discover
Lake Maggiore, Stresa
and the Borromean Islands
Lake Maggiore places palazzo-topped islands and villas within a stone’s throw of wild mountain peaks and nature reserves; perfect for visiting and exploring during your holiday at Villa Falcone.
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is one of the most picturesque Italian lakes, and the second largest lake in Italy, snaking a path from the Alps to the Mediterranean plains on the southern shore and popping its head over the Swiss border.
Lake Maggiore is a true Italian postcard come to life: villas, flowers, and native luxuriant vegetation. It has preserved the Belle Époque ambiance and architecture better than the other lakes in Northern Italy.
You’ll find numerous villas with stunning gardens that are often open to visitors. Don’t miss to walk around the gardens of Villa Pallavicino and Villa Taranto for a memorable experience.
The lake offers plenty of other activities, like boat tours, windsurfing, golf, ziplining, cycling, horseback riding, sailing, and canoeing.
Villa Falcone is ideally located to visit the villages that dot the shores of Lake Maggiore. Cannobio with its Orrido di Sant’Anna gorge, Cannero with its castles, Belgirate with its tiny cobbled lanes, Lesa and its restaurants, the lively town of Arona with its Colossus of San Carlo Borromeo and the view over Rocca d’Angera, Leggiuno and Santa Caterina del Sasso Hermitage…
STRESA
Villa Falcone is located in the renowned town of Stresa, a sought-after destination among artists and the international jet set since the post-war period, that today still enjoys an impressive roster of cultural and musical events.
Royalty, philosophers, musicians and writers (Hemingway included) have all been wooed by Stresa’s marvellous lake views.
In Stresa, you’ll find an elegant, flower-lined promenade along Lake Maggiore that evokes the charm of Cannes’ Croisette, lined by luxury villas and opulent Art Nouveau hotels.
Stresa’s town center is very picturesque, with plenty of shops, restaurants and characteristic cafes.
A local treat are Margheritine, small sugar-dusted biscuits that are absolutely a delicious must-try!
From Stresa you can take a boat to every corner of the lake, from Piemonte, to Lombardia, to Switzerland.
But one of the most popular attractions in Stresa is the magnificent Gulf with the Borromean Islands, a group of islands located just a short boat ride from the town.
borromean islands
A must-see at Lake Maggiore, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful discoveries you can make during your vacation at Villa Falcone, is the Borromean Islands, home to the luxurious palaces and gardens of the Borromeo family.
From Stresa, the Borromean Islands are just ten minutes away by boat.
You can explore the lake’s most prominent island, Isola Bella, with its baroque palace, terraced gardens and white peacocks; majestic in the summer sunshine.
Boats also bustle across the water to Isola Madre, where you can ramble between carefully cultivated magnolia groves, palm gardens, wisteria walkways, and lily ponds; beautiful in spring or autumn, when nature colours it with a thousand different nuances.
Isola Pescatori is where you want to head when appetite comes. It’s the only still inhabited island, home to a busy fishing village, with a cluster of restaurants and shops; walking around it will give you a taste of the most quaint life at Lake Maggiore.
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Easy trips from Villa Falcone
From your villa overlooking beautiful Lake Maggiore in the picturesque town of Stresa, you can easily explore this magnificent region of Italy. Visit enchanting Lake Orta and Lake Mergozzo, admire the lake from above while you go on a hike on Mottarone mount, taste some of the region’s finest wines at local vineyards, travel into Switzerland on the scenic Centovalli Railway or spend the day shopping in Milan’s fashion district.
