Lake Maggiore by Boat: the Borromean Islands, Stresa and Private Day Charters (2026)

Lake Maggiore is long, narrow and shared by two countries: it begins among the low hills of Piedmont and Lombardy and ends in Switzerland, at Locarno, beneath the Alps. The Borromean Islands float off Stresa, the Rocca di Angera watches the southern lake from its rock, the hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso clings to a cliff on the Lombardy shore, and the restored Castelli di Cannero rise from two rocks near the border. A private boat joins them up at your own pace.

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This guide is part of our series on yacht charter and boat days in Italy. Weighing up the lakes? Our guides to Lake Como by boat and Lake Garda by boat cover the neighbouring waters.

Harbours and departure points

Skippers collect guests from public piers, harbours and hotel jetties. Leave from near where you sleep: the lake is long.

• Stresa: the classic base, on the Milan to Domodossola railway, with the station about ten minutes’ walk from the pier. Milan Malpensa is roughly 57 km away, around 50 minutes by car.
• Baveno: just north of Stresa, a quieter lakefront facing Isola dei Pescatori.
• Verbania (Pallanza and Intra): the largest town on the lake. Pallanza faces Isola Madre; Intra is the hub for crossings to the Lombardy shore. Verbania is also a fuel stop.
• Arona: the southern gateway on the Piedmont shore, closest to Malpensa, opposite Angera.
• Angera: on the Lombardy shore below its Rocca, a good start for the southern lake.
• Cannobio: the last Italian town on the west shore, and a departure point for the Castelli di Cannero visit.
• Locarno: the Swiss end of the lake. Departing here means Swiss waters and Swiss rules.

The routes: four ways to see Lake Maggiore by boat

Times assume a skippered motorboat and include slow crossings of the shore zone. There are no sea caves on a lake; the drama is architectural. Treat the longer times as estimates and confirm them with your skipper.

Route 1: the Borromean Islands from Stresa or Baveno (half day, 3 to 4 hours)

Start with Isola Bella, the Borromeo family’s baroque palace and terraced garden, five minutes from Stresa. The Terre Borromeo sites open at 10:00 in the 2026 season, and the first hour is the calmest; allow at least two hours ashore for palace and garden. Continue to Isola dei Pescatori (Isola Superiore), the fishing village island, lived in all year and free to visit, for coffee or an early lunch. Finish with a slow pass of Isola Madre and its botanical garden, or land for a second visit.

Public boats and licensed taxi boats serve Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori all day from Stresa. For other private boats, a German sailing magazine reports that an authorised berth must be arranged in advance; we could not confirm this officially, so let your skipper decide where the boat waits.

Route 2: the islands and Pallanza (full day, 6 to 7 hours)

Do Route 1 in the morning, then cross the gulf to Pallanza. Piedmont’s regulation bans motor navigation in the channel between little Isola San Giovanni and the facing Pallanza shore, with limited exceptions, so admire it from the open water. Lunch ashore, then return along the Baveno shore in the afternoon light, with a swim stop well away from piers and ferry routes.

Route 3: Arona, Angera and Santa Caterina del Sasso (full day, 6 to 8 hours)

From Arona or Angera, start with the Rocca di Angera, the medieval fortress above Angera, reached on foot uphill from the lakefront; it follows the same 2026 season as the islands. Then run north along the Lombardy shore to Santa Caterina del Sasso, the hermitage built into the cliff at Leggiuno. Public boats call at its landing in season; from the road above, 268 steps lead down, and a lift cut into the rock is the easier option. Whether a private boat may tie up there is not published, so check with the skipper.

Route 4: Cannero, Cannobio and Locarno (full day or two days)

From Verbania or Cannobio, head north to the Castelli di Cannero, the ruins of a fortress on two rocks just offshore, inaugurated after restoration in June 2025. Visit tickets must be bought online with a chosen time and departure point (Cannobio, Luino or Cannero Riviera), so book that slot first. Lunch in Cannobio then, if your boat and papers allow, cross into Swiss waters for Brissago, Ascona and Locarno. From Stresa, allow an hour or more each way to the Swiss end; over two days, sleep in Locarno or Cannobio.

Routes at a glance

Rules on the water: what applies in 2026

Lake Maggiore has no national park or marine protected area. Navigation follows an Italian and Swiss convention, ratified by Italy in 1997, plus each side’s own rules: Piedmont’s regulation for its waters (regional decree 5/R of 2009), Lombardy’s for the eastern shore and, in Switzerland, the Canton of Ticino’s.

