The first time I saw Lake Maggiore from my ferry, I had to do a double take. Picture this: palm trees and snowcapped Alps in the same view, with pastel villas and flowering gardens dotting the shoreline. I’ve explored a lot of Italian lakes, but this one feels like stepping into some fancy painting from the 1800s.
From wandering through the actual paradise that is Isola Bella’s gardens to sipping aperitivo at sunset in Stresa’s lakefront piazza, I’ve found some of the most beautiful places in Lake Maggiore that seem almost too perfect to be real. These 12 spots will show you exactly why this Italian lake captured my heart (and why I’m already planning my next trip back)!
Top Must-See Places in Lake Maggiore
Looking for the coolest things to do in Lake Maggiore? Stroll through the charming Cannero Riviera, explore the picturesque town of Cannobio am Lago Maggiore, and take in the scenic views along the Feriolo Promenade. Visit the stunning Giardini dell’Isola Bella for a glimpse of exquisite gardens and historic architecture. Whether you’re interested in nature, culture, or relaxation, here are the top attractions to visit in Lake Maggiore.
1. Cannero Riviera
- 📍 Location: Western shore of Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy, 15 miles north of Verbania
- 🏆 Best For: Relaxation seekers 🧘, botanical enthusiasts 🌸, romantic getaways ❤️
- 📸 Top Experiences: Strolling the peaceful lakefront promenade, visiting the Cannero Castles, exploring the lush gardens of Villa Rachele
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: April-June for blooming camellias and azaleas, September for mild weather and fewer crowds 🌺
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Hotel Cannero Lakeside – Elegant rooms with balconies right above the water, perfect for morning coffee with lake views
The scent of lemon trees welcomes visitors to Cannero Riviera, a Mediterranean pocket nestled against the Alps. Palm-lined waterfronts and spectacular floral displays have earned this village its nickname as the “Riviera of Lake Maggiore.” Cobblestone streets wind through town, revealing hidden viewpoints and cozy cafes where locals gather each morning.
From the promenade, the mysterious Cannero Castles create dramatic silhouettes on tiny offshore islands. The gardens at Villa Rachele showcase rare camellias and azaleas that thrive in this unique microclimate. Come evening, grab a lakeside table at La Rondinella for superb lake perch while watching the setting sun turn surrounding peaks to gold. The perfect meal here comes with a side of Alpine panorama that few other lake towns can match.
2. Cannobio am Lago Maggiore
- 📍 Location: Northwestern shore of Lake Maggiore, just 3 miles from the Swiss border
- 🏆 Best For: History enthusiasts 🏛️, water sports fans 🚣, market browsers 🛍️
- 📸 Top Experiences: Visiting the Sanctuary of SS. Pietà, wandering the colorful Sunday market, paddleboarding on the crystal-clear bay
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: May-September for perfect swimming conditions, Sundays year-round for the famous lakefront market 🏊
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Aparthotel Lo Scoiattolo – Corner apartments offer stunning dual-aspect views, with private balconies perfect for sunset aperitivo
Rainbow-colored houses reflect in clear water that you can count pebbles six feet down. Cannobio am Lago Maggiore sits in a protected bay where the morning mist creates a mystical atmosphere as boats knock gently against wooden docks. The Sanctuary of SS. Pietà stands at the end of the promenade, housing a religious relic from a reported 16th-century miracle.
Sundays transform the waterfront into the lake’s most vibrant market, selling everything from mountain honey to local cheeses. Rent paddleboards from Lido di Cannobio to explore hidden coves north of town where small waterfalls spill directly into the lake. For authentic local cuisine, follow the locals to Ristorante Grotto Sant’Anna, tucked in a narrow alley serving the lake’s best risotto with freshly caught fish and regional wines at surprisingly reasonable prices.
3. Feriolo Promenade
- 📍 Location: Southwestern shore of Lake Maggiore, 5 miles from Stresa and at the gateway to the Borromean Gulf
- 🏆 Best For: Beach lovers 🏖️, sunset chasers 🌅, food enthusiasts 🍽️
- 📸 Top Experiences: Swimming at the golden sand beaches, cycling the lakeside path, dining at waterfront seafood restaurants
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: June-August for perfect beach weather, October for spectacular sunset views and fewer tourists 🌞
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Piccolo Hotel Olina – Recently renovated rooms feature hand-painted lake scenes and generous balconies overlooking the water
Golden sand beaches meet Alpine views in this unassuming hamlet that has Lake Maggiore’s best swimming spots. Unlike the rocky shores found elsewhere, Feriolo boasts sandy beaches with shallow entry points where the water warms nicely in summer. The wide promenade connects to neighboring Baveno, offering scenic walks with dramatic mountain backdrops.
