The Great Lakes of Italy are a popular tourist destination. Holidays on Garda, Como and Lago Maggiore are considered even more prestigious than on the coast. In this article we will talk about the last lake of the whole trinity. Few excursion tours to Italy from Russia provide their customers with the opportunity to see with their own eyes this blue pearl of the Alps. But in vain. After all, it is said: “If you have a heart and a shirt, sell a shirt and quench your soul - visit Lago Maggiore.” It is Italy's second largest lake. Most of its area only Garda. This lake is located on the border of Switzerland and Italy. Actually, the state cordon runs exactly along the water surface. On the Swiss side there are such resorts as Locarno, where the best balneological hospitals of the country are located, and ancient Ascona. Not far from the shores of Lake Maggiore is Lugano, for its hectic social life, nicknamed European Rio de Janeiro. But in this article we will not describe the resorts of Switzerland. Let's talk about the Italian part of Lake Maggiore. How to get there, where to stay and what to see - read below.
Geography
The name Lago Maggiore is translated from Italian as "Big Lake". The name of the reservoir speaks for itself: it stretches from north to south for as many as sixty-six kilometers. The lake was formed due to the ancient glacier that descended from the Alps and plowed the hollow, damming the reservoir with its moraine. This explains the narrowness of Maggiore, with its steep and steep banks. At its widest point, the lake spills ten kilometers. At the same time, the reservoir is very deep (the maximum indicator is 375 meters) - after all, the glacial tongue crawled along the tectonic fault. In Lake Maggiore, the water is very clean due to the constant circulation. This pond is located at an altitude of almost two hundred meters above sea level. The area of the lake is 212.5 square kilometers, which puts Maggiore in second place after the Garda. The navigable river Ticino (tributary of the Po) flows into the reservoir and flows out of it. Lake Maggiore on a world map is divided by two European states. Switzerland, more precisely, the canton of Ticino owns only about twenty percent of the reservoir (in the north). But in the Italian part of the lake runs the border - between the provinces. The east coast of Maggiore belongs to Lombardy, and the west to Piedmont. Traditionally, a pond is usually divided into two parts - upper and lower. The first begins near the borders of Switzerland, near the town of Cannobio and extends to Verbania. Lower Maggiore is an area lying south of the conditional line Belgirate - Castelletto sopra Ticino in Piedmont.
The climate of the region
From the north, Lake Maggiore (Italy) is closed by the high Lombard Alps. They form the climate of the reservoir. It is soft, warm, but unpredictable. Of course, alpine peaks serve as a reliable barrier to cold northerly winds. But sometimes, icy air accumulated in high gorges breaks into a heated lake basin, causing storms. Then the locals say that it blew Maggiore (north wind) or mergozzo (west). But these are emergency situations. And usually the lake is famous for its wonderful mild and warm climate. The water surface does not freeze in winter. The water level in the lake depends on the season and varies within four meters. Maggiore reaches its maximum filling in June - at the time of the melting of the glaciers that feed Ticino and other smaller rivers. The tourist season lasts from May to October. Although even during this period, vacationers are not immune from unexpected storms. The prevailing winds is tramontana. She blows in the first half of daylight from the lake to the shores. After lunch, tramontana is replaced by an inverna, which, before sunset, ripples light ripples on the water surface.
How to get to the lake
Sightseeing tours to Italy provide vacationers from Russia with permits to the capital of Lombardy, Milan or the main city of Piedmont Turin. Getting to Lake Maggiore from these two points is easy. Independent travelers can advise such a route. Regular flights of Alitalia and Aeroflot depart to Milan. From the capital of Lombardy buses go to the resorts of Lake Maggiore. There is a railway line ending in the coastal town of Verbania. The path from the north will be more intricate. First you need to get by plane to Lucerne, Basel or Zurich. Lugano also has an airport, but flights from Russia do not depart there. But from various Swiss cities you can get by train to Locarno or Bellinzona lying on the shore of Lake Maggiore in just three hours. And from there you can cross the border with Italy by bus (quickly and cheaply) or on a comfortable cruise ship (glamorous and chic). The main port in the southern part of the lake is Verbanya. All resorts along the coast are connected by a network of beautiful highways. The steep banks of the lake people have long drilled in tunnels. So a trip on a regular regular bus from one point to another can already be considered a fascinating tour.
