Lake Maggiore Tours & Tickets

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.

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.

The Italian Alps are home to some of the most dramatic landscapes in Europe, but finding the highlights located deep in the mountains is often a complicated endeavor. With this tour, see the spectacular Toce Waterfall with a guide and admire the power of the second highest waterfall in Europe. Stop for a walk near the dam further up the Formazza Valley and to visit the traditional alpine villages.

Learn to prepare several classic Italian dishes at a private home in Ticino Natural Park, located 36 miles (60km) from central Milan. Help to make a 3-course lunch with menu options that are tailored to the tastes of the participants. Have lunch accompanied by wine, dining at a table in the forest (weather permitting), and look for local wildlife such as fox, hare, and bird life.

It is the smallest of the Borromean Islands, but certainly among the most fascinating. Strolling along its narrow alleys you will discover enchanting views. The ancient village is characterized by a maze of narrow streets leading to the Church of San Vittore, elected as a national monument, which still preserves the original apse with single-light windows dating back to the 11th century.

This motorboat tour will take you to Isola Bella, the most famous and magnificent of the three Borromean Islands. It will be possible to visit the sumptuous palace, home of the Borromeo family, which preserves priceless works of art. You can also access the gardens for a pleasant walk, a classic example of a seventeenth-century Italian garden, spread over ten terraces.

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.

There’s no better way to see Lake Maggiore’s Borromean Islands than by private boat. This 1-hour tour allows you to travel in true Italian style around Isola Bella, Isola Madre and more. As you bask in the sun, your captain navigates the boat on a route that takes in sights of the islands’ lakeside gardens, palazzos and private villas. If you want to learn about the area as you cruise, upgrade to include a guide.

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. 

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. 

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.

Valli Ossolane gained its DOC title in 2009, in the period of 2009–2010 when several DOC titles were added to the already impressive wine portfolio of Piedmont, north-western Italy. It covers red and white wines from the Verbano–Cusio–Ossola province in the far northern reaches of Piedmont. Meet the winemaker, a passionate wine lover who traveled around the world to study and learn the most famous wine regions. You will spend time walking in the vineyard and he will tell you about the wine culture in Ossola valley with a 700-year history. You will taste 3 different type of wine from the winery and he will explain to you more about the process from grapes to wines. He will give the answer to every question about Ossola wine or Italian wines. Coming to his winery, you will have a chance to enjoy the wine with the wonderful view of the Alps and see Domodossola from above.

Do you like cycling but aren't you an experienced cyclist? Do not worry! You can also enjoy an easy tour along Lake Maggiore! Guided by a bike guide, you will ride a mountain bike towards the clear Lake Mergozzo, enjoying incredible natural landscapes! Meeting with a private cycling guide authorized in Feriolo for an easy 15 km circular tour. After the introductory briefing, you will cycle along the western shore of Lake Maggiore, crossing the valley of the Toce river, along roads with no traffic and comfortable cycle paths. After a brief visit to the ancient quarries of Candoglia, from which the precious white marbles used for the construction of the Milan Cathedral came, we reach the Lake of Mergozzo, an enchanting water mirror set among the first Prealps. Relax before tackling the second part of the itinerary that will take you back to Feriolo through the Fondotoce Nature Reserve.

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.

The two sides of lake Maggiore are amazingly different: Westwards, the sweet sines of the gulf on which Stresa and Baveno lay, in front of the charming Borromean Islands with their botanical gardens and villas. Eastwards, the deep waters in which high and wooded cliffs tumble down. A private cruise will take you across the lake, coasting the Islands, to reach by a cableway an amazing viewpoint on mount Sasso del Ferro, on the East coast. Here you will stare at the astonishing landscape of Lake Maggiore, the Borromean Isles and the Alps during a sunset in which the sun, the sky and the waters below will be as one. An exclusive aperitif will be served on a terrific terrace, where you will enjoy the quietness of the site.

Experience the northern Italian tradition of aperitivo in the picturesque setting of Lake Maggiore. This private experience features a selection of five dishes made with fresh, local ingredients such as Italian olive oil, cured meats, grilled vegetables, and cheese as well as local wines and typical drinks. Enjoy this array of dishes at a local home, for a bite-sized depiction of the aperitivo.

Feel like a Vip and enjoy a private cruise on lake Maggiore before sunset! This is a beautiful and relaxing way to discover lake Maggiore's beauties accompanied by an experienced tour guide. Admire lake Maggiore's coastline dotted with old towns, lovely gardens and historical villas; the Italian Alps that surround the lake, the islands in the Borromean gulf. You will be accompanied a knowledgeable local guide - fluent in English - who will be happy to answer your questions, tell you interesting stories, point out the most picturesque sites abd by an expert captain in a comfortable private boat. The cruise takes place in the late afternoon, before sunset, when the colours of lake Maggiore are at their best. So whether you are a couple, a family with children, a small group of friends or a larger party, this can really be a very special moment during your stay or trip to lake Maggiore.

Visit the fashionable Stresa and the amazing Islands on Lake Maggiore on a day trip from Milan. Set in Italy's beautiful Lake District just 1.5-hour drive from Milan, Lake Maggiore is surrounded by the majestic Alps and home to some of Italy’s most impressive gardens. After some free time for shopping in Stresa, you will take a two-hour panoramic boat cruise on the lake, visiting the Borromean Islands – Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Bella. On the borders of Piedmont, Lombardy and Switzerland, Lake Maggiore, also known as Verbano is the second largest Italian lake. 

Experience the beauty of Italy’s Lake Maggiore during this half-day tour to Isola Bella and Fisherman’s Island. This private excursion leaves from the villages of Stresa where you board a boat to Isola Bella. Explore the island’s Italian-style garden before heading to Fisherman’s Island for a walking tour of the quaint village. This tour is inclusive of a private tour guide, all entrance fees are to be paid on site.

Along the historical mule-track one goes along the route used by ancient people going back in time among the groups of houses of Montecrestese. Departure from Cannobio early in the morning and return in the afternoon. The round ends with the tasting of excellent wines of the Ossola Valley. This tour combines a bus tour with a beautiful hiking route through an historical mule-track and the tasting of delicious wines of the Ossola Valley. Return to original departure point in the evening

Hospitality, experience,passion and fun are essential ingredients in all my encounters, besides the fact that everyone who tries my kitchen always remains extremely satisfied

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.