Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands

An accessible private van will offer roundtrip transportation from your hotel located in Turin or from the main stations/airports to Lake Maggiore, a unique holiday destination for the great families of the Lombard nobility since the eighteenth century. Above all, the Borromeo and the Visconti, came here to spend their holidays in their sumptuous residences.

Lake Maggiore is the second largest lake in Italy, located between Piedmont, Lombardy and Switzerland. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful lakes in the peninsula, renowned for its villages and islands immersed in a treasure trove of art, nature and history.

The charming archipelago of the Borromean Islands, includes Isola Madre, Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori, part of the total eleven islands.

Once at the lake, you will be welcomed by a bilingual guide, expert in art history, who will take you through an accessible path designed specifically for you to discover the wonders of this place so loved by Ernest Hemingway and still considered as a favorite destination by the British royalty.

The tour begins with a visit to the botanical gardens of Villa Taranto, considered the most important arboretum in Italy. Thousands of plants, imported from all over the world and very rare collections unique in Europe, have been arranged in a beautiful setting in between the lake and the mountains. A breathtaking landscape that will make you feel like a fairy tale for a moment.

You will continue to Stresa, the pearl of Lake Maggiore andlocated on the western side of the lake. This enchanting lakeside village is located in an unparalleled landscape: from Stresa you have an optimal view of the Alps and the lake at the same time.

Among the most beautiful villas in this area, you can visit the enchanting Villa Pallavicino, which was built in the nineteenth century and undoubtedly represents one of the main places of interest in the municipality of Stresa.

You will have lunch along the west coast of Lake Maggiore, in a refined accessible restaurant overlooking the enchanting view of its shores. The menu will be based on lake fish with selected dishes of Italian cuisine.

The day ends with a visit to a rice mill in the Vercelli area: a farm that over the years has evolved not only in the cultivation of rice, but also in the selection of the finest varieties, packaging and the transformation of derived products.

You will discover the history of the company, the stages of rice production and processing as well as an exclusive visit to the fields where the product grows. Later on, you can taste some of the sweet and savory rice-based recipes.