Lake Maggiore on the border of Switzerland and Italy: recreation, attractions, villas

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

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 sightseeing tours to Italy from Russia provide their clients with the opportunity to see this blue pearl of the Alps with their own eyes. But in vain. After all, it is said: "If you have a heart and a shirt, sell a shirt and satisfy your soul - visit Lago Maggiore." This is the second largest lake in Italy. Only Garda is larger than it in area. 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 country's best balneological clinics are located, and ancient Ascona. Not far from the shores of Lake Maggiore is Lugano, nicknamed the European Rio de Janeiro for its vibrant social life. 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 of Lago Maggiore is translated from Italianlike Big Lake. The name of the reservoir speaks for itself: it stretches from north to south for as much as sixty-six kilometers. The lake was formed thanks to an ancient glacier, which descended from the Alps and plowed the basin, damming the reservoir with its moraine. This explains the narrowness of Maggiore, with its steep and steep banks. At its widest point, the lake spreads for ten kilometers. At the same time, the reservoir is very deep (the maximum figure is 375 meters) - after all, the glacial tongue was sliding along a tectonic fault. In Lake Maggiore, the water is very clean due to the constant circulation. This reservoir 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 Garda. The navigable river Ticino (a tributary of the Po) flows into and out of the reservoir. Lake Maggiore on the 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 even in the Italian part, the border runs along the lake - between the provinces. The eastern coast of Maggiore belongs to Lombardy, and the western coast belongs to Piedmont. Traditionally, the reservoir 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 south of the nominal line Belgirate - Castelletto sopra Ticino in Piedmont.

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's soft and warm, butunpredictable. Of course, the alpine peaks serve as a reliable barrier to the cold northern winds. But sometimes the icy air accumulated in the high gorges breaks into the heated lake basin, causing storms. Then the locals say that the major (north wind) or mergozzo (western) blew. But these are emergencies. 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 fluctuates within four meters. Maggiore reaches its maximum filling in June - at the time of melting of the glaciers that feed the Ticino and other smaller rivers. The tourist season lasts from May to October. Although during this period vacationers are not immune from unexpected storms. The prevailing winds are the tramontana. It blows in the first half of daylight hours from the lake to the shores. After lunch, the tramontana is replaced by the inverna, which rears light ripples on the water surface until sunset.

How to get to the lake

Sightseeing tours to Italy provide vacationers from Russia with vouchers to Milan, the capital of Lombardy, or Turin, the main city of Piedmont. Getting to Lake Maggiore from these two points is not difficult. Independent travelers can recommend this 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 also a railway line ending in the coastal town of Verbanya. The path from the north will be more intricate. First you will need to get by plane toLucerne, 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 shores of Lake Maggiore, in just three hours. And from there you can cross the border with Italy by bus (fast and cheap) or on a comfortable cruise ship (glamourous and chic). The main port in the southern part of the lake is Verbanya. All resorts along the banks are connected by a network of excellent roads. The steep shores of the lake have long been drilled by man with tunnels. So traveling by regular bus from one point to another can already be considered an exciting excursion.

The amazing story of Lake Maggiore

Mild climate and richness of waters with fish determined that these places were inhabited a very long time ago. 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 called him Lacus Maximus. Translated from Latin, this means the Greatest Lake. The Romans surrounded the pond with a beautiful road, which has survived to this day in fragments. In the Middle Ages, the name of the lake changed. Since the shores of the reservoir were densely overgrown with fragrant verbena, they began to call it Verbano. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Napoleon's troops made a brilliant crossing of the Alps. The French fortified and equipped the old road, making it convenient for carriages. The mild climate of the lake began to attract the Italian aristocracy to its shores. The rich built luxurious villas and palaces. The modest name of the lakeVerbano did not reflect the grandeur of their dwelling. Therefore, the old Roman name of the reservoir was remembered. It was changed into 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 steep banks. And on the islands 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 lake, giving an unforgettable vacation? Maggiore is dotted with resorts, each one unique. Whether you come to the Lombard side or the Piedmontese coast, everything will be fine. The hotel base on the lake is well developed. But there is one but. Hotels in Italy cannot be called budget. And on Lake Maggiore, where holidays are considered prestigious, prices soar - especially during the tourist season. But what a variety of hotels! You can even live on the Borromean Islands. True, such a pleasure will cost twenty-three thousand rubles per night. A lot of hotels are located in two resort towns - Verbanya and Stresa. Demanding clients can be advised five-star hotel "Villa e Palazzo Aminta" or "Grand Majestic". An excellent choice of housing is provided by local "fours": "Belvedere", "Ankora" and others. Prices in them range from five to seven thousand rubles. Do not be afraid to stop in the "threes". Hotels "Albergo Pesque d'Oro", "Aquadolce" and "Il Chiostro" in Verbanya - excellentbalance between price and quality of services. The cost of a room in such hotels is about three thousand rubles. Campsites are open during the summer months. Not only customers with a car can stay in them. Campsites rent out mobile homes.

