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Lake Maggiore & Around

Includes  Why Go? ...... 87 ’s second-largest lake, Maggiore is one of Europe’s Arona...... 92 more graceful corners. Arrayed around the lake shore are . . . . 93 a series of pretty towns (Stresa, , and, on Verbania...... 95 the Swiss side of the border, ) and these serve as gateways to gorgeous Maggiore islands. Behind the towns, Cannobio...... 97 wooded hillsides rise, strewn with decadent villas, lush bo- Laveno...... 101 tanical gardens and even the occasional castle. Casalzuigno...... 101 Further still from the lakeshore, but not as far as you Orta San Giulio. . . . . 108 might think, the snow-capped peaks of pro- Locarno vide the perfect backdrop, and idyllic vantage points over (Switzerland) . . . . . 111 the lake are many, from the breakfast terrace of your lake- side hotel to the eyries reached by cable car from Locarno, Laveno and Stresa. And fabulous detours await, whether into the high valleys from the northern end of the lake or to Best Places to Orta San Giulio to the southwest, one of the region’s most Eat beguiling villages. ¨¨Casabella (p95) ¨¨Il Sole (p102) ¨¨Ristorante Milano (p96) Road Distances (km) ¨¨Ristorante Locanda Locarnese (p113) Luino39

¨¨Cucchiaio di Legno (p109) Orta San Giulio 64 48 ¨ ¨Grotto Sant’Anna (p100) Stresa563827

Varese 76 28 63 65 Best Gardens ¨¨Isola Bella (p93) ¨¨ (p94) ¨¨Villa Taranto (p95) Locarn o Orta San Giulio Stres a ¨¨Villa della Porta Bozzolo (p101) ¨¨Giardino Botanico Alpinia (p90) 87 & Around Stresa

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. On the eastern shore the SP69 travels Stresa, with a ringside view of sunrise Sights Funivia Stresa–Mottarone Funivia 10, one hour) and Stresa (€8 . The20-minute cable-car journey on People still stream into Stresa to meander People 0323 / POP5000 he SS33 hugs the western shore of Lake Mag 62 and the SS33) and 26km west of Varese (via rains run the length of the east bank and up LAKE MAGGIORE WEST BANK CAR TRAIN Switzerland. the ers since the late 19thers since the late century. along its promenade and explore the little of cobbled streetshive in its old centre (es break is shady pecially pleasant for a coffee Piazza Cadorna). 1 Mottarone Monte Mottarone The cable-car trip up Monte from the northwesternof Stre end (1492m) views LakeMaggiore, over pretty sa offers Superiore. Bella and Isola including Isola can you the summit on a clear day From see , lakes other smaller several Rosa, on the Alpine border with and Monte the west bank to Stresa before continuing on to % other Lake Maggiore more than any Perhaps town, prevailing the lake’s captures the lake, over decadence. Thisair of elegance and bygone is most evident in the string of belle époque confections along the waterfront, a legacy which easy access from , of the town’s for artists and writ has made it a favourite T giore,intersecting with the SS34 just north of up most of the lakeside, though it morphs into the SS394 around lake is , 68km northwest of Milan (via the E the SP36 and SP69) . T Arona to regularly run Garibaldi Porta and trale (€6 utes) . FNM trains from Milan (Cadorna station) arrive in Laveno via Varese Stresa della Funivia; 3 02 95; 3 02 Alpino station €13 Alpino station - -

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90) . 50, . com) com) . 20, . . . . Car ferries 800 551801; 551801; 800 here’s still % . T ( safduemila . it) Operates passenger it) 70, 20 minutes), Ver . . . 70, 20 minutes), Verbania Verbania minutes), 20 70, . Lago Maggiore Lago 20, 40 minutes), Angera (€6 . . 70, 25 minutes) and Milan (€10 . 0323 55 21 72; www % navigazionelaghi . Getting There & Away 8 ( he only car ferry connecting the western and he full Como-to-Colico run happens only two More than its siblings to the east, LakeMore T SAF also runs theAlibus, a pre-booked shuttle T BUS BOAT eastern shores sails between Verbania Intra (often just called Intra) and Laveno SAF service from Cernobbio and Moltrasio to Como every 40 minutes from 7am to 8pm run every 20 to 30 minutes; one-way transport costs from €8 to €13 for a car and driver; €5 for a bicycle and cyclist to four times a day only (and on the high-speed ferry) from November to March 1½ hours)1½ . bus linking the same towns with Malpensa Services are drastically reduced in autumn autumn in reduced drastically Services are winter and airport (€15) . bania Pallanza (€2 Pallanza bania Intra (€2 periore, Isola Bella and Isola Madre (€16 8 Navigazione turies but Lake Maggiore became a popularturies but Lake Maggiore 19thtourist in the late destination century was opened. after the Como and , Lake Maggiore hasComo and Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore three have All retained air. a belle époque down the cen mesmerised foreign visitors lands, which, like a fleet of fine vessels, lie a fleet vessels, like lands, which, of fine Borromean Gulf’s the anchor at at (Golfo an incursionBorromeo) entrance, of water Stresa main towns, two the lake’s between and Verbania. If Lake Maggiore is your first impression first your is If Lake Maggiore or by train By for a treat. in you’re of Italy, from the traversing travellers road, wind Simplon Pass the at Switzerland upand sidle mountains from the down of blue beauty. finger to this enormous Is are the Borromean The star attractions 35 minutes) and Verbania Pallanza (often just called Pallanza; €5, 35 minutes) . Day passes include a ticket linking Stresa with Isola Su www he daily Verbania Intra–to-Milan service links links service Intra–to-Milan Verbania daily The Stresa with Arona (€2 Services include those connecting Stresa with Arona (€6 ferries and around the lake; its quays embarkation to next are booths ticket