What to do in Lake Maggiore

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.