Isola Madre
Isola Madre is the largest of the Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore, covering approximately 8.5 hectares at the northern end of the island group. Owned by the Borromeo family since the 15th century, it is celebrated for its English-style botanical garden — one of the finest on the Italian lakes — and for the 16th-century palazzo that served as the family’s seasonal residence. The island is famed for its rare Kashmir cypress (Cupressus cashmeriana), its collection of exotic birds including white peacocks, and spring plantings of camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas that have made it a destination for garden enthusiasts across Europe.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic island garden and palazzo; heritage estate
- Period
- Borromeo ownership from 15th century; palazzo built 16th–17th century; gardens developed 18th–19th century
- Style
- English landscape garden; palazzo in Renaissance–Baroque idiom
- Location
- Isola Madre, Lago Maggiore, 28838 Stresa VB, Piedmont, Italy
- Coordinates
- 45.9115° N, 8.5361° E
Overview
Isola Madre lies at the northern end of the Borromean Islands chain, approximately 400 metres off the shore of Pallanza. Unlike the more theatrical Isola Bella with its formal Baroque terraced garden, Isola Madre presents a softer, romanticised landscape of winding paths through subtropical plantings, cascading flowers, and dense shade trees. The palazzo contains period furnishings, Borromeo family portraits, collections of antique puppets and theatrical marionettes, and rooms preserved in their 18th- and 19th-century state, giving visitors an intimate glimpse into aristocratic lakeside life.
History
The Borromeo family, one of the great dynasties of Renaissance Lombardy, acquired the island in the late 15th century and began cultivating it for pleasure and prestige. The palazzo was developed across the 16th and 17th centuries as a summer retreat, and the gardens were progressively extended during the 18th century under the influence of the English landscape movement then fashionable across Europe. By the 19th century the island had become renowned for its exotic botanical collections, with species imported from Asia, the Americas and Africa thriving in the mild microclimate created by the deep lake waters. The island has remained in continuous Borromeo family ownership and is managed today by the Borromeo dal Pozzo foundation as a ticketed heritage site.
What you see
The garden covers virtually the entire island, with paths threading through camellias (some centuries old), magnolias, palm groves, banana plants, tree ferns and rhododendrons that flower spectacularly in spring. The celebrated Kashmir cypress near the palazzo is believed to be one of the largest specimens in Europe. Free-roaming white peacocks, pheasants and exotic parrots add a theatrical dimension to garden visits. Inside the palazzo, state rooms contain period furniture, a cabinet of curiosities, and the remarkable puppet theatre collection — hundreds of antique Baroque marionettes assembled by the Borromeo family — which is unique among Italian noble residences.
Cultural significance
Isola Madre and the Borromean Islands as a whole represent one of Italy’s defining achievements in the fusion of natural landscape and aristocratic culture, recognised as a site of outstanding landscape value. The island’s botanical garden is considered among the best-preserved examples of 19th-century exotic garden design in northern Italy, and the intact palazzo interiors provide rare evidence of upper-class lakeside life across three centuries. The ensemble was an important stop on the Grand Tour and continues to draw visitors from across Europe and beyond.
Practical information
- Address
- Isola Madre, 28838 Stresa VB (accessible only by boat)
- Opening hours
- Generally open late March to late October; check official Borromeo Islands website for current hours
- Admission
- Ticket required; combined tickets available with Isola Bella and Pescatori
Getting there
Isola Madre is accessible only by ferry or private boat. Regular Navigazione Laghi ferries depart from Stresa, Verbania Pallanza, Baveno and Arona; the crossing from Stresa takes approximately 20 minutes. By rail: Stresa station is on the Milan–Domodossola line, with frequent connections from Milan Centrale (about 1 hour). By car: parking is available in Stresa town; the ferry pier is a short walk from the station.