Varese was a Giuseppe Garibaldi-class armored cruiser built for the Royal Italian Navy (Regia Marina) in the 1890s.

During her sea trials on 27 November 1900, Varese barely exceeded her designed speed, reaching 20.02 knots from 14,200 ihp (10,600 kW).

[6] When the Italo-Turkish War began on 29 September 1911, Varese assigned to the 4th Division of the 2nd Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet, together with her sisters Giuseppe Garibaldi and Francesco Ferruccio.

Bad weather prevented any landings until 21 October and the ship continued to provide fire support for the Italian troops.

[11] Varese is sometimes credited with participating in the bombardment of Beirut on 24 February 1912, but it seems most probable that this was done by her sisters Francesco Ferruccio and Giuseppe Garibaldi.

[Note 1] On 18 April Varese and Giuseppe Garibaldi bombarded the fortifications at the entrance to the Dardanelles, heavily damaging them.

[15] After returning to Italy later that month, Varese began a refit that included replacing her worn-out guns and lasted through mid-June.

[17] The loss of Giuseppe Garibaldi and the sinking of the armored cruiser Amalfi by another submarine on 7 July severely restricted the activities of the other ships based at Venice.

[18] On 15 May 1917, as the Austro-Hungarian Fleet was preparing to attack the Otranto Barrage that blocked the exit from the Adriatic Sea, Varese was at the port of Butrino on the north coast of Corfu.