From the Roman period onwards Ponte Tresa has always been a place of strategic importance. Until 1847, that is, when on the opposite side of the Lake of Lugano the bridge at Melide was built: this allowed opening a road towards Como. In fact, from Ponte Tresa one had the road which, together with the Via Regina, connected Coira and Constance.
The road of the passes of the St. Gothard, Lucomagno and the Little St. Bernard started out from Milan and by way of Seprio, Varese and Ganna passed over the bridge on the River Tresa. From here one had the transit of armies and emperors (Frederick I Barbarosso from among these [1123-1190]) which/who descended from the north or returned again from the south, depending upon the period in question and the corresponding military equilibriums. The ford of the Tresa is mentioned for the first time by Gregory of Tours (544-596) in his Historia Francorum . About three centuries later, in 875, the existence of a bridge is mentioned for the first time. Roughly six centuries later, in 1412, the bridge is said to have been 107 yards long (about 70 metres) and passage was subject to a toll.
In 1512 the Canton of Ticino came to form part of Switzerland. From this point on the river marked the state border and the town of Ponte Tresa: divided between two nations it became a border post.
In 1846 a new bridge was built in masonry, substituted in 1963 by the one we see today.
In 1915 Ponte Tresa was connected to Varese by a tramway which remained in service until 1954. The station, used now for other purposes, is still visible along the shoreline.
It was probably in 1531 that Agostino Ramelli, was born in Ponte Tresa, an engineer of Leonardesque eclecticism.
From here it is possible to travel up the Valmarchirolo to Marchirolo itself where we find the Pellini Bozzolo Gallery of Plaster Casts (Via Dante, tel. +39 0332 737117, open Monday to Friday, 8.00-12.30 and 14.45-17.45; and on Saturdays, 9.00-12.00). The gallery houses the preparatory plaster works by Eugenio Pellini (Marchirolo 1864-1934), Eros Pellini (1909-1993) and Adriano Bozzolo (Varese 1927).
As an alternative one can continue in the direction of Luino in order to complete the itinerary.