4 days, 3 nights · Best for couples and culture seekers wanting a quiet lake escape
A Taste of Lake Maggiore Tour | Vacation Packages for 2025, 2026
Experience Lake Maggiore, the Borromean Islands and Villa Taranto as gardens, lakeside towns and scenic journeys create a magical Italian escape.
Your Adventure Starts Here
This is a starting point. Change the nights, choose the style of hotel, add the experiences you want. Your planner takes it from there.
Stop 1Lake Maggiore, Piedmont
Lake Maggiore
gardens, islands and alpine waters near Switzerland
We base you in Baveno or nearby on the western shore of Lake Maggiore, where the Italian lake district meets the Alps. From here you reach the Borromean Islands by ferry, the botanical terraces of Villa Taranto in Verbania, and the elegant promenade town of Stresa. A private guided tour takes you to Isola Bella's Baroque Palazzo Borromeo and its ten cascading garden terraces, then to Isola dei Pescatori, where fishing families still live along narrow cobbled lanes.
The Centovalli railway climbs from Domodossola through gorges and chestnut forests into Switzerland, arriving in Locarno on the lake's northern shore. You return by ferry across open water with mountain views on every side. The pace here is measured: gardens in the afternoon, ferries between islands, evenings by the lake.
Arranged for you: We arrange hotel nights, private guided tour of the Borromean Islands with ferry transfers, and entrance to Villa Taranto gardens.
Your hotel
Styles, not names. We name the property once we know your dates and your party.
Interests in Lake Maggiore
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private cooking class with a Lake Maggiore chef Day Trips · Half day
Learn risotto with perch, lake fish preparations, and Piedmont pasta in a lakeside kitchen with market visit.
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private boat tour to hidden lake villages Day Trips · Half day
Cruise by classic mahogany boat to Cannero Riviera, Cannobio, and quiet coves inaccessible by road.
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guided hike on Mottarone mountain with cable car Day Trips · Half day
Ascend by cable car from Stresa, hike alpine meadows with views across seven lakes, descend through beech forest.
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private wine tasting in the Ossola Valley Day Trips · Half day
Visit a mountain winery producing Prünent and Nebbiolo, taste with charcuterie, learn alpine viticulture traditions.
Day by day in Lake Maggiore
Arrive on the shores of Lake Maggiore and check in at your hotel in Baveno or the surrounding area, a peaceful base for exploring this stunning Italian lake district. In the afternoon, we suggest heading to Verbania to visit the renowned Gardens of Villa Taranto, considered among the most beautiful botanical gardens in Europe. Carefully designed by Captain McEacharn starting in 1931, these gardens feature rare plants, colorful flowerbeds, and scenic paths with panoramic views of the lake. After your visit, return to your hotel in Baveno to enjoy a welcome dinner and a relaxing overnight stay on Lake Maggiore.
After breakfast, meet your local guide and transfer to the pier for a scenic ferry ride on Lake Maggiore to the Borromean Islands. Your first stop is Isola Bella, the most famous island on the lake, where the magnificent Baroque Palazzo Borromeo and its spectacular Italian-style gardens cascade down in ten terraces to the water’s edge. Continue to Isola dei Pescatori, a charming fishing village island with narrow cobblestone streets, traditional houses, and inviting restaurants. After exploring, return to Stresa, one of Lake Maggiore’s most elegant resort towns, and enjoy lunch on your own. In the afternoon, we suggest wandering through Stresa’s historic center and stopping at a local pasticceria to taste the traditional “Margheritine” cookies, created in honor of Queen Margherita di Savoia and now a symbol of the town. Make your way back on your own to your hotel in Baveno. Dinner is at your leisure, followed by an overnight stay.
After breakfast, we recommend a full-day independent excursion into the mountains and across the border into Switzerland. Take the train from Stresa to Domodossola, then board the famous “Centovalli” train, a scenic railway that winds through the Vigezzo Valley and countless picturesque valleys. During the 1.5-hour journey, you’ll pass dramatic gorges, cascading waterfalls, vineyards, chestnut forests, and charming alpine villages. The train arrives in Locarno, a delightful Swiss town on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore (passport required). After a short walk through the historic center, board a ferry for a relaxing cruise back down the lake to Stresa, enjoying splendid views of the shoreline, islands, and mountains. Return to your hotel in Baveno later in the day, then enjoy dinner on your own and an overnight stay.
Day 4
Lake Maggiore
Enjoy your final breakfast on Lake Maggiore before checking out of your hotel. Your stay among the gardens, islands, and alpine scenery of Baveno, Stresa, and the surrounding region comes to an end, leaving you with lasting memories of one of Italy’s most beautiful lakes.
Why plan with Trips 2 Italy?
Designed around you by Italian-born planners
Guides, drivers and boats for your party alone
Hand-selected hotels in every destination
Local English-speaking guides who know their city
Met at the airport, private transfers throughout
Testimonials
Hear from travelers who have planned Italy with us
They took the time to understand our preferences and designed an itinerary that was comfortable, personalized, and enjoyable. They offered thoughtful recommendations while never being pushy.
We missed our connecting flight in Munich. I had just got through customs and was looking up the number to call when Trips 2 Italy called me. They told me exactly what to do and they already knew what flight we had been rebooked on.
Ready to make it yours?
Send us this adventure with your changes. An Italian-born planner builds the first full draft and calls you to walk through it.
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Questions travelers ask
What will we see on this journey?
Over 4 days this journey brings you to Lake Maggiore, and Stresa. Each stop is woven into the itinerary with time for the landmarks, the views, and the local flavor that make it special.
How do we get between the destinations?
Transportation is arranged as part of the itinerary, with comfortable train segments between the cities and vehicle transfers where they serve you best. Every connection is planned for you, so you can focus on the scenery instead of the logistics.
Is this package a good fit for our group?
It suits travelers who want Italy arranged by experts, with guided experiences balanced by free time to explore on your own.
Is this package customizable?
It is. This itinerary is a sample built to spark ideas, and every element can be customized to your wishes and needs by your travel consultant. A minimum of 2 travelers applies.
When should we travel on this package?
It is available all year around on request. May through September shows the lakes at their sunniest, with gardens in bloom and ferries running full schedules, while spring and fall bring softer light and thinner crowds.