Villa Rusconi-Clerici is located in Verbania Pallanza, on the western shore of Lake Maggiore. Along with Intra, Pallanza is the main residential centre of the town of Verbania.
Verbania faces south-west towards the Borromean Gulf, the bay of Lake Maggiore with the celebrated islands, and Villa Rusconi-Clerici offers a privileged view of this strikingly beautiful natural scene. The little island of San Giovanni lies off the shore just a short distance from the garden of the villa.
In the 19th and 20th centuries Verbania was an important textile and manufacturing centre, but since the 1970s tourism has occupied an increasingly significant place in the local economy, thanks to the beauty of the surrounding landscapes and much of historical and artistic interest.
Now the administrative centre of a new province, Verbania is being transformed by the change in emphasis from industry to tourism. An example is the cycle track which now links Pallanza and Intra, and which passes the gate of Villa Rusconi-Clerici.
Today Verbania is one of the major tourist destinations in Piedmont. Thousands of visitors come every year to admire its gardens and parks, villas and lakefront promenades, museums and churches, and to participate in the large number of organised events. Within a short distance are the magical Borromean Islands, the grandeur of the Alps and the wild beauty of the Val Grande National Park.