• Shore zone and speed: in Piedmont’s waters, motorboats may not cruise within 150 metres of the shore; they may cross it only by the shortest route, at right angles, at no more than 10 km/h (about 5 knots). Beyond that the limit is 45 km/h (about 25 knots), day and night. Ticino applies the same 150 metre zone and 10 km/h limit.
• Contradictory sources: our research turned up contradictory information on the width of the protected zone. The Piedmont and Ticino regulations give 150 metres, while a German sailing magazine describes a 300 metre zone for motorboats. It was not clear to us which applies everywhere, so let your skipper follow the current rules.
• Ferries: in Piedmont, keep at least 50 metres from scheduled ferries and never block their routes or landings. Ticino’s safety guidance says 200 metres, and stay out of their wake.
• Swimming: under the Piedmont rules, swimmers more than 150 metres from shore need a support boat and a red cap, and swimming is banned within 100 metres of harbours and near public piers. Ticino asks swimmers to keep 100 metres from harbour entrances and passenger landings.
• Restricted waters: motor navigation is banned between Isola San Giovanni and the facing Pallanza shore, with limited exceptions. Water skiing, jet skis and towed inflatables are banned between Isola Bella and Isola Superiore and off the facing Stresa shore, and reed beds and natural areas are restricted. Piedmont fines run from 100 to 1,000 euros.
• Anchoring and mooring: there is no network of public mooring buoys for day boats, and stopping where it blocks ferry landings or at concession moorings is banned. Public guest berths are often limited to a few hours; check with the skipper or harbour.
• Swiss waters: Ticino requires a temporary permit for foreign boats that land or stay in Swiss waters, and customs is a separate matter. Carry passports.
• Closures: we found no lake wide closures for 2026. The Terre Borromeo sites close for winter after 8 November 2026.

Types of boat and what a charter includes

Classic varnished wooden motorboats suit couples and fit Stresa’s Belle Époque setting. The famous Riva runabouts were built on Lake Iseo, not here, but launches in that style still work on Maggiore. Modern day cruisers add shade and a bathing platform for families, and sailing yachts suit the windier northern lake. The public ferries of Navigazione Laghi link islands and towns cheaply, but on a timetable and crowded in summer; a private boat lets you land when you like and swim in between.

A private skippered charter covers boat and skipper for agreed hours. Ask whether fuel and drinks are included, as policies vary, and whether the skipper waits while you visit. Island and castle tickets, lunch and berth charges are normally extra. There are no park fees.

Licence free hire: under Italy’s recreational boating code, a licence is needed on inland waters above 30 kW (40.8 hp). Below that, you may drive without one from age 16 for small craft and 18 for larger boats. Switzerland is stricter, and boats above 30 kW crossing into the other country’s waters need a licence.

Best months, winds and practical tips

May, June and September balance warm water, long days and fewer boats; spring is the season for the island camellias and azaleas, and August brings the busiest landings. The wind follows a daily rhythm: the Tramontana blows in the morning from the mountains towards the plains, and the Inverna in the afternoon from the plains towards the mountains. The north of the lake is generally windier, the south calmer. Swim in the morning, sail after lunch.

• Bring: a light jacket, sun protection, swimwear, flat shoes with grip and a bright swim cap.
• Seasickness: rare, though ferry wakes rock small boats; sit near the centre.
• Booking: for June to September, reserve your boat several weeks ahead and book the Cannero slot once your date is fixed.
• August: start early, land on Isola Bella first and leave the long run home for the evening.

Where to stay near the departure harbours

All four hotels sit on the water close to the island boats. Several also have tennis courts; see our guide to tennis hotels on Lake Maggiore.

Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees, Stresa

The lake’s grand hotel, opened in 1863 opposite Isola Bella, with a large spa and park pools. The main boat landing in central Stresa is around 700 metres along the promenade. It has closed in winter in recent years, so ask for 2026 and 2027 dates. Read our Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees review.

Best for: Route 1 from a classic grand hotel.

Check rates at Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees

Hotel Regina Palace, Stresa

A palace hotel on the Stresa lakefront with a park facing the islands, a heated outdoor pool and the Regina Sporting Club, on the same promenade as the boat landing, a short walk away. Tour operators list a March to October season; confirm 2026 dates with the hotel.

Best for: early island starts on foot.

Check rates at Hotel Regina Palace

Villa e Palazzo Aminta, Stresa

A small five star just north of Stresa on the road to Baveno, with gardens to the water, a pool facing the islands and a grotto spa. Its private moorings make a pick up from the hotel easy to arrange, and a minibus runs into Stresa. Tour operators list it as open from late March to early November; ask the hotel.

Best for: couples who want to step from the garden onto the boat.

Check rates at Villa e Palazzo Aminta

Grand Hotel Majestic, Verbania

A lakefront classic in Pallanza with its own landing stage, a small private beach and an indoor pool, ideal for Routes 2 and 4. On the season, our research turned up contradictory information: a UK tour operator lists it as open from 1 April to 14 October, while an Italian booking partner shows it open all year in 2026. It was not clear to us which applies, so confirm with the hotel before you book.

Best for: the northern lake and a quieter base than Stresa.

Check rates at Grand Hotel Majestic

Arriving through Milan? Our Italy travel planner covers transfers and trains.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are the Borromean Islands open in 2026?

Isola Bella, Isola Madre, the Rocca di Angera and the Castelli di Cannero open from 12 March to 8 November 2026, from 10:00. Isola dei Pescatori is a lived in village, open all year.

Can a private boat land on Isola Bella?

Licensed taxi boats land there all day. For other private boats a berth must reportedly be arranged in advance; we could not confirm this officially, so check with the skipper.

Do I need a licence to hire a boat on Lake Maggiore?

Not in Italian waters for engines up to 30 kW (40.8 hp), from age 16 or 18 depending on the craft. Swiss waters have stricter rules.

Can I take a boat into Switzerland?

Yes, but Swiss rules apply north of the border. Foreign boats landing in Ticino need a temporary permit, customs applies separately and everyone aboard should carry a passport.