The amazing story of Lake Maggiore
The mild climate and the richness of the waters of the fish led to the fact that these places were inhabited for a very long time. It is not known what these Celtic tribes called the lake. But when the legionnaires of Ancient Rome came here, they were impressed by the size of the reservoir. Therefore, they named him Lacus Maximus. Translated from Latin, this means the Greatest Lake. The Romans encircled the pond with a beautiful road that has survived in fragments to this day. In the Middle Ages, the name of the lake changed. Since the banks of the reservoir were densely overgrown with fragrant verbena, Verbano became its name. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Napoleon's troops made a brilliant passage through the Alps. The French fortified and arranged the old road, making it convenient for carriages. The mild climate of the lake began to attract the Italian aristocracy on its shores. The rich built luxurious villas and palaces. The modest name of Lake Verbano did not reflect the grandeur of their housing. Therefore, I remembered the old Roman name of the reservoir. It shifted to modern Italian and began to sound like Lago Maggiore. Now resorts have grown on the shores of the lake, the beginning of which was given by local aristocrats. But much more ancient feudal castles rise on rocky ledges. In impregnable places, monasteries clung to the steep banks. And on the islets there are chic palaces of nobles and representatives of the papal curia.
What are the hotels in the resorts of Lago Maggiore
Where to stay on this, giving an unforgettable vacation, lake? Maggiore is dotted with resorts, each of which is unique. Whether you come to the Lombard side or to the Piedmontese coast - everywhere will be fine. The hotel base on the lake is well developed. But there is one thing. Hotels in Italy cannot be called budget. And on Lake Maggiore, where recreation is considered prestigious, prices soar - especially in the tourist season. But what a variety of hotels! You can even live on the islands of Borromeo. True, such a pleasure will cost twenty-three thousand rubles per night. A lot of hotels are located in two resort towns - Verbanier and Stresa. For discerning customers, you can advise the five-star hotel “Villa e Palazzo Aminta” or “Grand Majestic”. An excellent choice of housing is provided by the local Quartet: Belvedere, Anchor and others. Prices in them range from five to seven thousand rubles. Do not be afraid to stay in the "troika". The hotels “Albergo Pesque d Oro”, “Aquadolce” and “Il Kjostro” in Verbanya are an excellent balance between price and quality of services. The cost of a room in such hotels is about three thousand rubles. Camping sites are available during the summer months. They can stop not only customers with a car. Campings rent mobile caravans.
Sights of Lake Maggiore
Rest on this large alpine pond is not only remarkable for its natural beauties. In terms of richness in historical and cultural attractions, Lago Maggiore is not much inferior to Milan, Turin or Verona. The lake is a wonderful symbiosis of lush southern nature and human genius. The palaces and villas fit beautifully into the landscape. An excursion to Lake Maggiore would be incomplete without visiting the islands. The Borromean archipelago with Isolo Bella (the palace of the Cardinal is located on it), Pescatori, Madre, San Giovanni and the tiny Scoglio della Mulgera are especially popular. But the islands will be discussed below. It should be mentioned that the shores of the lake also do not lack palaces, villas and wonderful botanical gardens. Beach vacations amid these wonders recede into the background. And nature, which presented Maggiore with rocky picturesque shores, did not create conditions for him. The beaches are mainly artificial terraces over the water surface. But excellent conditions for hiking and cycling are created. On a small tourist boat, yacht or boat, you can take a fascinating journey through Lake Maggiore.
Resorts on the west coast of a mountain pond
Each region of Italy is interesting in its own way. In Piedmont, the most “untwisted” are Stresa and Verbania. The latter is due to the fact that it is a well-developed transport hub. Verbania has already become like Sochi - it included small towns. And Stresa is interesting in that it is easy to get to the Borromean Islands from it. In addition, cable car cabins start from it, taking tourists to the top of Mottarone mountain, from where a bewitching view of the lake opens. Very interesting Arona. Here, in 1538, San Carloon was born, a representative of the noble Borromeo family. The family nest, the fortress of Rocca Aron, is no longer there - Napoleon’s troops destroyed it. But you can admire the “Colossus of San Carlone” - a thirty-five-meter sculpture of this cleric. Also very interesting are the resorts of Cannobio, Ojebbio, Cannero Riviera, Giff, Baveno, Belgirate, Maine, Lesa, Castelletto sopra Ticino and Dormelletto. Special mention should be made of Stresa. Here are the most famous villas on Lake Maggiore. You should definitely see the Palace of Pallavichino with a beautiful park. Also worth visiting are the villas Ducale and Castelli. Cannobio is a very ancient town with traces of the Romans. Above Giffa, not far from Verbania, rises the Holy Trinity Mountain. It houses a complex of chapels on the UNESCO list.
