Last updated on November 19th, 2024.
The most memorable trips we’ve had were those that were planned at the last minute.
Take our incredible 2 days in Lake Maggiore (Lago Maggiore). Shared between Piedmont and Lombardy in northern Italy, the lake makes an ideal long weekend break.
While Lake Maggiore is well known by many, Lake Como and Lake Garda tend to steal the spotlight.
In this post, I’ll be sharing with you the best things to do in Lake Maggiore. Note down the top attractions and best outdoor activities to see with this helpful day-by-day Lake Maggiore itinerary.
It’s an ideal guide if you’re planning on visiting Lake Maggiore for 1, 2 or even 3 days. You’ll be glad you added this picturesque gem to your itinerary when planning your trip to Italy.
It’s also a great destination to consider adding to your Italy bucket list.
A brief introduction to Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is the second largest lake in Italy and is located on the south side of the Alps. It’s shared by the Italian regions of Lombardy and Piedmont along with the Swiss canton of Ticino.
Measuring 64km (40mi) long and 3 to 5km (2 to 3mi) wide, Lake Maggiore is the longest lake in Italy. It’s located halfway between another neighboring lake in Piedmont, Lake Orta, and Lake Lugano, which sits on the Italian/Swiss border.
Lake Maggiore is most known for its impressive villas, gardens and enchanting islands: Isola Bella, Isola Superiore and Isola Madre.
When is a good time to visit Lake Maggiore?
Weather in the north of Italy can be unpredictable — something we discovered during our 3 days in Lake Como.
We visited Lake Maggiore during the Easter holidays (mid-April), and fortunately for us, the weather was perfect.
Granted, the Easter holidays aren’t the quietest period to travel, but it wasn’t as busy as we’d expected. Generally speaking, spring (April, May) or late autumn (September, October) is a good time to visit Lake Maggiore.
But, even if the weather’s predicted to be warm, be sure to pack some sweaters and a light jacket. Temperatures can drop by the lake and light winds in the evening can make it feel colder.
2 days in Lake Maggiore
Day 1 – arrival in Stresa
We couldn’t have asked for better weather for our 2 days in Lake Maggiore. A 3-hour drive from our home in Vicenza, the skies were a perfect blue with a temperature of 73.4°F (23°C).
The drive along Lake Maggiore to Stresa is a pretty one, filled with incredible villas and sprawling scenery. Stresa is one of the best towns on Lake Maggiore given its lakeside location and its close distance to the Borromean Islands.
Some of the towns we passed included Dormelletto, Arona and Lesa. If you’ve time, I highly suggest parking up and exploring the towns on foot. Much of the view (from the car) is overshadowed by the road barriers, walls or by foliage.
Stresa calls
Aside from the sign indicating that you’ve arrived in Stresa, the change is noticeable. For one, the road transforms from narrow to wide, opening up to spectacular views of the lake.
The resort town of Stresa is exactly that: a town that caters to visitors. Grand hotels line the stretch of road overlooking the water, the most famous being the Grand Hôtel des Îles Borromées. Its most famous guest was American author, Ernest Hemingway.
Though Hemingway didn’t live in Stresa unlike Freya Stark in Asolo, I’m certain he was inspired by his surroundings.
Along this stretch are other notable lakeside Lake Maggiore hotels. They include:
- Hotel Residence La Luna Nel Porto
- Hotel Milan Speranza Au Lac
- Hotel Regina Palace
- Hotel Astoria
- Hotel La Palma
Overlooking Lake Maggiore and the Lungolago di Stresa (Stresa pathway), all of these hotels are in a top location.
Grand Hôtel des Îles Borromées, Corso Umberto I, 67
Lungolago di Stresa, Corso Umberto I, 73
Map: 2 days in Lake Maggiore (Lago Maggiore)
Hotels on Isole Borromee (Borromean Islands)
Instead of opting to stay on the mainland, we chose to book accommodation right on the Isole Borromee (Borromean Islands). There are several advantages to doing this.
