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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd The Italian Lakes Lake Maggiore & Around p86 Lake Como & Around p116 Bergamo, Brescia & Cremona Milan p150 p52 Lake Garda ^# & Around p176 Paula Hardy, Marc Di Duca, Regis St Louis PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD Welcome to MILAN . 52 LAKE MAGGIORE the Italian Lakes . 4 Neighbourhoods & AROUND . 86 The Italian Lakes Map . 6 at a Glance . 54 Lake Maggiore The Italian Lakes’ Top 14 . 8 Sights . 58 West Bank . 87 Need to Know . 16 Activities . 64 Stresa . 87 First Time . 18 Tours . .. 65 Arona . 92 What’s New . 20 Festivals & Events . 65 Borromean Islands . 93 If You Like . 21 Eating . 69 Verbania . 95 Month by Month . 23 Drinking & Nightlife . 76 Cannobio . 97 Itineraries . 25 Entertainment . 78 Road Trip: Accommodation . 32 Shopping . 78 Lakes & Mountains . 98 Getting Around . 34 Information . 81 Lake Maggiore East Bank . 100 Eat & Drink Like a Local . .37 Day Trips from Milan . 82 Laveno . 101 Activities . 42 Getting There & Away . 84 Casalzuigno . 101 Travel with Children . 46 Getting Around . 85 Regions at a Glance . 49 Santa Caterina del Sasso . 102 Ranco . 102 SUSAN WRIGHT / LONELY PLANET © PLANET LONELY / WRIGHT SUSAN © PLANET LONELY / FOULKES JUSTIN Angera . 102 Varese Region . 103 Varese . 103 Santa Maria del Monte . 106 Castiglione Olona . 106 Castelseprio & Torba . 107 Lake Orta . 107 Orta San Giulio . 108 PANETTONE, PASTICCERIA VARENNA P139 Locarno MARCHESI, MILAN P71 (Switzerland) . 111 Ascona . 114 MARINADA / SHUTTERSTOCK © SHUTTERSTOCK / MARINADA © IMAGES GETTY / ARGALIS LAKE COMO & AROUND . .. 116 Como . 117 Triangolo Lariano . 125 Bellagio . 125 Torno . 128 Lake Como West Bank . 128 Cernobbio . 128 Moltrasio & Laglio . 129 PALAZZO BORROMEO, CAPPELLA COLLEONI, ISOLA BELLA P93 BERGAMO P155 Contents UNDERSTAND Road Trip: Val Cavallina . 162 The Italian Lakes High into the Hills . 130 Lake Iseo & Around . 163 Today . 212 Argegno . 132 Monte Isola . 163 History . 214 Ossuccio & Iseo . 164 Isola Comacina . 132 The Arts . 224 Lovere & Bossico . 165 Lenno . 133 Villas & Gardens . 233 Valle Camonica . 165 Tremezzo . 136 Franciacorta . 166 The Lakes Kitchen . 239 Menaggio & Val Menaggio . 137 Brescia . 167 On the Wine Trail . 246 Rezzonico . 137 Cremona . 170 Fashion & Design . 248 Gravedona, Lodi . 174 Peglio & Domaso . 138 Lake Como LAKE GARDA & East Bank . 138 AROUND . 176 SURVIVAL Correno Plinio . 138 Lake Garda South Bank . 177 GUIDE Varenna . 139 Sirmione . 177 Valtellina . 141 Lake Garda West Bank . 181 Directory A–Z . 254 Lake Lugano . 141 Valtenesi . 181 Transport . 260 Lugano Lake Garda North Bank . 187 (Switzerland) . 142 Language . 266 Riva del Garda . 187 Bellinzona . 147 Index . 273 Lake Garda East Bank . 190 Malcesine . 190 Map Legend . 279 BERGAMO, BRESCIA Bardolino . 193 & CREMONA . 150 Verona . 195 Bergamo . 151 Verona’s Road Trip: Wine Country . 200 Castle Circuit . 158 Valpolicella . 200 Bergamo’s Valleys . 161 Road Trip: Valle Brembana . 161 Valpolicella Wine Tour . 202 San Pellegrino Terme . 161 Soave . 204 Valle Seriana . 162 Mantua . 205 SPECIAL FEATURES 246 247 Oltrepò Pavese FEDERICA GRASSI / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES GETTY / GRASSI FEDERICA Compared with Riots broke out in the Middle Ages when Milan was cut off from Oltrepò, the 30,000- Lombardy’s most renowned wine region (www.vinoltrepo.org). No fewer hectare French Road Trip: The Arts . 224 than 20 wines are classified as DOC in this area, and the Oltrepò Pavese wine region of spumante is a DOCG. Keep an eye out for reds like the Oltrepò Pavese Champagne, Italy’s finest Barbera and the Bonarda, among the stars of the area’s DOC wines made ON THE WINE sparkling wine re- from the local croatina grape. A curious sweet dessert red is the Sangue gion, Franciacorta di Giuda (Judas’ Blood). covers just 2200 hectares. That Lakes & Mountains . 98 Riviera del Garda & Bardolino said, it is quickly Along the western shore of Lake Garda, vineyards blanket the Valtenesi becoming one of the fastest-grow- area all the way up to Lake Idro. Look for Garda DOC or Garda Clas- ing wine regions T sico DOC (www.stradadeivini.it). The reds predominantly use the local in Europe. In RAIL Villas & Gardens . 233 gropello grape. the early 1990s, there were just 15 On the southeastern shore, one of the Veneto’s best-known reds O is cultivated around the town of Bardolino. Of its namesake reds, the producers. Now LT there are over Bardolino Superiore DOCG is a delicate, dry drop that pairs well with R 100. E Road Trip: meat and game. If you’re looking for a fine white, try Lugana DOC (www. PÒ consorziolugana.it). PA V Soave E S West of Verona, the town of Soave (www.ilsoave.com) rests next to a cas- E tle-topped hill whose slopes are dense with vineyards. Some of Italy’s High into the Hills . 130 The Lakes Kitchen . 