The province of Varese is one of twelve provinces in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is the most northwesterly province in the region and its northern border forms the international boundary with Switzerland. The Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Piedmont region lies to the northwest and the Province of Novara, also in Piedmont, to the west. To the south lies the Metropolitan City of Milan, and to the east, the Province of Monza and Brianza, and the Province of Como. The provincial capital is the city of Varese, which is situated beside Lake Varese at the foot of Sacro Monte di Varese, part of the Campo dei Fiori di Varese mountain range.