The local food scene punches well above its weight. Ristorante Pizzeria Lago Maggiore serves lake trout pulled fresh from icy displays and grilled simply with olive oil and herbs. Rent bikes from Bar La Darsena to explore the entire shoreline path at your own pace. As day turns to evening, the western-facing position has spectacular sunsets that paint the lake in brilliant golds and pinks while the Alps create a jagged silhouette against the fading light.
4. Giardini dell’Isola Bella
- 📍 Location: On Isola Bella, one of the Borromean Islands in Lake Maggiore, a 10-minute boat ride from Stresa
- 🏆 Best For: Garden enthusiasts 🌿, architecture admirers 🏰, photography lovers 📸 📸 Top Experiences: Exploring the Baroque Palace, wandering the terraced Italian gardens, spotting the famous white peacocks
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: April-May for peak blooming season in the gardens, September for pleasant temperatures and smaller crowds 🌷
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees – Historic luxury with Hemingway connections, featuring period furniture and exceptional lake views from most rooms
A baroque masterpiece, Giardini dell’Isola Bella, rises from Lake Maggiore like a wedding cake topped with green terraces. Created in the 17th century by the wealthy Borromeo family, this man-made island features ten garden levels ascending dramatically from the water. White peacocks strut freely among meticulously trimmed hedges, with the Teatro Massimo crowning the summit as an open-air theater decorated with classical statues.
Inside the Baroque Palace, visitors discover opulent state rooms where Napoleon once slept alongside quirky grotto rooms covered entirely in seashells and pebbles. The highest garden terrace rewards climbers with breathtaking 360-degree views of Lake Maggiore framed by snow-capped Alps. Skip tourist traps for lunch and head to Ristorante Elvezia on the island’s quiet side, serving the lake’s freshest fish carpaccio alongside local wines from small producers rarely exported beyond the region.
5. Hafenpromenade Ascona
- 📍 Location: Swiss shore of Lake Maggiore (locally called Lake Verbano), in the canton of Ticino, just 15 minutes from the Italian border
- 🏆 Best For: Art lovers 🎨, luxury shoppers 👜, people-watchers ☕
- 📸 Top Experiences: Strolling the colorful waterfront promenade, visiting galleries in the old town, attending the annual JazzAscona festival
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: June-September for perfect outdoor dining weather, late June for the world-famous jazz festival 🎷
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Hotel Eden Roc – Lakefront luxury with multiple pools, private beach, and impeccable service, including complimentary evening prosecco on your balcony
Switzerland meets Italy in spectacular fashion along Ascona‘s rainbow-colored waterfront. Often called the “Pearl of Lake Maggiore,” this former fishing village offers Swiss precision with Mediterranean flair. The promenade, locally known as “La Piazza,” features pastel buildings housing upscale boutiques and sidewalk cafés where four languages mingle over espresso.
The thriving art scene surprises visitors with quality typically found in major cities. The Museum of Modern Art houses significant works in an intimate setting, while galleries throughout the pedestrian zone showcase contemporary talents. During JazzAscona in June, the entire waterfront transforms into an open-air concert venue with international performers. Take a boat to the Brissago Islands botanical gardens to see exotic plants thriving at Alpine latitudes, then return for sunset drinks and innovative lake-fish sushi at Antica Osteria del Porto, where Swiss precision meets Mediterranean creativity.
6. Isola dei Pescatori
- 📍 Location: One of the Borromean Islands in Lake Maggiore, a 5-minute boat ride from Stresa and adjacent to Isola Bella
- 🏆 Best For: Authentic experiences 🏘️, seafood enthusiasts 🐟, photographers 📸
- 📸 Top Experiences: Getting lost in narrow fishermen’s alleys, dining on fresh lake fish, watching the sunset from the northern tip
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: May-June for fewer crowds, evenings year-round after day-trippers have departed ✨
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Verbano Hotel – Simple but charming rooms in a historic building where breakfast is served on a terrace so close to the water waves splash during windy mornings
Time stands still on Isola dei Pescatori, the only permanently inhabited Borromean Island, where laundry flaps between ancient buildings and fishing remains a way of life. Once the day’s final ferry departs, overnight guests discover the island’s true character as residents emerge and narrow lanes quieten. The main street, barely wider than outstretched arms, winds between stone houses where fishing families still live above their restaurants.
