Top ten things to do on Lake Maggiore courtesy of Bookings For You. If you also need accommodation in the Italian Lakes for your next holiday, do get in touch. We have a range of villas and apartments in the Italian Lakes, all offering excellent standards of accommodation to suit a range of budgets, tastes and group size.
1) Visit the Borromeo Islands – Isola Madre, Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori. The gardens are spectacular and you’ll even get the chance to see white peacocks roaming around.
2) Hire a boat or at the very least take a boat trip across the lake. You can hire a boat from around 50 euros for an hour. Alternatively, a boat service criss-crosses the lake all day long. Check out their website for timetable information. Or, why not treat yourself to a private sunset cruise on Lake Maggiore.
3) Take a cable car up the Mottarone above Stresa – the views from the top are breathtaking. You will see all 7 lakes from the summit (Lake Maggiore, Lake Orta, Lake Mergozzo, Lake Varese, Lake Comabbio, Lake Monate and Lake Biandronno).
4) Visit some of the lakeside towns and villages. Most notable include Locarno, Ascona, Cannobio, Cannero and Stresa.
5) Take the Lago Maggiore Express by boat from Luino up the Lake to the Swiss towns of Ascona and Locarno where you take the ‘Hundred Valley’ train into the Swiss Alps then connect to Stresa and back by boat to Luino. A superb trip that can be done in a day or spread out with an overnight stay en route.
6) Visit Santa Caterina del Sasso. This can be reached either by road or also by boat during the summer months. The monastery is entrusted to the care of the Benedictine monks and contains some important well-kept frescoes dating from the XIVth to the XVlllth century. Views of the lake from the monastery are superb.
7) Visit the many lakeside beaches and lidos. Our favourites include the lidos at Locarno and Ascona. Or try your hand at some water sports – sailing, waterskiing and wake boarding are all popular on the lake.
8) Visit Vallemaggia and Valle Verzasca. You can visit the Verzasca Dam which features in the opening sequence of Goldeneye. Swim in the rivers coming down each valley – the water is cold (and you need to be careful for currents) but it’s beautifully clean and refreshing.
9) Sample delicious Italian cuisine at the fantastic restaurants all around the lake. Check out some of our favourites in our guide to Lake Maggiore restaurants. Or, why not treat yourself to a private chef for the night? We can thoroughly recommend the services of Lake Maggiore chef, Marco. Mention ‘Bookings For You’ to enjoy a complimentary bottle of prosecco with your experience.
10) Visit Europe’s biggest market in Luino. Held every Wednesday throughout the year and with over 350 stalls, it’s a sight to be seen!
Please contact Bookings For You for further information about any of these ideas or for more information about what to see and do on Lake Maggiore.