Lake Maggiore
A Day Trip to Lake Orta and Isola San Giulio from Lake Maggiore
Lake Orta is the smaller, quieter lake just west of Maggiore. Here is what to do — the medieval village of Orta, the island it faces, and a kayak under a waterfall.
Journal
Field notes, host stories, and curated guides to the experiences worth travelling for.
Lake Maggiore
A Food and Wine Day in Alto Piemonte from Stresa
Just inland from Lake Maggiore is a quietly serious wine country of Nebbiolo and Vespolina. Here is how to spend a half-day of vineyard tastings and a long Piedmontese table.
Lake Maggiore
How to Visit the Borromean Islands Without the Day-Tripper Crush
By private boat, timed for early morning or the golden hour, you can have the islands almost to yourself. Here is how to do it — and what to skip.
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore: A Curated Guide to the Best Things to Do
The best of Lake Maggiore is the Borromean Islands and their gardens, time on the water, the food and wine of the hills behind it, and the golden hour. Here is how it fits together.
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore with Kids: Hands-on Experiences Families Enjoy
The lake is easy with children if you pick the hands-on things — a canoe to the islands, a Pinocchio workshop, a pizza night, a morning making cheese.
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore's Island Gardens: Isola Bella, Isola Madre and When to Go
Two of Italy's great garden islands sit in the Borromean Gulf. Here is which to choose, what is in bloom when, and how to see them before the midday crowds.
Lake Maggiore
The Best Sunset Boat Trips and Dinners on Lake Maggiore
The golden hour is the quietest, loveliest time on the Borromean Gulf. Here are the ways to spend it — from a one-hour cruise to a tasting dinner on Isola dei Pescatori.
Lake Maggiore
Unusual Things to Do Around Lake Maggiore
Past the islands and the ferries, the lake's hinterland hides genuinely odd, lovely things — including what is said to be the largest tea plantation in Europe.
Lake Maggiore
Where to Kayak, E-bike and Get on the Water Around Lake Maggiore
Beyond the island ferries, Lake Maggiore is a lake you can paddle, sail, cycle and fly over. Here are the genuinely active ways to spend a day — and which to pick first.
Lake Maggiore
Where to Take an Italian Cooking Class Near Lake Maggiore
Two kitchens to learn in around the lake: Nonna Margherita's home kitchen near Baveno, and a hands-on risotto class with a chef near Mergozzo.