The smell of grilling lake fish leads to Ristorante CasaBella, where daily catches become simple but extraordinary meals featuring perch with sage butter and local white wine. At the island’s northern tip, sunset views across to snowcapped mountains create unforgettable panoramas as church bells echo across the water. Morning reveals elderly fishermen mending nets outside centuries-old homes, their weathered hands working with practiced precision while visitors enjoy breakfast with homemade preserves from mainland orchards.
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7. Lungolago Luino
- 📍 Location: Northern Italy, on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore in Lombardy region
- 🏆 Best For: Shoppers 🛍️, foodies 🍝, lakeside strollers 🚶♀️
- 📸 Top Experiences: Browsing the famous Wednesday market, enjoying aperitivo with lake views, boat trips to nearby islands
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: April to October for pleasant temperatures, Wednesdays for the historic market 🛒
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Hotel Camin – Family-run gem where Marco recommends secret local spots and serves breakfast with lake views
The historic market of Lungolago Luino transforms this lakeside town every Wednesday with a vibrant tradition dating back to 1535. Vendors sell everything from aromatic cheeses to handcrafted leather goods against a backdrop of Alpine peaks and shimmering waters. The waterfront promenade offers perfect people-watching as locals and visitors mix while boats shuttle between Italian and Swiss shores.
Fuel up at Trattoria del Pesce with lake-caught perch before exploring the maze-like historic center with its hidden cafés and ivy-draped balconies. Duck into the narrow cobblestone streets to discover tiny shops selling local wines and artisanal goods. When afternoon sun turns the lake to liquid gold, grab an aperitivo at a waterfront café and watch fishermen return with their daily catch.
8. Porto Di Cannobio
- 📍 Location: Northwestern shore of Lake Maggiore, just 5km from the Swiss border
- 🏆 Best For: History lovers 🏛️, beach goers 🏖️, sailing enthusiasts ⛵
- 📸 Top Experiences: Swimming at Lido Beach, exploring the historic center, visiting Sanctuary of SS. Pietà
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: June to September for swimming and water activities, Sunday mornings for the local market 🌞
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Hotel Cannobio – Riverside rooms with private balconies where breakfast comes with fresh pastries and harbor views
Medieval Porto Di Cannobio boasts the lake’s most swimmable waters with a rare sandy beach beside its picturesque harbor. Rainbow-hued buildings create a postcard-perfect scene while the Renaissance Sanctuary of SS. Pietà appears to float on water, its bell tower reflecting in the crystalline lake. Morning light brings photographers hoping to capture the perfect shot of this 16th-century miracle site built after a painting reportedly wept blood.
Venture into the Borgo, where locals play cards in sun-dappled piazzas surrounded by cafés serving mountain honey gelato. Sunday mornings transform the waterfront with market vendors selling local cheeses and hand-sewn linens. Follow stone steps to discover the Cannobino River gorge where emerald pools offer a refreshing alternative to lake swimming and riverside cafés serve simple meals on terraces overlooking the water.
9. Rocca d’Angera
- 📍 Location: Southern end of Lake Maggiore in Lombardy, perched on a limestone cliff
- 🏆 Best For: Castle enthusiasts 🏰, history buffs 📜, doll collectors 🧸
- 📸 Top Experiences: Touring the medieval fortress, visiting the Doll Museum, enjoying panoramic lake views
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: April to October when gardens are in bloom, weekdays to avoid crowds 🌷
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Hotel dei Tigli – Converted villa where breakfast under flowering linden trees comes with homemade jams and regional insights
The commanding Rocca d’Angera fortress dominates the southern lake, its medieval walls housing Europe’s largest doll collection. Knights once walked these halls, where vibrant frescoes in the Hall of Justice depict ancient virtues through surprisingly vivid colors preserved since the 14th century. The cool stone interior offers welcome respite from summer heat, while window embrasures frame picture-perfect views of the lake below.
Stroll through the meticulously recreated Medieval Gardens where organized beds showcase herbs once used for everything from cooking to medicine. Lavender, rosemary, and sage release their scents into the air as butterflies flit between flowering bushes. From the battlements, the panoramic vista stretches across azure waters to snow-capped Alps beyond. Time your visit for late afternoon when the setting sun bathes the ancient stones in golden light.
