Gavirate is a comune (municipality) in the province of Varese, in the Italian region of Lombardy , located about 60 kilometres (37 mi) northwest of Milan and about 10 kilometres (6 mi) northwest of Varese. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 9,438 and an area of 13.3 square kilometres (5.1 sq mi).

The comune of Gavirate contains the frazioni (hamlets) Oltrona al Lago, Voltorre and other mainly villages: Groppello, Le Vigne, Fignano, Forte di Orino, Fienile delle Pianezze, Armino, Pozzuolo, Cual, Ca'de Monti, Ronco, and Benedetto.

Gavirate borders the following comuni: Barasso , Bardello con Malgesso e Bregano , Besozzo , Biandronno , Casciago , Cocquio-Trevisago , Comerio , Cuvio , Varese.