Holiday pearls of Lombardy
Even if you live on the west bank, nothing prevents you from crossing the narrow Lake Maggiore to admire the wonderful sights of the eastern region. Right opposite Stresa is Angera. She is famous for her medieval castle, which alternately changed the brilliant owners - Scalligheri, Visconti, Borromeo. Anger should visit with the children, because inside the old citadel there is a wonderful puppet museum. It was founded at the end of the 20th century by Princess Bona Borromeo-Arrese. Lake Maggiore from the Lombard side is decorated with such equally interesting resorts as Ranko, Sesto Calende, Ispra, Bezzo, Brebbia, Monvalle, Laveno-Mombello, Legguno, Castelveccana, Brezzo di Bedero, Porto Valtravaglia, Jerminogo, Macermino, Macermino, Tronzano Lago Maggiore and Pinot Sulla Sponda. The real tourist attraction of the east coast is the monastery of Santa Catarina del Sasso. It was literally cut down on a steep cliff at the beginning of the fourteenth century. The monastery seems impregnable, but you can get into it not only from the side of the water, but also from land. Fans of nature untouched by civilization can be advised to visit the Ticino National Park. It is shared between Lombardy and Piedmont. The park is located on both banks of the Ticino River.
Islands of Lake Maggiore
Of course, the main attraction of the alpine reservoir is the Borromeo archipelago. It consists of three small and two very tiny islets. Almost the entire territory of Isola Bella is occupied by the palace of Borromeo. The island separates from the town of Stresa only four hundred meters of water. The palace itself was built in the Lombard Baroque style in one thousand six hundred and thirty-second year by Charles the Third Borromeo for his wife Isabella. A beautiful park, consisting of Italian and English parts, was built later. Napoleon and Josephine, the English Queen Carolina of Braunschweig and other famous persons visited the castle. The name "Isola Pescatori" suggests that this island has been inhabited by fishermen since ancient times. It is worth visiting this town and wandering along its narrow streets. On this tiny stretch of land three hundred meters long and a hundred wide, several hotels have settled down. Albergo Verbano consists of only twelve rooms, so you need to book seats in advance. Isola Madre is privately owned. You can only admire them from afar. Lake Maggiore is famous not only for the Borromeo archipelago. Off the coast of Connobio, three islands of Castelli di Kennero rise. Ancient castles once stood on them - hence the name. The Lombardy region, unlike Piedmont, has only one islet on Lago Maggiore. This is Izolino Partegora. But it has a great sandy beach.
What to try in this region
Lake Maggiore has long been famous for fish. Therefore, the local region has formed its own cuisine, different from the Lombard and Piedmontese, where the main ingredient is meat and cheese. So everywhere in Lago Maggiore you should try dishes of lake fish. Naturally, in the summer heat it’s nice to refresh yourself with wonderful Italian ice cream. There is no shortage of traditional pizzerias and spaghetti. But there are places on the lake where specialties are served that can be tasted only here and nowhere else. Gourmets should visit Stresa not only for the villas of Pallavicino and Ducale, the islands of Borromeo or the peak of Mottarone. Only in this town they make delicious crumbly cookies “Margheritine”. The recipe for this dessert at the end of the nineteenth century was invented by a cook from Stresa specifically for the Princess of Savoy. Margarita later became Queen of Italy.
Reviews
Lake Maggiore (Italy) is popular with yachtsmen and windsurfers, because the “right” winds blow here. But you should not count on a good beach holiday here. There are very few places where the bottom is shallow and you can go into the water. The steep banks go under water immediately to a depth. Due to the constant circulation, the lake does not warm up well. Lago Maggiore is attractive to others. Luxurious villas, most of which are now open as museums, bewitching nature, surfing, hiking and cycling, ancient castles and islands, boat trips or sailing yachts - this is what one of the great lakes of Italy is famous for.