- You get to experience life on the island rather than just making a quick stopover
- Most visitors are gone by 5pm leaving the island just for you
- Most hotels are close to the ferry terminal meaning it’s a short distance to carry your luggage
- Restaurants are less busy and reservations are easy to make
On the flip side, there are also some disadvantages to staying on the Borromean Islands.
- WiFi in the hotel is limited
- Crowded ferries can be a pain for carrying luggage around
- Costs can add up if you want to take a ferry back and forth to the other islands
Where to park in Stresa, Lake Maggiore
If arriving by car in Lake Maggiore, it’s important to remember the name of your parking area. Though this sounds obvious, it’s easy to get confused especially if it’s your first time.
We parked our car in a lot called Parcheggio Baia (Bay parking), which is closer to the port of Carciano. While it sits within Stresa, the actual ferry terminal of Stresa is about 15 minutes away on foot.
Lesson learnt
We learned this the hard way when we took the ferry back from Isola Bella to Stresa rather than Carciano. However, blessed with perfect April weather, we didn’t complain as we walked the Lungolago di Stresa back to our car.
Like Salo, Lake Garda, the lungolago is also one of the best free things to do in Lake Maggiore. A top outdoor activity, it’s ideal for the whole family and for furry friends too.
Car parks in Carciano (Stresa) include:
- Parcheggio Baia: Viale Lido, 1
- Parking Lido: Piazzale Lido, 8
- Parcheggio 83 (free parking but it gets busy very quickly): 28838 Stresa
Arriving on Isola Bella
It takes just 5 minutes from the ferry terminal of Carciano to arrive at Isola Bella. For a short ride, it’s one of the most scenic on Lake Maggiore.
A one-way ferry ticket from Stresa to Isola Bella costs €3.40 ($3.67/£2.86) for adults and €1.70 ($1.84/£1.43) for children. It’s easy to book directly at the ticket office, but you can also book directly online.
An alternative money-saver is to purchase the hop-on, hop-off boat ticket. Enjoy the Borromean Islands at your own pace and for one price.
Feel the breeze brush against your face as you admire the magnificent gardens ahead, and the Stresa shoreline behind.
Bella by name, bella by nature, Isola Bella is, for me, the most beautiful part of Lake Maggiore. Captivating up close and from afar, we were hooked the second we set foot upon the shore.
Free to explore — free things to do in Lake Maggiore
After leaving our bags in our hotel, we wasted no time in exploring the island. Measuring just 0.32km (0.199mi) in length, it’s possible to explore every nook and cranny on Isola Bella.
A row of stalls selling goods and souvenirs greet you the moment you disembark from the ferry. By no means intrusive, they don’t take away from the island’s charm.
We counted just 3 lakeside bars and cafes on Isola Bella: Caffè Lago, Lemontree and Ristorante Magnolia.
Caffè Lago serves hot and cold drinks, including alcohol.
Caffè Lago, Via Lungo Lago Vittorio Emanuele, 18
Lemontree serves hot and cold drinks as well as light meals and desserts. It has a seating area inside and out, and makes one of the best coffee frappes I’ve ever had. If it was open in winter, I’m certain they would add some fun latte art similar to what I found in NYC.
Lemontree, Vittorio Emanuele, Via Lungo Lago, 18
Ristorante Magnolia doubles up as a lakeside bar, cafe and restaurant. They serve everything from pasta and pizza to seafood and gelato.
Ristorante Magnolia, Via Vittorio Emanuele
While we didn’t see any ‘tourist menus’ on display, it may have just been the time of year. If you’re thinking about visiting Isola Bella, and Lake Maggiore, during summer, keep an eye out for them.
Tourist menus usually mean lower quality produce for higher prices, but it’s up to you to make the call.
The star of the show — Palazzo Borromeo
We spent our first afternoon on Isola Bella practicing the art of slow travel. Strolling at a pigeon’s pace, we took in every possible angle of the surrounding lake.
From the shoreline to the large-stone beach at the end of the island, the views will capture your heart.
Isola Bella’s main, and only, attraction is Palazzo Borromeo and its gardens. One of the top attractions to visit in Lake Maggiore, you don’t want to miss it.
