smaller lakes in the province. Late autumn and winter minimum temperatures frequently drop, albeit by a few degrees, below zero. It is precisely the low nighttime temperatures that create a different climate compared to areas south of this city. As in other Lombard pre-Alpine cities, fog is a rare phenomenon. Since 1960, it has hosted the only Italian campus of the European School, created for the children of European officials from the Joint Research Centre. Milan Malpensa and Lugano Agno airports are about 30 minutes away. The shores of Lake Maggiore can be reached in a 20-minute drive.