Isola Bella

Beautiful palace and gardens, well worth the visit. Easy enough to get a boat over to the island, leave every 30 minutes or so. Lots of little stalls and gift shops and plenty of places to eat and drink. Good value for money considering the upkeep of the palace and gardens.

Isola Bella, located in Lake Maggiore near Stresa in northern Italy, is renowned for its enchanting blend of history, art, and natural beauty. The centerpiece of the island is the magnificent Baroque Palazzo Borromeo, owned for centuries by the Borromeo family. This palace impresses visitors with its richly decorated rooms, grand reception halls, and a range of art collections. Noteworthy spaces include the Music Room, the Throne Room, and the Hall of Love, while the unique Murano mosaic table and beautifully furnished grottoes, adorned with shells and pebbles, provide a glimpse into the craftsmanship of past eras. Beyond the palace, Isola Bella’s Italian-style terraced gardens are a true highlight. Referred to as the Hanging Gardens, they are a masterpiece of landscape design, featuring ten distinct terraces embellished with statues, fountains, vibrant flowerbeds, and a dazzling variety of rare and exotic plants. The terraced layout offers spectacular panoramic views over Lake Maggiore and the surrounding mountains, making it a photographer’s paradise and a delight for garden enthusiasts. A fascinating aspect of the gardens is the Unicorn Grotto, an evocative cave decorated with shells, pebbles, and a sculpture symbolizing purity and nobility. At the summit, the Teatro Massimo, a small outdoor theater, recalls the private performances of the Borromeo family’s heyday. The island itself is easily accessible by regular ferries from Stresa, Verbania, and Baveno, and the process is typically straightforward. Upon arrival, the initial impression can be busy, especially in peak season or during the mornings when tour groups disembark. As you make your way from the small central square along narrow alleys, the atmosphere becomes more relaxed, leading towards the main attractions. There are ample opportunities for refreshment, with cafés and restaurants scattered around the island, many offering picturesque lake views. While food and drink prices can be higher in the tourist hubs, exploring quieter spots may lead to more reasonably priced and authentic options. Souvenir stands and boutiques add a lively, bustling feel, but they do not overshadow the island’s cultural and historic character. Visitors occasionally note that the island can become crowded, which sometimes diminishes the tranquil experience the gardens and palace are meant to evoke. For a more serene visit, it is advisable to avoid opening hours or high season weekends. The palace and gardens require an entrance ticket, which also helps manage the flow of tourists, though the price is sometimes considered high relative to the crowded conditions at peak times. Overall, Isola Bella captivates with its remarkable synthesis of architecture, horticulture, and scenic grandeur. Whether you are interested in art, history, or simply enjoying lake and mountain vistas, the island offers a memorable experience that stands out among Italy’s most unique and romantic destinations.

If you have the chance to go I'd say is totally worth it, the views are incredible, the gardens and the interior are really pretty

A must see place! ❤️☀️✨The shortest way to reach is from Stresa. Many boat services for checking near the port. Check the time table first! 😊

Beautiful small island, ideal for a half-day trip in spring or summer. It is a must to visit Palazzo Borromeo and its gardens (tickets are available also online). The visit lasts about 2 hours, depending on your speed. After the visit you can exit from the gardens and have lunch in one of the restaurants, or an ice cream. You can join a visit to another island, but pay attention to the boats time table, since last travel is at 18 about. I suggest a visit in spring in order to see blooming of roses and other flowers. There is also an hotel if you want to sleep on the island (book it in advance!). If you do not want to pay the visit to Palazzo Borromeo and its garden, or to eat something, I think that one hour on the island is more than enough, since there are only few small streets and few shops to visit.

Very cool place full of things to see. Spent some nice hours here. The palace and the garden are deffinitely worth visiting!

Nice Place to visit, but turbo-tourism.

We visited Isalo Bella and the Palace, including the garden. We paid 20 euro entrance. 📸. Also a lot of restaurants for a good lunch. There are many boots that can bring you from Stresa to the Island.

If you're able, come to this treasure. The gardens equal the interior in beauty and wonder.

I've been to the Palace of Versailles near Paris in the last century, and now Palazzo Borromeo, a grand palace shaped like a castle surrounded by a beautiful lake. We took a ferry from Baveno, Italy to Isola Bella, an island in Lago Maggiore, second largest lake in Italy, bordering on Switzerland, and the Swiss Alps, at the height of the heat wave in Europe in July. Starting in 1670, it took four centuries to complete the Palazzo Borromeo, and the surrounding gardens. The palace includes the Throne and Queens rooms, the Napoleon's Room, the Gallery of General Berthier with a collection of 130 paintings. On a lower floor, six grottoes were built to keep cool from summer heat. Yes, Napoleon did stay overnight here, along with his entourage of several dozen of his officers, who managed to make a big disarray of their overnight accomodations before leaving. Imagine having to prepare a meal fit for a king on one days notice. The gardens include the Teatro Massimo at the center, ten terraces in the shape of a truncated pyramid. We checked out the the monumental unicorn, the obelisks, the statues, the two towers and other architectural elements, as well as the camphor and citrus trees, and the collections of roses, rhododendrons and camellias. We spent much of our time trying to chase down the magnificent white peacocks around the grounds, for that classic picture shot. Just like my cat, the peacocks never obey me, and never did spread their feathers in full spread.

So glad that this was part of our tour. The local tour guide was very knowledgeable. A beautiful place especially the white peacocks- they're exquisite

It is unique island series own Borromean family. Isola Bella (Lago Maggiore) has palace like building and a lot room and reception hall. Now it is a tourist visit place by boat. If you come to Stresa, this is must visit island. The house is build in two phases. One side build in early 1600 and the other side late 16th century. I like several rooms in the building. The conversation room has a table in the center. This table has flower pattern make from the tiny Murano mosaic glass. Each piece color is special make to join becomes the table flower pattern. The ground floor grotto has nice stone piece and breezy for cool summer night. The back of building is the garden. It is an Italian garden with step up building. In the garden has the rare white peacock walking around. You may catch a chance and to see their feathers fully open. And they like Britney Spear love you to take it picture.

Wow this palace and its grounds and spectacular gardens are just beautiful! We'll kept up and the views are awesome from every where. Our tour guide is so knowledgeable and explained all there is to know about the palace which the residents still live in today on the top floors. Large celebrations are held here still today. The stucco art rooms are stunning, the marble floors and columns are beautiful. The grotte's ( caves) were used to get enjoy and get cooled off in as the palace has no air conditioning in the summer. Palace closes in November and opens in the spring for guests. Enjoy a seat in the garden for a quick lunch or just a cafe or drink.

Very nice and small island that Must be visited as part Of the lovely and cultural places in the area