Until 1630, Isola Bella was only inhabited by fishermen. It consisted of just 2 small churches and vegetable gardens.
The Borromeo family — a powerful aristocratic family from Milan — transformed the island. Their estate includes Palazzo Borromeo, the Borromean Islands and the Rocca d’Angera.
Art, history and spectacular beauty
From the moment you ascend the grand staircase, the palace gifts you one surprise after the other. There are over 20 rooms to see within Palazzo Borromeo, some of the most dazzling being the Throne and the Tapestry Room.
At its heart is the Berthier Gallery. The room exhibits over 130 paintings including masterpieces, and several copies, from the likes of Raphael, Correggio and Titian.
My personal favorite of all the rooms is the grotto. Located on the lake level, the 6 rooms that make up the grotto are covered in a mix of materials. They include stone, marble and lava. Stucco ornaments — in the form of shells, mermaids fish and turtles — convey the grotto’s water theme.
Noticeably cooler than the rest of the palace, it was designed to enjoy the lake breeze on warm summer days.
The baroque gardens at Palazzo Borromeo
Take me to a garden as spectacular as il Giardino dell’Isola Bella and I’ll never want to leave. It’s a scene that no words can do justice, but photos can.
Filled with rare plants, colorful blooms and roaming white peacocks, the 17th century gardens are the real star of the show.
As you weave your way through its pebbled paths, you eventually reach the striking Teatro Massimo (Massimo Theater).
The most important monument in the garden, the theater consists of 10 terraces, of which stand statues, obelisks and fountains. At the very top of Teatro Massimo is a statue of a unicorn — the symbol of the Borromeo family.
As you near the end of the gardens, you’ll first pass by the gift shop and then a cafe. You can only enter Caffeteria Della Torre with your entrance ticket to Palazzo Borromeo.
Tips on visiting Palazzo Borromeo
Palazzo Borromeo is worth every cent and there’s no limit on how long you can spend there.
Don’t follow in our footsteps by visiting on a Saturday morning. Granted, it was also the Easter weekend, but it was probably much busier given the holiday.
These are my takeaway tips on visiting Palazzo Borromeo:
- Buy your ticket in advance online: waiting times are much shorter and you can skip the lines
- Visit (if possible) Palazzo Borromeo on a weekday
- Visit in the afternoon: unlike most places where the earlier, the better, the lines were shorter later in the day
- Combined tickets can be cheaper: we paid €28 ($30.30/£23.50)* to visit Palazzo Borromeo and Isola Madre
- Guided tours are available if desired
- Ferry tickets aren’t included in the combined ticket; you need to buy these separately
If visiting Lake Maggiore during the winter months in Italy (December to February), you may find yourself disappointed. Palazzo Borromeo is typically closed during this period, reopening around mid-March up until the first week of November.
The website has the most up-to-date information regarding opening times and ticket prices.
Where to stay on Isola Bella
Accommodation on Isola Bella ranges from hotels to holiday homes. We spent the night at Elvezia Boutique Hotel, a hotel located right on the shoreline and visible from the ferry.
Its rooms are named after literary authors — ours was the Stendhal room. Rustic design and with all the amenities you need for your stay, Boutique Hotel Elvezia is a top choice. Unfortunately, our wasn’t a lake view room as we’d requested due to availability at the time.
Saying that, if given the chance, don’t hesitate to book one before they’re gone.
Sunset dinner at Elvezia Boutique Hotel
With a terrace overlooking Lake Maggiore and an impressive menu, we decided to dine at our hotel’s restaurant.
We enjoyed the sunset over a meal of risotto with lake fish and river prawns and a fried fish platter. Ideal for a romantic dinner in Lake Maggiore, Ristorante Elvezia provides the perfect meal and setting.
Boutique Hotel Elvezia, Via Lungo Lago Vittorio Emanuele, 18
Day 2
After a so-so continental breakfast at our hotel, we made our way to our next island, Isola Superiore.
