Lake Maggiore and surroundings
ISOLA MADRE
The largest island owned by the Borromeo family offers a beautiful English style garden of rare plants and exotic flowers, with multicolored peacocks and pheasants roaming freely around. The XVI century villa is interesting for the reconstruction of historical environments and collections of liveries, dolls and porcelain. Exceptional the exposure of “Tiny Puppets Theatres” manufactured between ‘600 and ‘800. The island is open to the public from March to October
ISOLA BELLA
In 1632 Charles Borromeo started the construction of the palace and the park which still contribute to make the island famous all over the world. The island was conceived as an imaginary vessel with the villa to the fore and the garden aft. In the stately baroque residence, created in his wife Isabella d’Adda’s honor, the tour through a succession of beautiful rooms decorated with tapestries, furniture, statues, paintings and stuccoes culminates in cool grottos covered by stone and shell mosaics. From the palace take access to the magnificent Italian style garden where beautiful white peacocks thrive among enchanting plants, citrus trees and rare plant species of remote origin. Articulated in 10 descending terraces, the garden is embellished by ponds, fountains and a multitude of statues. The island is open from March to October.
ISOLA DEI PESCATORI
The Isola Superiore, better known as “dei Pescatori” (fishermen island’) to emphasize the trade typical of the island’s inhabitants, is a spectacular maze of narrow streets with colorful houses. Jewel of the island is the small San Vittore Parish Church dating back to the XI century. Several restaurants offer the opportunity to enjoy traditional specialties based on lake fish. Many stands and shops along its streets make the atmosphere even more picturesque.
MOTTARONE
Mottarone (1.491 M), situated between Lake Maggiore and Lake of Orta, is considered one of the most beautiful natural terraces in the whole Piedmont and even beyond. Its orographic formation offers the tourists a 360° view from the Po Valley to the summits of the Alps. The visitor’s eye is amazed by the close view of the summit of Mount Rosa and the seven lakes (Maggiore, Orta, Mergozzo, Varese, Comabbio, Monate and Biandronno) encased in a natural basin. Mottarone offers not only a breathtaking view but it gives the opportunity to practice winter sports, trekking, hand-gliding and the thrill of experiencing exciting bicycling down the mountain along adequately marked tracks and then relax at the table with mouthwatering menus typical of the local cuisine. Experience then the thrill of a run on “Alpyland”, the modern Alpine roller-coaster down the Mottarone slopes!
CABLEWAY STRESA-ALPINO-MOTTARONE
Starting from Lido Square at Carciano (Stresa), the Stresa-Alpino-Mottarone Cable-way can take in 20 minutes up to 40 people per run all the way to the top at an altitude of 1491 meters above sea level.
MOTTARONE
Mottarone (1.491 M), situated between Lake Maggiore and Lake of Orta, is considered one of the most beautiful natural terraces in the whole Piedmont and even beyond. Its orographic formation offers the tourists a 360° view from the Po Valley to the summits of the Alps. The visitor’s eye is amazed by the close view of the summit of Mount Rosa and the seven lakes (Maggiore, Orta, Mergozzo, Varese, Comabbio, Monate and Biandronno) encased in a natural basin. Mottarone offers not only a breathtaking view but it gives the opportunity to practice winter sports, trekking, hand-gliding and the thrill of experiencing exciting bicycling down the mountain along adequately marked tracks and then relax at the table with mouthwatering menus typical of the local cuisine. Experience then the thrill of a run on “Alpyland”, the modern Alpine roller-coaster down the Mottarone slopes!
CABLEWAY STRESA-ALPINO-MOTTARONE
Starting from Lido Square at Carciano (Stresa), the Stresa-Alpino-Mottarone Cable-way can take in 20 minutes up to 40 people per run all the way to the top at an altitude of 1491 meters above sea level.
THE BOTANICAL GARDENS OF VILLA TARANTO
The garden were created in 1931 by a Scottish officer with a passion for plants and flowers. Neil McEacharn bought the villa and its park along the Castagnola Hill in Pallanza from the marquise of Sant’Elia, and he then decided to create an exemplary English garden on a strip of land that reminded him of Scotland. He called the property “Villa Taranto” in honor of the Duke of Taranto. The officer was a relentless traveler and from every country he visited he brought back new specimens that he would skillfully plant in his garden. Neil McEacharn bought neighboring pieces of land to further extend the garden into a 16 hectare park. He created marvelous terracing compositions, with woods, borders, paths, flowerbeds, lawns and greenhouses for plants originating from all over the world. In 1938 McEacharn donated the park to the Italian State. Today the botanical heritage of the Gardens of Villa Taranto includes about 1000 plants that had never been grown in Italy before, and about 20,000 varieties and species of great interest. Open to the public from March to November.
