Monastery of Santa Caterina del Sasso, carved into the rock on the eastern shore of Lago Maggiore, once served as a refuge for hermits, and today is one of the tourist attractions of the lake. Despite its inaccessible position to get to the monastery can be both land and from the water.

Construction of the Roman Catholic religious complex began in even the 13th century, but most of the work was carried out from 1300 to 1320 years. Some of the frescoes decorating the internal decoration of the monastery dates back to the 19th century. The complex includes a church dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, and two monastic buildings. It is believed that the founder of the monastery was the Rev. Alberto Besotstsi town of Arola, who luckily escaped death in a shipwreck, he vowed to St. Catherine lived in a cave near the monastery of the future until the end of his life. The relics of Blessed Besotstsi today kept in the church.

It is said that the name of the monastery - del Sasso ("Stone") - was given after 1640, the year it fell of the cliff. In 1670, the year he joined the Order of Carmelites, and a hundred years later was abolished. Despite this, in 1914 the monastery was declared a national monument, and in 1970 it acquired the Province of Varese, which initiated the restoration work.

Today, to get to Santa Caterina del Sasso can be descended down the long winding stairs or the elevator, built in 2010, the year, and by the ferry that docks at the local marina.

In 1977, the monastery filmed some scenes from the film "Room bishop" Dino Risi, and in 1989, he appeared in the film "The Betrothed" Salvatore Nochita on the short story by Alessandro Manzoni.