Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands: Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Boat Trips from Stresa

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Lake Como has the fame, but Lake Maggiore has the islands. In the bay off Stresa, three small islands rise from the water: one crowned by a baroque palace and terraced gardens, one wrapped in a botanical garden full of rare trees, and one occupied by a tiny fishing village with lanes barely wide enough to pass. Together, the Borromean Islands are among the most enchanting places in northern Italy, and they are only about an hour from Milan.

This guide explains how to visit the islands, which boat tickets and tours to book, what to see on each island, and how to plan a day or a longer, slower stay on the shores of Italy’s second-largest lake.

The Borromean Islands at a Glance

Island	What you find	Time needed	Boat
Isola Bella	Baroque palace, ten terraces of gardens, white peacocks	2 to 3 hours	Isola Bella boat
Isola Madre	The largest island, a botanical garden and a historic villa	1.5 to 2 hours	Madre + Bella boat
Isola dei Pescatori	A fishing village with lakeside restaurants	1 hour, or lunch	Pescatori boat

The palaces and gardens of Isola Bella and Isola Madre open seasonally, usually from spring to autumn, with separate entry tickets. Check the current dates before you travel.

Isola Bella: A Palace Rising from the Water

In the seventeenth century, Count Carlo III Borromeo began transforming a rocky island with a fishing village into a monument to his family and to his wife, Isabella, after whom the island is named. His descendants continued the work for decades, and the result is one of the most extraordinary sights in Italy: a baroque palace whose grand rooms, tapestries, paintings and grottoes decorated with shells and stones lead out into gardens built as a great stepped pyramid of ten terraces, crowned with statues and obelisks. White peacocks wander among the flowerbeds, and every terrace has a view across the lake.

Most visitors arrive by boat from Stresa, only a few minutes away. The Isola Bella hop-on hop-off boat is the simplest option if this is the only island you want to see; combine it with the fishing village on the Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori boat.

Isola Madre: A Botanical Paradise

The largest and quietest of the three, Isola Madre is almost entirely covered by a botanical garden, laid out in the English style around a sixteenth-century villa. Thanks to the mild climate of the lake, plants from around the world thrive here: camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons in spring, citrus and exotic trees, and a famous old Kashmir cypress. Colourful pheasants and parrots live among the plants. Inside the villa, rooms of period furniture, porcelain and a collection of puppet theatres tell the story of the Borromeo family’s private life. The Isola Madre and Isola Bella boat lets you combine the two gardens in one day.

Isola dei Pescatori: Lunch in a Fishing Village

Isola Superiore, better known as Isola dei Pescatori, is the only one of the islands with a permanent population. Its narrow lanes, whitewashed houses and small church end at a promenade lined with restaurants serving lake fish, from perch fillets to lavarello. It is the obvious place for lunch between the other islands, and in the late afternoon, when the day visitors have gone, it is wonderfully peaceful. The Isola dei Pescatori boat or the all-island hop-on hop-off ticket will take you there.

How the Boats Work

Boats to the islands leave from Stresa, Baveno and other towns on the shore. There are two main options: the public ferries of the lake’s navigation company, and private boat operators who run frequent hop-on hop-off services between the islands. With a hop-on hop-off ticket, you can visit the islands in any order and spend as long as you like on each one. The taxi boat service uses smaller, faster boats and leaves more often. Remember that entry to the palaces and gardens is separate from the boat ticket.

For a romantic end to the day, the sunset cruise from Stresa circles the islands as the light fades over the mountains.

Stresa and the Lake Shore

Stresa is the elegant resort town facing the islands, with a lakeside promenade, grand Belle Époque hotels and gardens full of flowers. Ernest Hemingway stayed here, and its most famous hotel appears in A Farewell to Arms. Across the bay, near Verbania, the gardens of Villa Taranto, created in the twentieth century by a Scottish captain, are another botanical highlight, with terraces, fountains and thousands of plant species. Further north, the lake stretches into Switzerland, where Locarno and Ascona have a sunny, Mediterranean air.

Nearby: Lake Orta

Just west of Lake Maggiore, over a ridge of wooded hills, lies Lake Orta, small, quiet and one of the most romantic places in northern Italy. The village of Orta San Giulio has a cobbled main square opening onto the water, frescoed houses and excellent restaurants. A short boat ride takes you to Isola San Giulio, an island almost entirely occupied by a Romanesque basilica and a Benedictine convent, encircled by a single lane known as the Way of Silence. Above the village, the Sacro Monte di Orta, a hillside of chapels dedicated to Saint Francis, is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lake Orta is an easy half-day trip from Stresa and makes a peaceful contrast to the busier Borromean Islands.

Day Trip from Milan

Stresa is around an hour by train from Milan, and the station is a short walk from the boat piers, which makes the islands an easy day trip. For a relaxed day with the city’s greatest monument included, the Milan Duomo and Lake Maggiore ferry combo brings both together. Malpensa Airport is close to the southern end of the lake, so Lake Maggiore is also a beautiful first or last stop on an Italian trip; a private transfer from Malpensa takes you straight to your hotel. If you want to explore the shores at your own pace, Localrent lists local car hire agencies.

A Perfect Day on Lake Maggiore

• 9:30: first boat from Stresa to Isola Bella, before the crowds.
• 10:00 to 12:30: the palace and the terraced gardens.
• 13:00: lunch of lake fish on Isola dei Pescatori.
• 15:00: the botanical garden and villa of Isola Madre.
• 17:30: back in Stresa for an aperitivo on a hotel terrace facing the islands, or a sunset cruise.

When to Go

• April and May: the gardens are at their most spectacular, with camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons in bloom.
• June to August: warm and lively, with long evenings; book hotels early.
• September and October: mild weather, softer light and fewer visitors before the palaces close for winter.
• Winter: the palaces and gardens are closed, but the lake is quiet and atmospheric.

Practical Tips

• Start early: Isola Bella is busiest in the late morning; arrive on one of the first boats.
• Comfortable shoes: the gardens are terraced, with stairs and gravel paths.
• Luggage: on travel days, Radical Storage in Milan lets you visit the lake hands-free.
• Stay connected: an eSIM for Italy helps with boat timetables, especially if you cross into Switzerland, where EU roaming does not apply.
• Flight problems: AirHelp checks compensation for delayed or cancelled flights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit all three Borromean Islands in one day?

Yes. With a hop-on hop-off boat ticket and an early start, you can see Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori in a single day.

Are the palace and gardens included in the boat ticket?

No. Entry to the palace and gardens of Isola Bella and Isola Madre is sold separately from the boat transfer.

Which is the most beautiful Borromean Island?

Isola Bella is the most spectacular, with its palace and terraced gardens; Isola Madre is quieter and greener; Isola dei Pescatori is the most charming for lunch.

Is Lake Maggiore a good day trip from Milan?

Yes. Stresa is about an hour by train, and the boats to the islands leave from near the station.

Lake Maggiore or Lake Como?

Lake Como is grander and more famous for its villas; Lake Maggiore is larger, calmer and has the Borromean Islands. Both deserve a visit.

Plan Your Stay

Explore the other Italian lakes with our Lake Como travel guide, a Lake Como day trip from Milan and our Lake Garda guide, or spend a few days in Milan. Use our Italy travel planner for transfers and connectivity, and browse more things to do in Stresa.

For fashion, design and contemporary art, see our guide to Milan for design and fashion lovers.

For the lake’s most beautiful houses, see our guide to Lake Como villas and gardens.