The weather report stated for the weekend of the international Rover Meeting in Varese constant rain and therefore we were prepared with equipment and motivation to challenge it.

Our friends from the Registro Rover Italiano invited all clubs from Europe to join this meeting. Unfortunately the event was limited for 25 teams and was overbooked from the beginning with starters from Luxemburg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and 7 cars from Austria.

The base camp for this meeting was the Grandhotel Palace in Varese, a luxury hotel, in a beautyful location on a hill in Varese, reminding to former glory and better times - maybe also this time in which Rover produced outstanding cars. 

Most teams choose, because of the long journey, newer modells like P5, P6 and SD1, but our host managed to bring a beautyful Streamline Coupé from 1935 and a Land Rover as service car to this event.

The big number of P6's, celebreating its 50th anniversary, created a huge spectrum over the different types and production years. On friday we refreshed our existing friendships and created new one.

As experienced on the first day, the weather forecast was as reliable as the italian government and we started the engines in cloudy but dry condition. In a convoy we drove several small and windy roads trough the alps down to the Lago Maggiore. We visited Arcumeggia, a sleepy village famous since 1950's by paintings of international artists. The cultural impression and the walk though the village was very nice. The italian cousine in Porto Valtravaglia made a remarkable impression to all of us. The top location on the lake and outstanding food was the kind of luxury, every Rover driver is dreaming of.

In the afternoon we drove to the hermitage of Santa Catarina del Sasso. 268 steps or a modern elevator ride, transferred us into the 14th century. In the meantime rain started again, but we were prepared very well for it with rubber boots or umbrellas.

Its not very clear, wheter the Gala Dinner in the hotel on saturday evening, or the visit of Villa Menafoglio Litta Panza in Varese on sunday, well known for its contempory arts collection was the highlight of this meeting. The international Rover-Meeting 2013 was in any kind of aspects, a brilliant event and we would like to thank our italian friends.

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Andreas Oberweger