The Borromean Islands

Located in the wonderful waters of Lake Maggiore, the Borromean Islands have fascinated visitors for centuries. Loved by Ernest Hemingway and visited by many famous people such as Napoleon and the English Royals, this Archipelago is made up of the stunning Isola Bella, the picturesque Isola dei Pescatori and the beautiful Isola Madre.

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We set out from Stresa by boat to Isola Bella, where we will visit the prestigious 17th-century Palazzo Borromeo first. We then take a walk through its Baroque garden, a real masterpiece of nature and architecture. We continue our tour by reaching Isola dei Pescatori, the only continuously inhabited island of the archipelago, where we stroll through its gracious lanes and we enjoy a well-deserved lunch break. Finally, we take another boat to the archipelago's largest island, Isola Madre, a lush island called by Gustave Flaubert “the most voluptuous place in the world”.

Here we visit the romantic English garden rich in exotic flowers and plants, dominated by a majestic 150-year-old Kashmir cypress. Before taking our boat back to Stresa, we enjoy a visit at the Isola Madre Palace, family Borromeo's previous residence characterised by a Marionette Theatre, one of the largest and best-preserved collections of sets and puppets in the world.