Top Things To Do at Lake Maggiore – Beautiful Italy

A day trip from Milan to Lake Maggiore

Milan is a vibrant city with a famous fashion scene, football clubs, and also a financial center. Furthermore, there are many things to do in Milan or around the city. Lake Maggiore, Lake Como, or Bergamo are just a few of the trips worth taking in the surrounding area.

How to get to Lake Maggiore

The most convenient way to get to Lake Maggiore from Milan is by train. From Stazione Centrale in Milan, you have to take the train towards Domodossola. A ticket to Stresa (where you want to get off for Lake Maggiore) starts from 8.60 €, and the ride takes under one hour and a half.

From Stresa, you can take the ferry and visit the lovely Borromean Islands. This is the ferry schedule.

About Lake Maggiore

Lake Maggiore is the second largest lake in Italy, and it also extends to Switzerland. It is a long and narrow strip of water starting from the Alps and going more than 65 km south.

Things to See & Do in Lake Maggiore

The Borromean Islands are probably the most famous attractions of Lake Maggiore. Five of the 11 islands on the lake were acquired by the wealthy Borromeo family about 500 years ago. The family still owns most of the old properties on the lake.

1. Isola Bella (The Beautiful Island)

Isola Bella is the most famous of the islands on Lake Maggiore. On the island, you can visit the baroque palace and the gardens. The architects made the island resemble a ship. The palace’s underground is so interesting: six grottos with the walls covered with dark pebbles.

The gardens here are laid in terraces and richly adorned. Also, a few noisy white peacocks are strutting around the lawns.

Find all the info about opening times and prices here.

2. Isola Madre (The Mother Island)

Isola Madre is another Borromean island with the old palace now serving as a museum and the rest of the island completely covered with English Gardens.

It’s the largest island on Lake Maggiore, and it makes for a perfect setting for the park here. It is a botanists’ paradise, with plants and flowers brought from all over the world. Isola Madre, with its mild lake climate, is a convenient habitat for exotic plants coming from afar.

Read about opening times for every season and prices here. If you have the time to visit both islands, the combined ticket is a good option.

3. Isola dei Pescatori (Island of the Fishermen)

My personal favorite, Isola dei Pescatori, has all the charm of the old fishermen’s village. It is also called Isola Superiore, and though it was a Borromean island, it was left unaltered by the family. The community here continued its traditional way of life, and the island is still a picturesque village with narrow streets, simple buildings, traditional shops, and small family restaurants.

You can even spend the night on the island, but you will need to book in advance as there aren’t many rooms available with only two hotels on the island. Hotel Belvedere has a sunny terrace and beautiful views of the lake.

4. Mottarone Cable Car

Back in Stresa, you can take the cable car up to more than 1400 meters altitude. Besides a panoramic view over Lake Maggiore and the Alps, you will find an activities park and a restaurant up there. You can walk down to Stresa or rent a bike and follow one of the trails. There is also an adventure park open in the summer season. During the winter, the park becomes a skiing destination with 15km of slopes of all difficulties.

5. Stresa

Stresa itself is not to be neglected. It is a small town with elegant piazzas, many restaurants, and boutique shops. There is also a very Italian feeling to it, though a touristy place – it’s where Italians go out of the big city.

More on Lake Maggiore

Stresa is the most convenient place to access Lake Maggiore if you travel by train and don’t want to hire a car.

If you prefer to drive, there are many other places to see around the lake. Start with Arona, the closest to Milan. Close to here, you can book some great cooking classes.

Then, go to Verbania to visit the Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto, or go further north to Cannobio. To complete the circle, you can go to the northern end in Switzerland and then return on the eastern shore.

Where to Stay

Here are some places to stay around the lake:

• Stresa: Il Poggiolo
• Verbania: Hotel Ancora
• Cannobio: B&B Magnolia

Disclosure

Some of the above may be affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. However, I only recommend companies, activities, or products that I use myself. Thank you for your support in keeping my blog live!