Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore (Italian: Lago Maggiore; also called Verbano) is the second-largest lake in Italy and the largest in southern Switzerland, stretching approximately 64 kilometres between Locarno in Ticino and Arona in Piedmont. Divided between the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy to the south and the Swiss canton of Ticino to the north, the lake sits halfway between Lake Orta and Lake Lugano on the southern flank of the Alps, and has been a celebrated destination for natural beauty, mild climate, and the ornamental island gardens of the Borromean Islands since the 17th century.
At a glance
- Type
- Glacial lake (subalpine)
- Period
- Formed by glacial retreat at the end of the last Ice Age
- Style
- Natural landscape; Italian lakeshore garden tradition
- Location
- Piedmont and Lombardy (Italy) / Canton Ticino (Switzerland)
- Coordinates
- 45.9160° N, 8.5610° E
- Area
- 212 km² (82 sq mi); maximum depth 372 m
Overview
Lake Maggiore is renowned for its dramatic scenery: the northern shores are framed by Alpine peaks while the southern basin opens into the Po Plain, creating a microclimate mild enough to support Mediterranean vegetation — camellias, azaleas, and citrus trees — at a latitude of nearly 46° N. The western shore runs through Piedmont via the Vergante hills; the eastern shore belongs to the province of Varese in Lombardy. The Swiss section covers the northern quarter of the lake around Locarno and Ascona, two towns that have long attracted artists and writers.
History
The lake has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, as evidenced by pile-dwelling settlements (palafitte) found at its margins, several of which are protected under the UNESCO World Heritage “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps” inscription (2011). The Borromeo family, one of Italy’s great noble dynasties, began transforming the Borromean Islands in the mid-17th century, commissioning terraced baroque gardens that remain the lake’s most visited cultural sites. The Grand Tour era of the 18th and 19th centuries cemented Lake Maggiore’s reputation among European aristocracy and writers including Stendhal, Flaubert, and Hemingway.
What you see
The Borromean Islands — Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and Isola dei Pescatori — are the centrepiece of the lake’s heritage landscape. Isola Bella is dominated by the baroque Palazzo Borromeo and its ten-terrace garden culminating in a theatrical water theatre; Isola Madre features the oldest garden on the lake with ancient Kashmir cypress trees; and Isola dei Pescatori retains its original fishing village character. On the western shore, the town of Stresa offers early 20th-century Grand Hotel architecture and a cable car ascending to Monte Mottarone (1,491 m).
Cultural significance
Lake Maggiore’s cultural landscape — blending natural beauty with centuries of aristocratic garden design, Renaissance and Baroque architecture, and literary associations — makes it one of the most historically layered destinations in northern Italy. The lake’s pile-dwelling heritage contributes to a UNESCO World Heritage property shared with five other Alpine countries. Its mild climate and visual drama have inspired writers, painters, and architects for three centuries, making it a reference point for the European ideal of the Italian lake landscape.
Practical information
The main bases for visiting are Stresa (west shore, Piedmont) and Verbania-Pallanza (west shore). Ferry services operated by Navigazione Laghi connect all major lakeside towns and the Borromean Islands year-round (more frequent from April to October). The Borromean Islands charge admission to the palazzo and gardens on Isola Bella and Isola Madre. Check official websites for current ferry timetables, island opening hours, and seasonal events.
Getting there
From Milan: Stresa is reached in about 1 hour by regional train from Milano Centrale (Trenitalia). By car, take the A26 motorway northbound (Genova–Gravellona Toce) and exit at Stresa. From Switzerland: Locarno is the northern gateway, accessible via the Gotthard or San Bernardino passes and by the Centovalli Railway from Domodossola. The nearest major airports are Milan Malpensa (MXP, approximately 45 km) and Milan Linate (LIN, approximately 80 km).