Lago Maggiore from Milan: Day Trip Guide to the Borromean Islands

Lago Maggiore is the closest of the Italian lakes to Milan and one of the most varied. The lake is shared between Lombardy, Piedmont, and Switzerland; from the Milanese side, the main gateway is Stresa, which high-speed rail connects to Milano Centrale in just over an hour. The lake’s main draws are the Borromean Islands — three inhabited islands in the middle of the lake with baroque gardens, palaces, and one that remains a working fishing village — reached by regular boat service from Stresa and Verbania.

The Borromean Islands

The three Borromean Islands sit in the Golfo Borromeo, a bay in the western arm of the lake, and are owned by the Borromeo family — one of Lombardy’s most prominent aristocratic families — who have held them since the 15th century.

Isola Bella is the most visited. The island’s baroque palace was built in the mid-17th century and is still furnished as it was during the family’s use; the gardens behind it rise in ten formal terraces to a height of 37 metres above the lake, planted with camellias, oleanders, and exotic plants kept in large terracotta pots. The effect is theatrical — the island was deliberately designed to resemble a ship from a distance. Entry to the palace and gardens requires a ticket.

Isola Madre is quieter and more botanical. The island holds the largest English-style garden on the lake — informal and planted with rare species, including one of the oldest Kashmir cypress trees in Europe. The 16th-century palace contains a collection of antique puppets, Flemish tapestries, and historical furnishings. It requires more time than Isola Bella but gets a fraction of the visitors.

Isola dei Pescatori (Fishermen’s Island) is the only one of the three still used as a village. No cars or motorbikes are permitted and the island’s narrow alleys are lined with painted houses; about 50 people live there year-round. It can be visited without a ticket — boats stop here and visitors walk freely. Several small restaurants along the waterfront serve lake fish.

Stresa and the Lake Towns

Stresa is the main town on the western shore and the hub for lake transport. It has a long waterfront promenade, several belle époque grand hotels built for the 19th-century aristocratic tourist trade, and the funicular that climbs to Mottarone — a peak at 1,491 metres offering views across the lake to the Alps. The town has restaurants, cafes, and a small centre of churches and buildings that predate the tourism era.

Further north along the western shore, Verbania is a quieter option that sees fewer day-trippers. The botanical gardens at Villa Taranto — created in the 1930s by a Scottish officer who acquired the property and spent 20 years planting it — are among the finest in Italy. They are open from April through October.

On the southern end of the lake, Arona is notable for the Colosso di San Carlo — a 35-metre bronze statue of Cardinal Carlo Borromeo, completed in 1698, that predates New York’s Statue of Liberty by nearly 200 years. Visitors can climb inside to the head. The town also has a functioning market and a lakefront that is considerably less tourist-oriented than Stresa.

Getting There from Milan

Stresa is served by direct regional trains from Milano Centrale, with a journey time of around 1 hour 10 minutes. Trains run roughly every hour; no reservation is required. From Stresa station it is a 10-minute walk to the lakefront and boat piers. Boat services on the lake are run by Navigazione Laghi and connect all the main towns and islands; a day ticket covering unlimited travel is available and makes sense for a full day visit.

Arona is closer to Milan by train — around 45 minutes from Milano Centrale — and is an option if you want a day with fewer visitors and a different kind of lakeside town.

Cooking Classes Near Lago Maggiore

Several cooking schools operate in the towns around Lago Maggiore and in the Varese province to the south, offering classes in Lombard recipes — risotto, fresh pasta, lake fish preparations. These are typically half-day formats in a professional or domestic kitchen. Search for current providers in Stresa, Verbania, or the Varese area; availability and formats vary seasonally.

For visitors using Milan as a base, Lago Maggiore pairs well with other day trips: the Parmesan cheese tour from Milan uses Reggio Emilia AV Medio Padana station as its meeting point and combines easily with a city stay. The food traditions of Emilia-Romagna are within an hour by high-speed rail in the opposite direction from the lake.