Besano is a town and comune located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.

In 1993 the fossil of a Triassic aquatic reptile dating back to about 235 million years was found near the town. It was named Besanosaurus. Many other fossils have emerged from the fossiliferous field of Besano-Monte San Giorgio, known and appreciated since the mid-nineteenth century.