The city of Varese lies on the shores of the lake of the same name. It is called the Garden City thanks to the abundance of greenery found within the municipality, contributed in no small part by the gardens and parks of the many villas built here. The city of Varese is in a distinctive position, at the foot of the Sacro Monte di Varese, part of the Campo dei Fiori Massif, and home to an astronomical observatory. Varese rests 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 municipal territory thus ranges from 238 to 1,150 meters above sea level. The winter in Varese is only slightly influenced by the mitigating effects of Lake Maggiore and the other smaller lakes in the province. Late autumn and winter minimum temperatures frequently drop, though only slightly, below zero. It is these low nighttime temperatures that create a different climate compared to the areas south of this city. As in other Lombard pre-Alpine cities, fog is a rare phenomenon. Since 1960, it has been home to the only Italian campus of the European School, created for the children of European officials at the Joint Research Centre. Milan Malpensa and Lugano Agno airports are about 30 minutes away. The shores of Lake Maggiore can be reached by car in 20 minutes.