10. Santa Caterina del Sasso
- 📍 Location: Eastern shore of Lake Maggiore near Leggiuno in Lombardy
- 🏆 Best For: Photography enthusiasts 📸, architecture lovers 🏛️, spiritual seekers 🙏
- 📸 Top Experiences: Marvel at the cliffside monastery, explore the three chapels, arrive by boat for the best views
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: Late afternoon for golden light on the monastery walls, May-September for boat access 🚤
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Hotel Belvedere – Request room 12 for monastery views where sunrise paints ancient walls gold while church bells echo across water
Gravity-defying Santa Caterina del Sasso clings to sheer cliffs 15 meters above crashing waves, creating Lake Maggiore’s most dramatic religious site. Built after a merchant survived a shipwreck in the 12th century, this architectural marvel features three chapels connected by porticoes showcasing vivid frescoes that have withstood centuries of lake mists. Sunlight filters through ancient windows, creating pools of gold on worn stone floors smoothed by countless pilgrims.
Arrive by boat for the most spectacular approach as the structure appears to emerge organically from the limestone cliff face. Inside, candles flicker in stone alcoves while the preserved remains of Blessed Alberto Besozzi lie in a glass case adorned with fresh flowers. The monastery’s unique acoustics amplify whispered prayers into ethereal echoes. Step onto the narrow terrace for breathtaking views across waters that shift from azure to emerald depending on the cloud patterns above.
11. Seepromenade Rivapiana
- 📍 Location: Swiss side of Lake Maggiore in Minusio, just north of Locarno
- 🏆 Best For: Sunset walkers 🌅, swimmers 🏊♀️, picnickers 🧺
- 📸 Top Experiences: Strolling the lakeside promenade, swimming in crystal clear waters, relaxing under ancient plane trees
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: May to September for swimming, early evenings for spectacular golden hour light 🌞
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Hotel Belvedere Locarno – Panorama suites offer morning coffee with birdsong and sweeping views of lake and mountains from private terraces
Century-old plane trees create perfect shade along Seepromenade Rivapiana, the Swiss lake’s most pristine shoreline. Clear waters reveal pebbled lake bottoms even at swimming depth, while the flat, well-maintained path welcomes strollers, joggers, and cyclists throughout the day. This hidden gem offers a tranquil alternative to busier Italian shores with uninterrupted mountain views and several small beaches perfect for afternoon lounging.
Stop at Grotto Rivapiana, where lake-caught perch pairs perfectly with crisp local white wine served at tables under flowering vines. Look for the “ballerina” sculpture seemingly dancing across water that turns copper-colored at sunset. As evening falls, lights illuminate the path while Locarno twinkles across the water against darkening mountain silhouettes. The promenade stays comfortably cool even on the hottest summer days thanks to lake breezes and generous tree cover.
12. Tour Isola Bella
- 📍 Location: One of the Borromean Islands in Lake Maggiore, a short boat ride from Stresa
- 🏆 Best For: Garden enthusiasts 🌸, architecture lovers 🏛️, photographers 📸
- 📸 Top Experiences: Exploring the baroque palace, wandering the multi-terraced gardens, spotting white peacocks
- 📅 Best Time to Visit: April to October when the gardens are in full bloom, mornings to beat the crowds 🌺
- 🏨 Where to Stay: Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees – Historic rooms where Hemingway wrote and Churchill painted, with a terrace overlooking the islands you’ll explore
Baroque extravagance defines Isola Bella, a floating palace rising from Lake Maggiore like a wedding cake topped with perfectly manicured gardens. Count Vitaliano Borromeo transformed this barren rock in the 17th century into an aristocratic showpiece where Palazzo Borromeo dazzles with rooms adorned in mother-of-pearl, precious stones, and priceless art. Underground grottos lined with shell mosaics provide cool spaces that whisper with every footstep.
Step outside to ten terraced gardens where white peacocks strut across lawns surrounded by ancient statues and exotic plantings. Jasmine and citrus trees perfume the air while the Theater of Diana showcases the ultimate Italian garden fantasy with sweeping lake views. From the highest terrace, boats crisscross below against a backdrop of snow-capped Alps. Morning visits avoid cruise ship crowds that can overwhelm the island’s baroque splendor during peak afternoon hours.
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