Also known as Isola dei Pescatori (Fisherman’s Island), it was the base for our second night in Lake Maggiore. So close are Isola Bella and Superiore to one another that you can see one island from the other. In fact, the waiting time for the ferry is probably longer than the actual journey.
As its name suggests, the island’s main industry is fishing, and in recent years, tourism. Isola Superiore is the only island to be inhabited all-year round and has never belonged to the Borromeo family.
Get familiar with Isola Superiore
Like Isola Bella, the crowds begin to disperse in the late afternoon on Isola Superiore. Without hordes of people around, the maze of narrow streets regains their appeal, enabling you to peacefully navigate your surroundings.
Isola Superiore is characterized by its quaint multi-storey houses, narrow alleyways and the Chiesa di San Vittore (St Vittore’s Church). Its origins date to the 11th century, reflecting a Gothic style.
If you plan on entering the church, please be mindful of your attire and whether there’s a mass going on.
Chiesa di San Vittore, 28838 Isola Superiore
Next stop: Isola Madre
The second attraction, part of our combined ticket, was a visit to Isola Madre.
The slightly longer ferry ride takes you first to Baveno, one of several small towns around Lake Maggiore. From here, the ferry veers towards Isola Madre, a scene made more memorable by its dreamlike surroundings.
In essence, Isola Madre is the extension of the botanical gardens on Isola Bella. Having one island dedicated to beautiful flora and fauna clearly wasn’t enough for the Borromeo family. Because of this, it makes Isola Madre one of the best outdoor activities in Lake Maggiore.
Your visit of Isola Madre begins the second you disembark from the ferry. Unlike Palazzo Borromeo, there are no lines to wait in, just steps leading directly to the garden.
Botanical jewels
Walking through the gardens on Isola Madre is best done slowly. A delightful show of trees, plants and color illuminate the graveled path.
We spotted everything from fir and cypress to bamboo and walnut trees. The gardens reflect the passions of naturalist Vitaliano IX. He was the Borromeo who made it his mission to bring seeds and plants from across the world.
A little further into Isola Madre is a classic English garden. Within it are hibiscus, mulberry and pomegranate trees, as well as oak and maple.
The island’s famous cypress tree
Just before you approach the Borromeo mansion, you’ll pass a beautiful cypress tree, secured to the ground by cables.
The Cashmir Cypress tree first arrived on Isola Madre as a packet of seeds in 1862. It grew to weigh a gigantic 70 tonnes before a tornado on the island in 2006 tore it down.
With quick thinking and a race against the clock, the team were able to rescue the tree. A symbol of the past, the tree’s far-reaching branches are also a symbol of the future.
Entering the casa
Casa Borromeo is the mansion on Isola Madre. While many of the corridors are closed off to visitors, the tour takes you through its exquisite rooms.
One feature that stands out is the collection of puppets, stage sets, productions and scripts. Maintained in excellent condition, it reflects the type of entertainment and leisure activities of the time.
Where to sleep on Isola Superiore
Our hotel for our second night on Isola Superiore was at Albergo Ristorante Verbano. As you can tell by its name, the hotel’s also home to a superb restaurant.
Rooms are modern, basic but clean. Ours opened onto a huge shared terrace overlooking Lake Maggiore.
The restaurant has a pretty outdoor dining area sheltered by a canopy of wisteria. Food is of top quality at Ristorante Verbano as is the service.
Lastly, I can’t sing its praises enough for the breakfast. Homemade croissants, pastries and bread, we had a delicious and filling start to our day.
My only bugbear about Albergo Ristorante Verbano was the WiFi. To put it bluntly, it never worked. Staff informed us it was due to ‘the wind’ at night, but it also didn’t work during the day.
All in all, we enjoyed our stay and would stay again.
