There are a growing number of Lake Maggiore water sports to enjoy during your stay. Moreover, the lack of speed restrictions on Lake Maggiore and the relative quietness of the lake make it a great place to enjoy faster paced activities such as water-skiing, sailing and kite-surfing.
Maccagno is the one of the best spots on to enjoy Lake Maggiore water sports such as windsurfing, sailing and kitesurfing. There is a sailing school in Maccagno as well as another further south at Cerro di Laveno. You can also rent boats for the half day, full day or for a few days from here.
Approx eight kilometres north of Maccagno, in Pino, La Darsena windsurf and kitesurf school offers both rental and lessons. They’re open between April and September. They also offer waterskiing, wakeboarding and tube rides, but these activities are not prominently advertised! Just ask one of the friendly staff for details on arrival. Windsurfing is definitely the most popular activity on offer here and is enjoyed by all ages. However don’t miss the opportunity to hire canoes and enjoy both waterskiing and wakeboarding. The school offers great value for money and has smaller waterskis for children as well as full sized skis for adults. Hire costs are dependent on the amount of time you want to be out on the lake. It’s an ideal place for children to learn to waterski or wakeboard in a safe environment.
You’ll notice that people tend to spend the whole day at La Darsena, relaxing by the lake in between water sports activities. If you choose to so the same, then there is a great restaurant on site. Although service at the restaurant can sometimes be slow, the food is excellent! Plus, there is a more relaxed cafe and bar area for snacks and drinks throughout the day too.
Across the lake at Brissago, another sailing school offers lessons for children from aged seven and upwards as well as adults. In addition, they offer boat tours around the lake and even power boat training.
Also on the other side of the lake, the lido at Cannobio boasts one of the few wide, sandy beaches along the lake, and the waters offshore are renowned for sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing and other Lake Maggiore water sports. Cannobio has three harbours for the launching and mooring of boats, with boat rental also available.
If you’re looking to get some waterskiing or wakeboarding lessons, then there is also Asconautica in Ascona can help you. Asconautica also offer wake surfing, trickskate, air chair, banana and other tube rides. Not only that though. This company also offer rental of motorboats and sailing yachts and can organise corporate events. Their excellent team can provide sailing and motorboat lessons, enabling you to secure your category A motorboat license. Or, for the experienced sailor, you can rent a boat from them and explore the lake on your own. For the ultimate in luxury, why not hire a skipper from their team? They will take you to some of the most amazing sites, beaches and restaurants around the lake.
Also in Ascona is the Yacht Club Ascona (YCA). This club has a wonderful reputation and organises a number of prestigious regattas. They also offer Summer sailing courses and courses for beginners and advanced sailors.
Just the other side of Locarno from Ascona is Vela Giovane Minusio. They offer sail boat, kayak and paddle board hire. They also offer sailing courses.
At the other end of the lake, the lido at Baveno also has a water sports centre whose main focus is on wakeboarding.
Also quickly gaining popularity on the Lake among Lake Maggiore water sports enthusiasts is scuba diving, with organised excursions taking place more and more commonly. Expert divers are able to descend 300 metres down. A number of these are to be found in the area around Ascona and Locarno. These include SubAscona, Salvataggio Sub Minusio, Salvataggio Sub Locarno and Salvataggio Sub Muralto. Other companies include Delta Divers Locarno and Apnea Ticino.
There are plenty of opportunities to go canyoning, rafting and kayaking in Switzerland. There are several companies based in Valle Verzasca that specialise in these type of activities. A couple worth trying include Pure Elements and In Depth Out There.
Alternatively, Ticino Adventures offer group canyoning excursions in the Ticino region from their base at Cresciano. They also offer rafting tours on the Ticino river. Steer your own boat whilst your escorts are in kayaks alongside you. And finally, for that added excitement of heli-canyoning too. These excursions start with a spectacular helicopter flight. This is followed by a number of abseils, sliding through natural chutes and up to 16 metre high jumps into crystal clear pools below.
There are a number of places to hire boats on Lake Maggiore. Many of the towns and villages around the lake will have companies offering boat hire for an hour or two. And for those without a license, there are plenty of smaller boats to rent. If you’re just looking for an hours rental, then there are plenty of options where you don’t need to pre-book including companies in Luino, Maccagno, Lesa, Cannobio and Ascona. Prices are approximately 50 euros per hour to hire a small speedboat.
If you’re needing a larger boat to accommodate lots of people, then take a look at Eco Party Boat. They have boats to hire which can take over 20 people and can organise excursions exactly to suit you. It’s the perfect option if you’re wanting to party on the lake or looking to mark a special occasion with a memorable excursion.
Another option if you’re looking for a boat trip on Lake Maggiore with a skipper is Lago Maggiore cruises.
And finally, there is Sailbox, an innovative company offering boat sharing. If you’re not a member of Sailbox, you can sign up for a trial sailing courses (1.5 hours), a longer introduction course (3 hours) or even a certification Sailbox course allowing you to sail individually as skipper. Simply make a reservation via the Sailbox website or App. You’ll then be given a dedicated ket to enter Locarno harbour and in less than 10 minutes you could be sailing on Lake Maggiore!
Finally for those wanting a more sedate pace in which to enjoy Lake Maggiore water sports, it’s worth trying out the many lidos on Lake Maggiore. Of particular note is the lido in Locarno. It offers visitors three indoor and four outdoor pools as well as diving boards and water slides. They also have inflatable obstacle courses on the lake to enjoy too. The lido in Baveno is similar. Most lidos tend to have access to the lake as well. The lake water tends to peak at around 24 degrees in July and August.
