It stands on the banks of the Lake Maggiore in the province of Varese. The municipal coat of arms presents the image ofHermitage of Santa Caterina, its main attraction. We are talking about Leggiuno. Frequented in the summer for cultural visits and its lake, for some years it has become a super crowded destination even during the Christmas period. The reason is immediately revealed. The lights in Leggiuno dress the town with an enchanted atmosphere. So, with a little imagination, let's try to enter together in the world of fairy tales.
The enchanted forest
The heart of the lighting installation is certainly the enchanted forest. A name that evokes a magical scenario, where you can get lost in that fantasy of being a child. It is accessed through a castle whose brick facade is symbolically represented by the many lights that run harmoniously to describe its shape.
Like in a fairy tale thanks to the colors of the numerous fiber optic sculptures that describe suggestive corners of one dream forest. Bright blades of grass, flowers, mushrooms, but also snails hidden in the hollow of some root sprout among the trees. And again, during your walk, you can meet deer, reindeerpeacocks the swan pond and even glimpse in the distance a fox with reflective eyes. And if you look up among the branches you will find yourself being observed by someone squirrel, from the attentive owl and also from a woodpecker all busy drumming on the bark. But that's not all. The lights are really everywhere and so let's continue this together magical journey.
Recycling themed
Un starry sky composed of infinite lights that follow one another along the beams that branch off from the bell tower. All this to accompany you to the church in whose churchyard a suggestive crib. Its peculiarity? The wooden statues that reproduce the Holy Family are entirely covered with tinfoil.
A simple material that we all have in our kitchens. Yet how much imagination to think of using it to cover the sculptures! The effect created is truly amazing. But aluminum is not the only material of recycling protagonist of this scenario. It will also leave you speechless cave of the bears polar located near the oratory. Completely made with bottoms of bottles of plastic bags previously heated and pressed on themselves. Everything is illuminated by white lights to create the sensation of polar ice cold. A destination that children will love a lot, where they can take a photograph in the company of bears.
The illuminated house
A few streets away, in front of your eyes, one opens up scenario film. We are talking about the lighted house. It could not be called otherwise given the numerous lights used in this setting. Betti house, historical family of Leggiuno, dresses every year in sparkling choreography all made by hand.
The garden, the facade, the entrance staircase to the villa are a riot of lights from whatever perspective you are observing. And it really is thanks to Lino Betti if today Leggiuno is immersed in this fairytale climate. It was 1999 when he bought the first lights in Brazil, his wife's hometown. Since then the municipality has been enriched with an important luminous collection. Today Leggiuno touches on 500mila lights, all thanks to the volunteers committed to keeping this tradition alive. That's why the entrance to the illuminated village, and the shuttle service made available to reach it is free to offer. A small contribution to support a fairytale project that can be visited every day until Epiphany from 17.00 to 23.00.
