Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and Lake Garda emit their
unique sparkle onto the magnificent surrounding landscape, and
attract diverse tourists to their banks. Younger travellers enjoy
the sailing and nightlife experience of Lake Garda, Maggiore
provides a tranquil, relaxed respite and can be enjoyed from the
comforts of its surrounding luxury hotels, while sophisticates from
Milan are drawn to the magnetism of Lake Como.
Lake Como (known locally as Lago Di Como) is framed
by craggy backdrops, and magnificent villas festooned with
bougainvillea perch on its banks. Three long lakes converge to form
Lake Como, joining in the Centro Lago area with the four towns of
Bellaggio, Tremezzo, Menaggio and Varenna. These can be visited via
the boats and buses connecting the towns. Cultural areas of
interest include Como's duomo, the former communal palace, the
Broletto, and the Church of San Fedele. Scenic vistas can be
explored from a funicolare to Brunate. Hiking trails lead off from
here with overnight accommodation en route in the form of baite
(modest guesthouses). Across the lake is the Tempio Voltiano, a
memorial museum devoted to Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the
battery. There is an outdoor market in Como every Tuesday and
Thursday morning and the whole day on Sunday.
Lake Garda (known locally as Lago di Garda) is the
most popular of Italy's northern lakes and has a temperate climate
to complement its magnificent setting. The lake towns of Riva,
Gardone Riviera and Sirmione can be reached via buses, hydrofoils
and ferries from Desenzano. The town of Sirmione boasts the relics
of Roman civilisation and a magnificent medieval castle. The
Sirmione Spa, the largest privately owned thermal treatment centre
in Italy, offers invigorating therapy from its sulphurous waters.
Gardone Riviera was once the playground of the rich and famous and
is now the recreational haunt for many a tourist. The hills beyond
Gardone are perfect for walking and enjoying the scents of nature
bursting from the lemon groves. The alpine cliffs are a perfect
spot from which to hike, mountain bike and windsurf. The
picturesque pebble beaches provide a slower, languid
soaking-up-the-sun holiday experience.
Lake Maggiore is the preferred holiday destination of
the elite. The resort town of Stresa is a haven for Italians,
French and Germans who flock to its cobbled streets to enjoy the
spectacular mountain and lake views. Just a heartbeat away from
Lake Maggiore lie the splendid Borromean Isles. Daily excursion
tickets enable adventurous travellers to hop between the islands at
their leisure. Of these isles, the Isola Bella is the most visited.
Its claim to fame is the magnificent Baroque palace, the Palazzo e
Giardini Borromeo, replete with priceless masterpieces, tapestries,
furniture and paintings. The terraced gardens reach their dramatic
apex with the unicorn, the Borromeo family emblem. On Isola Madre
is the Borromeo bambini doll collection, as well as a number of
portraits of the family. A magnificent botanical garden flows from
the house with plentiful exotic trees, plants and flowers.