Albergo Ristorante Verbano, Via Ugo Ara, 2, Isola Superiore
Other things to do in Lake Maggiore
Given that we only had 2 days in Lake Maggiore, it wasn’t enough time to see everything. Should your visit last longer than ours, here are more things to do in Lake Maggiore:
- Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto (Villa Taranto Botanical Gardens), Via Vittorio Veneto, 111
- Walk the Lungolago di Pallanza, Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi
- Walk the Lungolago di Intra, S.da Statale 34 del Lago Maggiore
- Sacro Monte della SS. Trinità di Ghiffa (Church of Sacro Monte of SS. Trinity of Ghiffa), Via Santissima Trinità
One of the best attractions was the Lake Maggiore cable car (Funivia Stresa Mottarone) at Stresa. However, it was permanently closed after a tragic accident occurred in 2021.
Beaches around Lake Maggiore
When summer arrives in Lake Maggiore, so too do ample opportunities to bathe and swim. The beaches are easily one of the best free things to do in Lago Maggiore, particularly if visiting with kids.
Make a note of these beaches and lidos where you can swim in Lake Maggiore:
- Spiaggia di Suna (Suna beach): Via Paolo Troubetzkoy, 18, Pallanza
- Spiaggia del Rigoletto (Rigoletto beach): Verbania
- Spiaggia Isolino Vecchio: 28924 Verbania
- Spiaggia Feriolo: 28831 Feriolo, Baveno
- Lido Beach Club Baveno: Via Piave, 66, Baveno
- Municipal Beach, Stresa
How to reach Lake Maggiore from Milan
There are several ways to reach Lake Maggiore depending on your departure point. Milan is just 1hr 30 mins away by car, while Milan Malpensa airport is 1hr 5mins.
Which is better Lake Como or Lake Maggiore?
Our 2 days in Lake Maggiore is up there as one of our most favorite trips. The lake makes an ideal trip, whether you plan to visit for 1, 2 or even 3 days.
While we highly enjoyed our visit to Lake Como, we much preferred Lake Maggiore. For one, Lake Maggiore was busy, but it wasn’t wildly overcrowded with tourists like Lake Como.
Second, Lake Maggiore isn’t as enclosed as Lake Como. The mountains, hills and valleys surrounding Lake Como can sometimes overshadow the lake. In comparison, Lake Maggiore is wider, brighter and the hills aren’t as imposing.
Bottom line is, Lake Maggiore — for us — is much better than Lake Como.
Underline, highlight and underline Lake Maggiore again, it’s 100% worth visiting.
Would you like to spend 2 days in Lake Maggiore? Which of the attractions did you like most? Let me know in the comments below.
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Welcome to my site. I'm Lisa, an Italy-based travel and lifestyle blogger behind Following the Rivera. Find out more about me and my story.
What are the best attractions in Lake Maggiore?
1. Isola Bella
2. Palazzo Borromeo and the gardens
3. Isola dei Pescatori (Superiore)
4. Isola Madre
5. Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto
6. Lungolago di Stresa
Where can I swim in Lake Maggiore?
1. Spiaggia di Suna (Suna beach): Via Paolo Troubetzkoy, 18, Pallanza
2. Spiaggia del Rigoletto (Rigoletto beach): Verbania
3. Spiaggia Isolino Vecchio: 28924 Verbania
4. Spiaggia Feriolo: 28831 Feriolo, Baveno
5. Lido Beach Club Baveno: Via Piave, 66, Baveno
6. Municipal Beach, Stresa
Hello,
Thank you for the wonderful insight to your amazing trip and beautiful photos, too! We are planning a trip but have only have 2 1/2 days in Taormina. One day we set aside for Syracuse and the other day we wish to do a boat tour and then see Isola Bella and Isola Madre but we would also like to see Parco Pallavicino. Do you have any suggestions on this plan or alternate? So much to see and do, so little time. Thank you! 🙂
Hi Tiffany, I think you are mistaking Isola Bella for the one in Taormina, Sicily. There is an Isola Bella also in Lake Maggiore; but this is in Piemonte which is the north and very far from Sicily. Isola Madre is also in Lake Maggiore in the north. For Taormina, 2.5 days is enough. You can visit Isola Bella and comfortably see the town center and enjoy the views. You can also consider taking a tour of other towns like Savoca and Forza d’Agro which is nearby. Lisa