Stresa

The town of Stresa is famous for the trademark liberty style architecture of its villas and exclusive resorts and lies at the heart of Lake Maggiore, the splendid Borromee islands and dominated from above by Mount Mottarone. The list of things to see includes the Lungolago beach, Piazza Marconi, the Parish Church of Sant’Ambrogio and Villa Ducale. Amazing views all over the lake, ranging from the Lombard shore up to Rocca di Caldè and over to Villa Pallavicino from where you can admire the gulf of Borromeo containing the three delightful little islands of ‘la Bella’, ‘la Madre’ and ‘Pescatori’. The lush Italian baroque gardens of La Bella make it look like a vessel solidly anchored in the waters of the lake, evoking the past eras, which you can also admire by looking at the invaluable works of art (tapestries, period furniture and paintings) housed in the rooms of the monumental Borromeo family palace. Pescatori’s intricate maze of small streets facing the lake gives it the feel of a typical local village, while the largest and most atmospheric of the islands is la Madre. The white peacocks, parrots and several species of pheasants that live here, surrounded by rare plants and exotic flowers, makes the island seem like a tropical paradise.