Festa di Nostra Signora della Visitazione

The patron saint of Varese Ligure

The Festa di Nostra Signora della Visitazione is the main patronal festival of Varese Ligure, a municipality in the upper Val di Vara in the province of La Spezia. It is celebrated every year on the first Sunday of July, according to a fixed date documented by the Municipality itself.

The procession and the Cristi

The central moment is the solemn procession that winds through the historic centre of Borgo Rotondo. The Cristi of the confraternities – the large processional crucifixes typical of the Ligurian tradition, carried on shoulders with great skill – and the ark of the Virgin parade. It is a spectacle of popular devotion that intertwines faith, art, and physical skill, an integral part of Liguria's religious heritage.

A community celebrating

The patronal festival is the moment of the year when the Varese community comes together around its identity. The confraternities, guardians of centuries of tradition, animate the celebrations that involve the entire town, in an atmosphere that combines religious solemnity and collective participation.

Borgo Rotondo

Varese Ligure is known for its Borgo Rotondo, a unique circular medieval structure, and for the Orange Flag awarded by the Touring Club Italiano. The Festa di Nostra Signora della Visitazione offers an opportunity to experience this village in its most authentic aspect, amidst processions, rites, and hospitality.