Sights of Lake Maggiore

Resting on this large alpine reservoir is notable not only for its natural beauties. In terms of saturation with 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. Palaces and villas fit beautifully into the landscape. An excursion to Lake Maggiore would not be complete without visiting the islands. Especially popular is the Borromeo archipelago with Isolo Bella (on which the Cardinal's palace is located), Pescatori, Madre, San Giovanni and the tiny Scoglio della Malghera. 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 holidays against the backdrop of these miracles fade into the background. And nature, which endowed Maggiore with rocky picturesque shores, did not create conditions for it. The beaches are mainly artificial terraces above the water surface. But there are excellent conditions for hiking and cycling tourism. On a small tourist boat, yacht or boat, you can make an exciting trip on Lake Maggiore.

Resorts on the west coast of a mountain reservoir

Each region of Italy in its own wayinteresting. In Piedmont, the most "promoted" 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 has included small towns. And Stresa is interesting because it is easy to get to the Borromean Islands from it. In addition, funicular cabins start from it, taking tourists to the top of Mount Mottarone, from where a charming view of the lake opens. Arona is very interesting. Here, in 1538, San Carlun, a representative of the noble Borromeo family, was born. The family nest, the fortress of Rocca Arona, no longer exists - it was destroyed by Napoleon's troops. But you can admire the "Colossus of San Carlon" - a thirty-five-meter sculpture of this cleric. Also very interesting are the resorts of Cannobio, Ogebbio, Cannero Riviera, Ghiffa, Baveno, Belgirate, Meina, 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 Pallavicino Palace with a beautiful park. Also worth visiting are the Villa Ducale and the Castelli. Cannobio is a very ancient town with traces of the Romans. Above Ghiffa, not far from Verbania, rises the mountain of the Holy Trinity. It houses a complex of chapels included in the UNESCO list.

Resort gems of Lombardy

Even if you live on the western shore, nothing prevents you from crossing the narrow Lake Maggiore to admire the wonderful sights of the eastern region. Directly opposite Stresa is located Angera. It is famous for its medievalcastle, which alternately changed brilliant owners - Scalligeri, Visconti, Borromeo. Angera should be visited with children, because inside the ancient citadel there is a wonderful museum of dolls. It was founded at the end of the 20th century by Princess Bona Borromeo-Arrese. Lake Maggiore on the Lombard side is adorned with such equally interesting resorts as Ranko, Sesto Calende, Ispra, Besozzo, Brebbia, Monvalle, Laveno Mombello, Lejuno, Castelveccana, Brezzo di Bedero, Porto V altravaglia, Germignaga, Maccagno, Luino, Tronzano Lago Maggiore and Pino sulla Sponda. The real tourist attraction of the eastern coast is the monastery of Santa Catarina del Sasso. It was literally carved into 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 the land. Lovers of nature untouched by civilization can be advised to visit the Ticino National Park. It is divided between Lombardy and Piedmont. The park stretches along 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 islands. Almost the entire territory of Isola Bella is occupied by the Borromeo Palace. The island is separated from the town of Stresa by only four hundred meters of water. The palace itself was built in the Lombard Baroque style in 1632 by Charles III Borromeo for his wife Isabella. A beautiful park, consisting of Italian and English parts, was laid out later. Napoleon visited the castleJosephine, the English Queen Caroline of Brunswick and other famous people. The name "Isola Pescatori" suggests that this islet has been inhabited by fishermen since ancient times. It is worth visiting this town and wandering through its narrow streets. On this tiny stretch of land, three hundred meters long and a hundred meters wide, several hotels nestled. "Albergo Verbano" consists of only twelve rooms, so you need to book in advance. Isola Madre is privately owned. You can only admire them from a distance. Lake Maggiore is famous not only for the Borromeo archipelago. Three islets of Castelli di Kennero rise off the coast of Connobio. Ancient castles once towered on them - hence the name. The Lombardy region, unlike Piedmont, has only one island on Lago Maggiore. This is Isolino Partegora. But it has a great sandy beach.

What to try in this region

Lake Maggiore has long been famous for its fish. Therefore, the local region has developed its own cuisine, different from the Lombard and Piedmontese, where meat and cheeses are the main ingredients. So everywhere on Lago Maggiore you should taste lake fish dishes. Naturally, in the summer heat it’s nice to refresh yourself with wonderful Italian ice cream. There is no shortage of traditional pizzerias and spaghettias here. But there are places on the lake that serve speci alties that can only be tasted here and nowhere else. Gourmets should visit Stresa not only for the villas of Pallavicino and Ducale, the Borromean Islands or the peak of Mottarone. Only in this townmake delicious crumbly Margheritine cookies. The recipe for this dessert at the end of the nineteenth century was invented by a culinary specialist from Stresa especially for the Princess of Savoy. Margherita later became Queen of Italy.

Reviews

Lake Maggiore (Italy) is popular with yachtsmen and windsurfers because the “correct” winds blow here. But don't count on a good beach holiday here. There are very few places where the bottom is flat and you can go into the water. The steep banks go under water immediately to the depth. Due to the constant circulation, the lake warms up poorly. 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 Italy's great lakes is famous for.