Best Isola Bella Day Trips & Things to Do

Perched on the shores of Lake Maggiore, Isola Bella enchants visitors with its baroque palace and terraced gardens cascading toward the water. The Borromean family’s 17th-century masterpiece features six elegant balconies, ornate frescoes, and a marble courtyard framed by peacocks and statues. Below, the Italianate gardens bloom with magnolias, azaleas, and camellias, unfolding across ten levels linked by grottoes and fountains. Unlike its quieter neighbor Isola dei Pescatori, this isle thrives on grandeur yet retains an intimate charm. From the belvedere, views stretch across shimmering waters to the Alps, best savored at golden hour. A brief boat ride from Stresa or Baveno brings you here - a jewel of the Borromean Islands, where history and nature merge in breathtaking harmony.