Top Lake Maggiore Day Trips

Island-hop at Lake Maggiore, and discover the tiny Borromean Islands with a hop-on hop-off ferry ticket. Use the 1-day pass to venture out from Stresa, and spend your day sightseeing as you wish. Step onto the shores of Isola Bella, home to the Borromeo family ‘palazzo’; wander amid the houses of pocket-sized Isola dei Pescatori; and admire the greenery of Isola Madre where botanical gardens beckon.

The Madre Island hosts one of the oldest botanical gardens in Italy. On the Isola Bella you can visit the sumptuous palace, home of the Borromeo family, which preserves priceless works of art. The Pescatori island, on the other hand, is the only one of the Borromean islands to be inhabited throughout the year, and houses a small village characterized by a small square surrounded by narrow and winding alleys.

If you want to discover the Borromean Islands on a tour that offers a personal touch, look no further than this private day trip from Stresa. With a guide just for you and your group of family or friends, you’ll travel to the three chic Lake Maggiore islands: Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori, and Isola Bella. Hear the history of the baroque Palazzo Borromeo on a tour, get restaurant recommendations for lunch on Isola dei Pescatori, and wander the gardens of beautiful Isola Madre.

Visit the Borromean Islands of Lake Maggiore with your own private guide, and enjoy transport by motorboat just for your group plus a tour of Isola Bella’s 17th-century palace. Perfect if you want to understand the lake’s history and avoid the tourist crowds, the experience offers everything you need to explore the islands with ease. The standard tour includes stops at Isola Pescatori and Isola Madre, but you can upgrade to visit the botanical gardens of Isola Madre, if you wish.

Go from lake to mountain in one day with this Zermatt trip from Stresa. After leaving Lake Maggiore, you'll travel through the Ossola Valley and high into the mountains via the scenic Simplon Pass. Continue to the pedestrian village of Zermatt by train, then spend the afternoon at leisure doing as much as you wish: Admire the mighty Matterhorn from a village restaurant, head up to the Sunnega plateau, or learn about Zermatt and the alps at Matterhorn Museum. Entrance fees and food are at your own expense.

Explore the ‘Beautiful Island’ of Isola Bella at your leisure with a hop-on hop-off ferry ticket departing from Stresa. Glide across Lake Maggiore to this most renowned of the Borromean Islands, where you can visit the Palace Museum and Gardens, grab a bite to eat or simply stroll around the palazzos and villas that decorate the port. Ferries run every 30 minutes, so you can customize your day.

Book ahead to see the three Borromean Islands by boat, and save yourself the hassle of working out boat cruise tickets at the lakeside. A hop-on hop-off ferry cruise, the experience starts from Stresa and stops at Isola dei Pescatori, Isola Bella, and Isola Madre: Lake Maggiore’s famous trio of islands. Ferries depart every 30 minutes through the day, leaving you with ample time to explore each island at leisure.

Experience Bellagio, a setting known as the most beautiful of Lake Como’s clutch of shoreline towns, on a day trip from a neighboring lake. With pickups from hotels in Stresa and Baveno on Lake Maggiore or Orta San Giulio on Lake Orta included, the day trip offers ultimate convenience for a lazy day out on the glamorous Italian lake. You’ll have free time to wander the narrow streets of Bellagio, followed by a visit to Como town where shops, cafes, and impressive architecture await.

The Borromean Islands are one of the highlights of Lake Maggiore, but the logistics of visiting all three in one day can be complicated. On this private tour, visit Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and Isola dei Pescatori with a boat and guide to admire their historic villas, lush gardens, and charming lanes. Stop for lunch (at your own expense) on Fisherman's Island before the boat trip back to Stresa.

Discovering a treasure in lake Maggiore: the beautiful Borromean islands with their stunning palaces and gardens. Your tour guide will take you on a special tour that will enable you to step back in time. Paintings, tapestries, Murano glass chandeliers, portraits, period furniture, gorgeous views and beatifully maintained gardens will surprise you on these fabulous islands: isola Bella and isola Madre.

Hike from Italy to Switzerland on a trail to the Staldhorn Peak. After leaving Arona, you’ll travel by car to the Simplon Pass, then hike for up to two hours along a steep, yet easy, route to the summit’s cross. Take in the sweeping mountain vistas that stretch over the Swiss Alto Vallese, and then return to your waiting transport. 

The Borromeo family has ruled the lands across lake Maggiore for centuries and their descendants still own some of the gorgeous parks and mansions scattered around. The South-Western basin of the lake, named the Borromean gulf, is dotted by some small, charming islands. This exclusive cruise will lead you to discover the wonders of the three Borromean islands: the amazing botanical garden of Isola Madre, the largest one; the characteristic alleys of Isola dei Pescatori, the only permanently inhabited one, where you may enjoy a good lunch; finally, the superb baroque palace and garden of Isola Bella, dedicated by Carlo III Borromeo to his wife Isabella d'Adda.

Built on the track of an ancient Roman way, connecting Oscella (Domodossola) and Leocarnum (Locarno), the Vigezzina railroad was inaugurated in 1923, becoming a strategic connection for several small villages in the valleys close to lake Maggiore. Still today, even after severe damages caused by a flood in 1978, the railroad has a strong commercial and touristic function, connecting Sempione and Gottardo districts. This exclusive guided tour will allow you to enjoy a panoramic ride on this small and fascinating train, travelling from Italy to Switzerland across hidden and enchanting valleys. Thanks to a stop, you will have the chance to discover nice villages, such as Santa Maria Maggiore. A different point of view on Lake Maggiore beautiful outback.

