During the Christmas holidays, two special guided tours will allow you to discover the history, art, and spirituality of Arona through the figures of San Carlo Borromeo and Federico Borromeo. The appointments are scheduled for Monday, December 29, 2025, and Monday, January 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM.
The tour will start from Arona’s historical center, with a short itinerary through the streets of this lakeside town to reach the Collegiate Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which houses a precious cycle of canvases by Morazzone donated by Federico Borromeo. The visit will continue to the Church of Santa Maria di Loreto, built at the behest of Countess Margherita Trivulzio, mother of Federico Borromeo. During these stages, the Borromeo family’s role as promoters of the arts and the city’s architectural renewal will be explored in depth.
The route will culminate at the Statue of San Carlo Borromeo, the famous Sancarlone, located on a hill overlooking Arona. The statue, about 35 meters high, is not only a tribute to the saint but also a symbol of the bond between the city, the Borromeo family, and Ambrosian devotion. Strongly desired by Federico Borromeo, it is now preserved by the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, which Federico himself founded. Participants will be able to access the panoramic terrace with views of Lake Maggiore and the Lombard, Piedmontese, and Swiss mountains. For those who wish, it will also be possible to climb inside the Statue to the top via a spiral staircase and a vertical ladder.
The tours are organized by Archeologistics, a social enterprise committed to the enhancement of cultural assets and monuments in the provinces of Varese and Novara, which manages the Statue of San Carlo on behalf of Ambrosiana.
During the Christmas period, the Statue of San Carlo will observe extraordinary opening days:
- From December 26 to December 30: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM*
- January 1: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM*
- From January 2 to January 6: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM*
- *last entry is at 4:30 PM. Access to the statue and the terrace is closed from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Closed on December 31.
Mandatory booking: https://www.archeologistics.it/servizi-educativi/arona-tra-carlo-e-federico-659.html
Meeting point: Piazza De Filippi, at the War Memorial, Arona, at 09:45 AM. Self-transfer to the Statue: about 5 minutes by car (ample parking at Piazzale San Carlo). Costs (includes guided tour and entry to the Statue of San Carlo): €15 full / €10 reduced (Piedmont Museum Subscription, children aged 6-16, people with disabilities and one companion) / free for children under 6 (access to the Statue not allowed). Contacts: statuasancarlo@ambrosiana.it | +39 328 8377206