This is an attraction that lived up to its reviews. I read about it beforehand but was prepared to be let down however it was a highlight of our time at Lago Maggiore and Stresa. The gardens are beautifully maintained with white peacocks roaming the grounds and lovely statues and artwork throughout. We went to Isola de Madre first and Isola Bella last. In between we had lunch and shopped on the island with a town. Altogether a very pleasant day with great views of the lake and mountains - be sure to leave yourself time to enjoy it all. My traveling group of six hired a water taxi at the recommendation of the hotel concierge to pick us up and drop us at each of the three islands which made for less stress on timing. Great way to go.
Visit all three islands and also the Borromeo Palace. We used an all day hop on/off ferry pass. Very nice and relaxing. Allow yourself plenty of time to see the Palace and also the botanical gardens. Well worth the visit. The ferry ticket price does not include entry into the palace and the botanical gardens. But the cost is only marginal, compared to entry at some Italian tourist spots!
Дворец в отличном состоянии. Обязательно к посещению. Парк также очень хорош. Понравились белые павлины
The three Borromeo Islands in Lago Maggiore near Stresa, Italy are a delight to visit especially in the Spring. Everything is in bloom on Isola Bella where the Palazzo and Gardens sit. The palazzo is worth a wander as as are the very special grottoes on the lower level. Getting there by a short ferry ride from Stresa is part of the enjoyment. For an extra fare, the ferry will take you to Isola Pescatore that is quaint and loaded with restaurants. If you include Isola Madre for a bit more, you will have a trifecta on the Borromeo Islands.Stresa is 45 minutes north from Malpensa airport by Autostrada. A great place to decompress after the ordeal of an overnight flight.
This is the jewel in the crown of the Borromean Islands. We've visited this palace three times and it still amazes us. It is a lovely building in an incredible location with lovely terraced gardens, and is definitely to be recommended to anyone visiting this area. Access to the island is easy from several locations on the lake, with the shortest crossings being from Stress or Have no.
A trip round all 3 Borromean islands is a highlight of any holiday on Lake Maggiore and is well worth a day's effort - we took 6 hours to cover them. We used the 'belle epoche' town of Stresa as our base. Two of the islands, Isola de Madre and Isola Bella, have grand palaces with beautiful and shady gardens, while the third, Isola di Pescatori acts as the refuelling break for the round trip, with numerous restaurants. (There are cafes on the other 2 islands too, contrary to the info in Lonely Planet guide book). The only downside of our wonderful day was the scramble to get off each island on the cramped private ferry boats we'd unwittingly booked, so we'd recommend using the official lake steamer company, which provides vessels with plenty of space, if you'd rather not mix it with the pensioner groups!
I have visited these islands with a guide and without and I would definitely suggest going without. A guide is always trying to hurry you along. Just get a Rick Steve's guide book to the area and explore on your own. All three of the island are lovely and the Borromeo Palace and Gardens are wonderful!
This was one of the most beautiful spots that I have ever visited. My family and I were staying at Villa d'Este in Lake Como. We rented a car for a day trip to Stresa, and what an amazing journey. The Italian Alps are magnificent, and the town of Stresa well worth the visit. The highlight of the trip was the short ferry ride to the Palace. It was absolutely ethereal and unreal. The magnificent rooms were only matched by the incredible views from the gardens and the sassy peacocks roaming the grounds. Beware of the private boat captains who grab you on shore to tell you that they are the ferry. NO! They get you on their boat, take you to the first of 3 islands in the lake, and then tell you a ridiculous fee to take you BACK to the mainland. A deal CAN be had with them, but negotiate in advance for a family group. If you are just a couple of people, no reason not to take the leisurely and beautiful ferry trip. Great restaurants on the island and reasonably priced souvenir stands. Great, fun ceramic chicken pottery in Stresa.
Our group visited the Palace with one of the greatest tour guides ever. He truly made this tour so enjoyable. Although I cannot believe how one family can have so much, it was still an incredible experience. The grounds were immaculate. The grottos were fascinating. If you are in this area, be sure to take the time to visit this Palace. We did not have a lot of time to explore, which is always difficult on a tour but thoroughly enjoyed our time.
We visited this amazing palace for 3-4 hours .the palace himself is beautiful with great royal collections .after that we got out to the garden that was outstanding. F.I.Y in the palace they don't allow to take pictures.see pictures on :https://www.flickr.com/photos/82458480@N05/sets/72157630636886492/