Bigger than Como, quieter than Garda & home to some of the most extravagant island gardens in Europe, there's something about Lake Maggiore that feels untouched by trend.
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4.9/5 (921 reviews)

Stretching across Piedmont, Lombardy and even into Switzerland, Lake Maggiore is all about the quiet life (and definitely no celebrity spotting). It’s characterised by glacial mountain peaks and cold, deep, blue water, yet the camellias, azaleas and palms that spill from the terraces are a reminder of the surprisingly mild Mediterranean microclimate. Along the banks are grand villas and Belle Epoque hotels, charming towns and simple trattorias, and at the centre are the Borromean Islands, owned for centuries by one aristocratic family and still fabulously theatrical. Take a ferry from Stresa and hop between them; Isola Bella and the 17th century Palazzo Borromeo with its 10-tiered, peacock-filled gardens is Italy at its extravagant best, whilst Isola Madre is bountiful and botanical, and Isola dei Pescatori remains delightfully lived-in.
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A 65-kilometre stretch of water that begins in Italy and ends in Switzerland, Lake Maggiore is the Italy of the old-world, grand, Belle Époque hotels still standing watch over the shore. The headline is a private boat trip across the Borromean Islands, the three of them each utterly distinct: Isola Madre for its botanical gardens, Isola dei Pescatori for its old fishing atmosphere and narrow lanes, and Isola Bella for the Borromeo family's 17th-century Baroque palace and tiered terraced gardens. Base yourself in Stresa for easy access to all three, with the cable car up Mount Mottarone offering an aerial view of the lake and the Alps. Oh and garden lovers should most certainly factor in Villa Taranto's lakeside botanical estate.
Aristocratic glamour without pretension, where centuries-old gardens and island palaces promise adventure from every jetty.
Escape the shoreline crowds and trek to tiny mountain villages where time stands deliciously still and homemade polenta reigns.
Midweek visits offer a glimpse of local life beyond the tourist brochures, with quieter pathways and unhurried lake crossings.
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