The Baroque Island on Lake Maggiore That Most Tourists Never Find

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The boat leaves Stresa on a morning so still that the water looks like glass. Five minutes later, a palace rises straight from the lake — white marble, ten terraces of garden stacked above the water, peacocks walking paths that noble guests once walked. You are not dreaming. This is Isola Bella, and most visitors to Italy have no idea it exists.

The Island That Shouldn’t Exist

Isola Bella sits on Lake Maggiore in northern Italy, just off the small resort town of Stresa. Until the early 1600s, it was little more than a bare rock with a handful of fishing families scratching a living from the water.

Then Count Carlo III Borromeo decided to transform it. He wanted to create something magnificent — a palace and garden to rival anything in Europe — as a gift for his wife, Isabella. He named the island after her. The project outlived him, continued by his son Vitaliano VI, and took most of the century to complete.

The result is one of the most extraordinary places in all of Italy. And somehow, most tourists who come to this country never get here.

A Palace Built for Love

The Palazzo Borromeo is everything you expect from the Italian baroque — and then considerably more. Rooms are dressed in velvet, mirrors, and painted ceilings that stretch upward into painted skies. Tapestries hang beside portraits of the Borromeo family, who still own the island today.

Below the main floors, grottos carved from tufa stone sit at water level, their walls covered in shells, black and white pebbles, and mosaic patterns. The air down here is cool and slightly otherworldly. It is one of the most unusual rooms in Italy.

Napoleon and Josephine stayed here in 1797. The bed they slept in is still on display, behind a velvet rope, in the room just as they left it. That detail — that the bed is still here — says something about how seriously the Borromeos take their history.

Ten Terraces and White Peacocks

The gardens are what stop people mid-step. They rise behind the palace in ten terraces, each one planted with azaleas, camellias, citrus trees, and tropical plants that thrive in the mild lake climate. The topmost terrace is crowned by a unicorn statue — the Borromeo family symbol — looking out over the water.

White peacocks wander freely along the paths. They are not a decoration or an attraction. They simply live here, as they always have, stepping unhurriedly past visitors as if the garden belongs to them. Which, in a sense, it does.

The whole design mimics the shape of a ship, with the palace as the hull and the terraces as the upper decks. From the top, you see the full width of the lake, the snow-capped Alps behind it, and the red rooftops of Isola Pescatori just five minutes away by boat.

Lake Maggiore rewards those who stay longer than a day. If you are planning a northern Italy trip, it pairs beautifully with Lake Como, which sits just thirty kilometres to the east and has its own very different character.

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Isola Pescatori — The Island Time Forgot

Isola Pescatori is the smallest of the three main Borromean Islands, and the most quietly magnetic. Around fifty people still live here permanently, in a village of narrow lanes, coloured houses, and fishing nets hung out to dry between the walls.

There are no cars. The cobbled alleyways are so narrow in places that you have to turn sideways to pass. The island looks almost exactly as it did a century ago, because there is nowhere for it to grow and no reason to change what already works.

The restaurants along the waterfront serve fresh lake fish — whitefish, perch, pike — caught that same morning. This is where you eat slowly, watch the light change on the water, and stop pretending you have anywhere else to be. Most visitors spend thirty minutes here. Those who stay for lunch rarely regret it.

Isola Madre — The Quiet Sister

Isola Madre is the largest of the three islands but the least visited. Its botanical garden holds some of the oldest camellia and rhododendron trees in Italy, and in spring the colour is staggering.

The palazzo here is smaller and more intimate than on Isola Bella. Its rooms hold antique puppet theatres, family portraits, and collections of dolls and curiosities gathered across centuries. It feels less like a museum and more like walking through someone’s home — just someone with an unusually large and beautiful one.

Peacocks, pheasants, and parrots roam the grounds freely. On a quiet midweek morning in May, you may walk the island with almost no one else around.

How to Visit the Borromean Islands

Regular ferries run from Stresa and Verbania to all three islands. A combined ticket covers entry to both Isola Bella and Isola Madre — Isola Pescatori is a free public village with no entry fee. The crossing from Stresa to Isola Bella takes about ten minutes.

Most people visit as a day trip from Milan, which is roughly an hour away by train. Stresa itself is worth an overnight stay — the lakefront promenade is one of the most beautiful in Italy, and the town is far calmer than the busier shores of Lake Como.

For the best time to visit, aim for late April through early June, when the gardens are in full bloom and the summer crowds have not yet arrived. September and October are also excellent. Avoid the peak of July and August if you can — the islands are small, and they fill up quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time to visit the Borromean Islands?

Late April to early June is ideal — the camellia and azalea gardens are in full colour, and crowds are still manageable. September is also excellent, with warm weather and far fewer visitors than summer.

How do you get to the Borromean Islands from Milan?

Take a train from Milan Centrale to Stresa — the journey takes around 50 to 70 minutes. From the Stresa waterfront, regular ferries run to the Borromean Islands throughout the day. No advance booking is needed for the ferry.

Do you need tickets to visit Isola Bella?

Yes. Entry to the Palazzo and gardens on Isola Bella requires a ticket, purchased at the island or online in advance. A combined ticket is available for both Isola Bella and Isola Madre. Isola Pescatori is a free public village — you simply walk off the boat.

How much time should you allow for the Borromean Islands?

A full day is ideal if you want to visit all three islands properly. Allow two to three hours for Isola Bella, one hour for Isola Madre, and at least an hour on Isola Pescatori — longer if you plan to eat lunch there.

Most people who visit Lake Maggiore are surprised they had never heard of the Borromean Islands before. They are not a hidden secret — they have been there for four centuries. They are simply waiting for the visitors who take the extra step, cross the extra stretch of water, and arrive somewhere that most travellers never find.

You Might Also Enjoy

If you love the Italian lake district, you may also enjoy the story of Lake Como — Italy’s most glamorous lake and its surprising link to the global fashion industry. For a completely different kind of lake scenery, the turquoise waters of Lake Braies in the Dolomites are equally breathtaking and far less visited.

Plan Your Italy Trip

Ready to start planning? The Ultimate Italy Travel Guide covers everything you need — from the best regions to visit, to transport tips, seasonal advice, and how to get beyond the tourist trail.

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