Alpine villages surrounded by mountain chalets and snow-capped peaks greet you on arrival in Arona, situated in the Italian Alps. This full-day tour includes a 2-hour guided trek in the valley of Monte Rosa, Italy's second-highest mountain. Your driver makes requested photo stops along the route and lets you purchase local products for lunch. It’s an ideal day out for physically fit nature lovers.

Verbania is the chief town of the district around lake Maggiore; Pallanza, one of its centers, hosts the City hall and some of its most remarkable attractions. Among these, the outstanding Museum of Landscape, located in Palazzo Viani- Dugnani, keeps a vast collection of paintings, sculptures and photographs related to the culture and history of Lombardy and Piedmont. This private tour will lead you to discover these collections and, after a pleasant walk, to experience a visit to Villa Taranto botanical gardens: a unique 18 hectares park created by a Scottish traveller, featuring rare plants, trees and flowers from all over the world. Two different ways to witness the wonders of the landscapes of Lake Maggiore, which you will surely remember for long.

Hike your way to Alpe Devoro, a scenic peak surrounded by the Lepontine Alps. On a leisurely paced and easy route, you’ll walk along picture-perfect mountain trails past the village of Crampiolo and the waters of Codelago — one of the area’s sparkling lakes. Round-trip transport from Arona is included, and the guide can plan a more difficult route if you want a challenge. 

The Alpe Sattal is an old cottage recently restored by a man who wanted to live intensely in this place. The cottage is located in a natural terrace on the slopes of mountain Tagliaferro (2964 m asl) and it offers a spectacular panoramic view of 360 ° with a magnificent view over the Mount Rosa massif.

We know that flexibility in this moment is necessary to organize a trip out of town; for this reason we want to make the Flex service available. We guarantee flexibility on all available dates, you can book your next tour in complete freedom. Should your plans change, you can change the date of your Flex-Ticket by easily requesting a voucher for the new date. No cost for changing the reservation of the chosen date. Book the Flex-Ticket service made available by the Consorzio Motoscafisti Associati C.M.A. by Stresatours with its fleet of 11 motor ships with variable capacity from 30 up to 60 seats, we will guarantee flexibility on the booking dates of transport to the Borromean Islands, you can plan your next trip to Lake Maggiore in total freedom.

Lake Maggiore is a land of enchantment, whose coastlines are dotted by small, charming villages, art treasures, majestic castles and gorgeous gardens. In the middle of it lay the Borromean Islands, who has been chosen through the centuries by wealthy families, especially the Borromeo, for their leisure residences. This private cruise will take you to Isola Bella, seat of a fairy palace and a terraced botanical garden, then to Isola dei Pescatori, the only permanently inhabited one, where you may enjoy a good seafood lunch. Then, reaching the cliffs and woods of the lake eastern coast, you will find as a hidden jewel the Hermitage of Santa Caterina, a monastery built sheer on the waters, overlooking the lake with an astonishing view.

We know that flexibility in this moment is necessary to organize a trip out of town; for this reason we want to make the Flex service available. We guarantee flexibility on all available dates, you can book your next tour in complete freedom. Should your plans change, you can change the date of your Flex-Ticket by easily requesting a voucher for the new date. No cost for changing the reservation of the chosen date. Book the Flex-Ticket service made available by the Consorzio Motoscafisti Associati C.M.A. by Stresatours with its fleet of 11 motor ships with variable capacity from 30 up to 60 seats, we will guarantee flexibility on the booking dates of transport to the Borromean Islands, you can plan your next trip to Lake Maggiore in total freedom.

We know that flexibility in this moment is necessary to organize a trip out of town; for this reason we want to make the Flex service available. We guarantee flexibility on all available dates, you can book your next tour in complete freedom. Should your plans change, you can change the date of your Flex-Ticket by easily requesting a voucher for the new date. No cost for changing the reservation of the chosen date. Book the Flex-Ticket service made available by the Consorzio Motoscafisti Associati C.M.A. by Stresatours with its fleet of 11 motor ships with variable capacity from 30 up to 60 seats, we will guarantee flexibility on the booking dates of transport to the Borromean Islands, you can plan your next trip to Lake Maggiore in total freedom.

Sfuggi i rigidi orari che la maggior parte dei tour è costretta a rispettare e godi della bellezza del Lago Maggiore e delle Isole Borromee con il ritmo che preferisci; serviti di un esclusivo servizio in barca che opera tra Stresa e le 3 Isole Borromee: Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori e Isola Madre. Sali e scendi dalla barca ogni volta che vuoi, rilassati a bordo di comode imbarcazioni mentre con gli occhi accarezzi i meravigliosi contorni del lago. Sbarca a Isola Bella per visitare la residenza estiva del conte Vitaliano VI, passeggia per i giardini di Palazzo Borromeo sull'Isola Madre e scegli un angolino dove rilassarti e pranzare nel villaggio dei pescatori sull'Isola dei Pescatori, l'unica ad essere ancora abitata.

Book the private Taxi Boat service to book your next trip to Lake Maggiore and visit the Borromean Islands with complete peace of mind. We know that flexibility, in this moment, is necessary to organize a trip out of town. For this reason we want to make our fleet of 11 boats available.

For centuries the fame of the Borromean Islands precedes them: travelers and tourists from all over reach Lake Maggiore to admire the much-vaunted wonders of the Gulf. The elegance of Isola Bella, the luxuriant vegetation on Isola Madre and the sophisticated simplicity of Isola dei Pescatori were the protagonists of the nineteenth-century travel stories, they are described in the most important travel guides of the twentieth century, fill the publishing pages specialist and sectoral and today they are posted on Social Networks. What better opportunity to win "the shot of the day" from a privileged point of view? Sailing on your private boat led by the captain who will make his decades of experience available to give you unique emotions and captivated by the stories of your tour guide, you will be able to immortalize the magical moments of an unforgettable exclusive day.