239 finest white wines come from here. The local garganega grape dominates the area’s two white DOCGs, Recioto di Soave and Soave Superiore. Valcalepio The Valcalepio (www.valcalepio.org) wine region between Bergamo and Lake Iseo is just beginning to make a name for itself. Established as a DOC in 1976, small local holdings have since been continually refining their two main DOC products: a red that blends merlot and cabernet Road Trip: sauvignon (and which also comes in an aged riserva version) and whites that combine pinot bianco and pinot grigio varieties. You will also come On the Wine Trail . 246 across a sweet dessert passito using moscato grapes, which is perfect as an accompaniment for pastries and dessert. Valpolicella Castle Circuit . 158 Led by the outstanding Amarone della Valpolicella DOC (using dried corvina, rondinella and molinara grapes), this region, which stretches north–northwest up the valleys parallel to Lake Garda from Verona, is one of the best-known names in northern Italian wine. While many Valpolicella (www.consorziovalpolicella.it) reds are light, pleasant table On the Wine Trail wines, the flagship Amarone (literally ‘big sour one’) is big, bold and dry. Alongside France, It is accompanied by another signature red, also made with dried grapes, Italy is the largest The region around the northern Italian lakes has been producing wine since Roman wine producer Fashion & Design . 248 the somewhat sweeter Recioto. times and today produces an enormous variety, from fizzy red lambruscos to bombastic in the world, Sforzato and chilly, mineral-rich whites. The tradition of selling many of these modestly processing 45 priced wines in local osterie (taverns), cantine (cellars) and enoteche (wine bars) has led Valtellina to 50 million Road Trip: to the impression that they are of lesser quality than wines from other areas, but the Like a well-behaved Milanese dinner companion, the Valtellina (www. hectolitres per vinidivaltellina.it) red is distinctive and rich without being too for- year, around 20% region claims five DOCG, 19 DOC and 15 IGT wines. of the world’s ward – Leonardo da Vinci loved the stuff. The area boasts two DOCG combined total. classifications, a general one (Valtellina Superiore DOCG) and one ap- Of this, 1.3 million Franciacorta plied to a particular style of wine, the Sforzato (or Sfursat) di Valtellina hectolitres come DOCG spumante (sparkling) whites and rosés lead the way in Franci- DOCG. The nebbiolo grape (locally known as chiavennasca) is the most from Lombardy. Valpolicella Wine Tour . 202 acorta (www.franciacorta.net), an area stretching between Brescia and important. Above Oltrepò Pavese Lake Iseo. Look out also for Satèn, a blanc de blanc almost exclusive- vineyards (p83) ly made of chardonnay grapes. The Curtefranca DOC covers a series of whites and reds, the latter dominated by cabernet franc and the local carmenere grape varieties. ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 25 Itineraries SWITZERLAND Bellagio •# É É Verbania •# É •# Stresa É É •# Como É É É É ITALY É •# Milan 7 DAYS Greatest Hits Squeeze the most out of a seven-day itinerary with this city-and-lake combo, which com- bines Milan’s best highlights with some chic lakeside living in Stresa, Como and Bellagio. Modernist Milan gets this whirlwind tour off to a spectacular start with big-city treats like Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, Michelin-starred dining at Seta and world-class art in the Pinacoteca di Brera. Give yourself at least two days to eat, shop and sight-see, and take in an opera at La Scala. Then head for belle époque Stresa and ferry-hop to the Borromean palaces on Isola Bella and Isola Madre. On your second day, swing up Monte Mottarone or launch off on a ferry to Verbania to visit the voluptuous gardens at Villa Taranto. From Stresa, continue to Como by car or train (via Milan). Here you can amble the flower-laden promenade to Villa Olmo, visit the frescoed Basilica di San Fedele and zip up to Brunate for pretty walks and panoramic views. Then press on to Bellagio, which sits in the centre of the lake, allowing you to ferry-hop to Tremez- zo and Varenna. Back in Bellagio, round off the tour with a romantic sunset boat cruise. 26 Locarno•# É É SWITZERLAND É Cannobio •# PLAN YOUR TRIP •# É Lugano É É •# É Verbania É Morcote•# •#Borromean Islands •# É Stresa É IT I NERAR Orta San •# Giulio •#Como I ES É ITALY É #– Malpensa Airport 14 DAYS Into Switzerland This two-week tour takes you from tiny Lake Orta to the bustling southern shores of Lake Maggiore and up to the lake’s wilder northern reaches before crossing the border to Locarno in Switzerland. From here, the drive south to Lake Lugano and Como cuts through the most spectacular mountain scenery. Head straight from Malpensa Airport to the medieval town of Orta San Giulio on the thickly wooded shores of Lake Orta. Spend the following day meandering the medi- eval streets, visiting the 12th-century basilica on Isola di San Giulio and romancing over dinner.