Welcome to the stunning Lake Maggiore, a gem nestled in the picturesque landscapes of Italy. If you are planning a trip to this enchanting destination, you will be captivated by its spectacular scenery and unparalleled beauty.
Lake Maggiore is the second largest Italian lake after Lake Garda, situated on the south side of the Alps, stretching across the territories of Italy and Switzerland. A little less crowded than Lake Como and Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore offers peaceful and picturesque scenery, majestic palaces adorned with stunning gardens, gorgeous villas and upscale hotels.
Undoubtedly, the pearl of Lake Maggiore are the fabulous Borromean Islands.
The Borromean Islands are a group of three small islands and two islets located on Lake Maggiore between Verbania to the north and Stresa to the south.
The three islands are Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Bella.
Their name derives from the Borromeo family, which started acquiring them in the early 16th century (Isola Madre) and still owns the majority of them today (Isola Madre, Isola Bella, San Giovanni).
The Borromean islands is a popular tourist attraction on Lake Maggiore, with a regular ferry service from Stresa, Laveno, Pallanza, and Intra.
To explore the Borromean islands at your own pace, the best option is to buy a ticket for a 1-day hop-on hop-off boat tour from Stresa.
Additionally, you buy tickets to enter the palaces and the gardens at Isola Bella and Isola Madre. You can buy the tickets on spot or online to avoid long lines.
Isola Madre, the largest of the three islands, is also noted for its gardens, which have been maintained since about 1823 in English style. Its palace ( Borromeo palace ), though uninhabited, is splendidly furnished with 16th- to 19th-century Italian masterpieces and paintings.
The Palazzo Borromeo was built in the sixteenth century on the remains of the early church, cemetery and perhaps castle of San Vittore (named after the martyr Victor Maurus).
The palace is elegantly furnished with tapestries, furniture and paintings from various historic homes that the Borromeo family owned in Lombardy.
The palace is surrounded by impressive gardens in English style, covering an area of eight hectares whose construction began in the late eighteenth century on the site of a citrus orchard.
Today, Isola Madre is a unique botanical garden for rare plant essences coming from all over the world.
The family chapel of 1858 is also noteworthy; by contrast to that of Isola Bella, it contains no tombs or funerary monuments.
Isola dei Pescatori is now the only inhabited island in the archipelago. It has a fishing village, which in 1971 had a population of 208. Unlike Isola Bella and Isola Madre, the island has never belonged to the Borromeo family.
Isola dei Pescatori doesn’t have a palace nor gardens. A narrow street running along its spine is joined by cobbled alleys to the promenade that encircles the island.
The island offers a variety of restaurants where you can have a lunch before continuing your trip to the next Borromean island.
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Isola Bella (Beautiful Island) is probably the most famous Borromean Island, a paradise on earth. Adorned with a magnificent palace and splendid gardens, this island is a perfect blend of history and natural beauty.
Isola Bella is located approximately 400 metres off the shore of Stresa and the best way to reach it is to take the ferry from Stresa for just about 10-15 min.
The island is 320 metres long by 400 metres wide and is almost entirely occupied by Palazzo Borromeo and its luxuriant park.
Isola Bella has intriguing and long history.
It took almost four hundred years for the extraordinary transformation of Isola Bella from a rock of the lake into a place of delights.
In 1632 Carlo III of the influential House of Borromeo began the construction of a palazzo dedicated to his wife, Isabella D'Adda, from whom the island takes its name.
His work was continued by his sons Cardinal Giberto III (1615-1672) and especially Vitaliano VI (1620-1690), as well as his nephew Carlo IV (1657–1734).
The island achieved its highest level of social success during the period of Giberto V Borromeo (1751–1837) when guests included Edward Gibbon, Napoleon and his wife Joséphine de Beauharnais, and Caroline of Brunswick, the Princess of Wales.
A visit to Isola Bella would be incomplete without exploring the grandeur of Borromeo Palace. This magnificent palace is a testament to aristocratic luxury and boasts splendid interiors, art collections, and lush gardens. Step back in time and immerse yourself in the rich history and elegance of this architectural marvel.
A fascinating itinerary between art and history accompanies you through its over 20 rooms.
Some of the most striking rooms are the Throne room, the Reception room, The Galleria Berthier, the Tapestry gallery, the Medal room, and the Grottoes.
The spectacular Italian garden is composed of ten overlapping terraces in the shape of a cut-off pyramid, embellished with statues, fountains, rare shrubs, exotic plants and flowers with delicate scents such as magnolias and camellias.
The Teatro Massimo is the most important monument in the garden of Isola Bella, at the top of which rises the statue of the Unicorn, the heraldic symbol of the Borromeo family.
All around the Theatre is a glorious display of rare flowers and plants.
Outside of the Borromeo Palace there is an area for merchants selling souvenirs and various goods, as well as restaurants where you can enjoy a delicious Italian meal
Lake Maggiore beckons travelers with more beautiful gems, where every corner reveals a story waiting to be told.
Spare time and visit other marvelous places on Lake Maggiore like the pretty town of Stresa, the picturesque Cannobio and Cannero, Villa Taranto, Verbania and Pallanza.
In the Swiss part the major places are Locarno and Ascona.
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