Strolling along Stresa’s wide waterfront promenade is like stepping back in time to when wealthy aristocrats embarked on grand tours of continental Europe. Extravagant hotels and luscious gardens line the picturesque lakefront. Don’t forget to have a seat on a bench and take in the view of Lake Maggiore and Isola Bella. Wander the cobblestone […]
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Ghiffa
You have to watch signs very carefully to catch the turn uphill to Ghiffa. The main attraction here is the 17th century Il Sacro Monte della SS. Trinità di Ghiffa, an unfinished Baroque complex with a sanctuary church, three chapels and the portico of the Via Crucis. The complex sits at the base of Mount […]
Isola Madre, Borromean Islands
Isola Madre is the largest of the Borromean Islands. Palazzo Madre was constructed in the 16th – 18th centuries on the former site of a church and cemetery, both of which were relocated to Isola Bella. The villa is full of 17th century paintings, puppets, marionettes, dolls, puppet scenery and porcelain. Amazingly, the English-style botanical […]
Isola Superiore (Pescatori), Barromean Islands
This small, steep fishing village was first inhabited in the 10th century. I’m not sure how many people lived on it then, but today it has about 50 year-round residents. Chiesa di San Vittore, which dates from the 11th century, is the lone sight. It takes about two minutes to see it, then you can […]
Isola Bella, Borromean Islands
The jewels of Lake Maggiore are the Isole Borromee, or Borromean Isands. There are four islands and three are open to visitors. They can be accessed via ferry from one of the lakeside towns such as Stresa or Baveno. In the 17th century, Count Vitaliano Borromeo constructed this baroque palace on what was an unimpressive […]
Santa Caterina del Sasso
Santa Caterina del Sasso clings dramatically to the rocky cliff on the east side of Lake Maggiore. The hermitage was founded in the 12th century by Alberto Besozzi, a wealthy local merchant. After surviving a brutal storm while crossing the lake, Besozzi decided to stay here and live out his life in peace. Besozzi constructed […]
Verbania Market
Markets are the best way to get a feel for a region and Verbania is no exception. The Saturday morning market is worth seeing simply for the food. Unless you’re in the market for underwear or street vendor-quality clothing, you’ll spend most of your time marveling over humungous cheeses, fresh pastries and cured meats.
Hotel Pironi, Cannobio, Italy
This welcoming hotel is housed in one of Cannobio’s oldest buildings, a 15th-century palace that was also part of a Franciscan monastery. The building is especially recognizable for its prow-shaped exterior, parting two roads leading down to Lake Maggiore. Throughout the building, some of the ancient features remain such as original frescoes, brick tile floors, […]
La Collegiata di San Vittore
This church sits in the middle of Cannobio and was built in the 18th century over an earlier medieval Romanesque church. The Romanesque bell tower is from the 12th century. The neoclassical façade is from the 19th century. The spire was rebuilt in the 20th century. Of course, the main attraction here is the Holy […]
Il Santuario della SS. Pietà di Cannobio
The Sanctuary of the Santissima Pietà was constructed to commemorate a dramatic event: The Miracle of the Holy Rib. What happened? In 1522, a painting of a Pietà (a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus) began to emit blood and tears. The next night, in the same […]
