Province VB
Stresa, VB
A resort town on the west shore of Lake Maggiore, opposite the Borromean Islands, which are the main reason to come. It has been a tourist town since the 19th century and has the hotel stock and ferry connections to match. It is on the Milan to Domodossola railway, so reachable without a car.
Sights
- Isola Bella, the Borromeo palace and terraced baroque garden, the most visited of the three islands
- Isola Madre, the larger island, with a botanical garden and Borromeo villa
- Isola dei Pescatori, the inhabited fishing island, a single village of lanes and restaurants
- Villa Pallavicino, a park and zoological garden between Stresa and Belgirate
- Villa Ducale, an 18th-century villa now the Rosminian study centre
- Monte Mottarone, the 1,491 metre mountain above the town, with views to Monte Rosa and the Giardino Botanico Alpinia on its slopes
Things to do
- Take the ferry circuit of all three islands in one day
- Walk the lungolago
- Order lake fish, persico or coregone, or the local margheritine biscuits
Annual events
July to September
Stresa Festival
Classical and jazz concerts in the town and on the islands, running for more than sixty editions.
When to visit
April to October, with the islands and gardens generally open across that span. From November to March the islands close and much of the town shuts down.
