Lake Maggiore is the second-biggest lake in Italy and it’s home to a group of gorgeous islands known as the Borromean Islands.
Isola Bella on Lago Maggiore is undoubtedly the crown jewel of these islands. It’s also easily one of the most beautiful places in all of northern Italy.
Even after visiting Isola Bella (and the Borromean Islands) many times, I’m always swept up in the glamour of the island’s famous baroque palazzo, terraced gardens, and of course, the elegant white peacocks that roam freely through the gardens!
In the guide below, I’ve shared about visiting Isola Bella based on my own repeated visits as someone who lives part-time in the area to help you plan and fall in love with this tiny island, too.
Where is Isola Bella
Isola Bella is only 1,300 feet from Stresa, Lake Maggiore’s most popular shoreline town. It’s clearly visible from the waterfront in Stresa in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.
The island is one of the 4 Borromean Islands along with Isola Pescatori, Isola Madre and Isolino di San Giovanni. (This last one is privately owned by the Borromean family and not open to the public.)
Why Visit Isola Bella
Seriously, have you seen the photos?!?
Ok, sass aside. Isola Bella is stunning and I confess to being totally in love with this gorgeous island. So, clearly, I’m not the most objective.
But, I wasn’t exaggerating when I said it’s one of the most amazing places in all of northern Italy. Isola Bella’s palazzo and garden rivals any experience you might have touring a luxurious villa and its garden at Lake Como.
Top Things to See & Do on Isola Bella
Isola Bella is all about the opulent Palazzo Borromeo and its gorgeous terraced gardens. But I don’t want you to miss a thing so I’ve broken it down further.
Tour the Palazzo Borromeo.
You’ll arrive on Isola Bella at the palace’s doorstep so it makes sense to start your visit here.
It took almost 400 years to complete the baroque Palazzo Borromeo on Isola Bella, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait!
Tour the palace’s grand rooms with their breathtaking 360-degree Lake Maggiore views. The French doors in some of the palace rooms are open on warm days and you can stand at the Juliet balcony railing gazing out at the lake views.
Personally, I like to look out at the views and pretend that I am the Isabella married to Carlo Borromeo III who he named the island and built the palazzo for. (Thank goodness for imagination!)
As you move from room to room, you’ll see the amazing collections of paintings, antique musical instruments, painted ceilings, and historic pieces of furniture. (Napoleon stayed at the palazzo for a night in 1797 and you can see where he stayed.)
My favorite areas of the palace are towards the end, though. First come the grottoes on the lower level. They’re made entirely of shells and stones and are the most unique and amazing rooms you’ll ever see in an aristocratic palace like this.
Then, the last room is the Hall of Tapestries, just before you exit to the gardens. I confess to having “a thing” for tapestries but these are truly exquisite. I could look at the fantastical scenes of mythological animals all day except that the gorgeous gardens await just outside.
Feel Like Royalty in the Terraced Italian-Style Garden.
Isola Bella’s formal Italian garden has baroque decorations and water features that are arranged across ten levels between beautiful statues of gods and goddesses and perfectly manicured arrangements of flowers, shrubs, and trees.
You’ll instantly see why it’s Isola Bella’s most famous sight, even outranking the palazzo itself!
As you go up the outside stairs from the palace into the gardens, your eyes will land on the garden centerpiece called the Teatro Massimo. It has recessed sculptures, a unicorn statue at the top, a fountain, and stairs on either side leading to the upper levels.
It’s from these upper vantage points where you get the most incredible views of Lake Maggiore, Stresa, the Alpine foothills, and the gardens.
The scene becomes even more romantic when you see one of the famous free-roaming white peacocks strutting across the lawn fanning their feathers and calling to each other surrounded by this gorgeous garden and Lake Maggiore in the background.
Be Amazed by the Panoramic Lake & Mountain Views.
Lake Maggiore is surrounded by the foothills of the Alps and you can get a clear view of them from the upper levels of the garden.
Don’t miss going to the terrace on top of the Teatro Massimo. You have 360-degree views and can see all of Lake Maggiore to the Swiss Alps! It’s absolutely breathtaking, especially on a blue-sky day.
Wander the Small Island Village Shops and Cafes.
As you walk past the small cafe on the palace grounds and out one of the exit points, you’ll go straight into the tiny streets of the little village on Isola Bella.
Village is a bit of a misnomer because no one actually lives as a full-time resident here. You’ll find some bars, restaurants, gelaterias, and places to buy souvenirs that are only open during the spring, summer, and fall when the island has visitors.
Il Fornello Bottega con Cucina has delicious food and is a bit of a hidden gem because most visitors plan to have lunch on Isola Pescatori nearby.
If you don’t plan to stop for food or drinks, it won’t take more than 15-20 minutes to walk around this part of the island.
Combine a Visit with Isola Madre and Isola Pescatori.
If you’ve made it to Isola Bella, island-hopping to the other Borromean Islands is the best way to spend the day on Lake Maggiore.
You can see Isola Pescatori from the open terrace doors in the palazzo. Nicknamed “Fisherman’s Island,” it’s the only Borromean Island that has full-time residents (about 25!) and actually was never owned by the Borromean family.
The island is tiny and can be walked from end to end in just a few minutes. It has a small fishing museum, the Church of San Vittore, some shops, and lots of places to eat with gorgeous views. It’s my go-to for lunch when I’m visiting the Borromean Islands. If you want a table with the best panoramas of the lake, make a reservation.
Isola Madre is the largest of the Borromean Islands and has a beautiful 16th-century palace that was used as a family home. It’s not as grand as the Palazzo Borromeo on Isola Bella and has a warmer feel with furniture and portraits of the family.
The biggest draw is the huge botanical garden with flowers and plants from around the world. From wisteria and roses to citrus and cypress trees, the garden is spectacular with Lake Maggiore as the backdrop. Plus, the garden wouldn’t be complete without its own resident peacocks!
Best Time to Visit Isola Bella
The spring into the early summer is the most beautiful time of year to visit Isola Bella. The flowers are in bloom, and everywhere you look, the garden is covered in splashes of pink, white, yellow, red, purple, and orange.
Plus, it’s not hot yet, so you can comfortably walk around and enjoy the incredible views of Lake Maggiore. Think temperatures mostly in the 60-70F range.
Summer is the busiest time of year and it can get really crowded with groups inside the palazzo. The garden is mostly unshaded, too, so you really feel it if the day is super hot and sunny. If you’re visiting in the summer, start your day when the palace opens to get ahead of the crowds and midday temperatures.
In fall, Isola Bella is quieter and the garden flowers are not as brilliant but it’s still a very nice time to visit. You can take your time, enjoy the comfortable temperatures, and not have to wait for a boat with enough space to bring you back to the mainland or to another island.
Isola Bella (and Isola Madre) close during the winter, usually from early November until around mid-March. Check the official website for the exact seasonal closure dates if you’re visiting in November or March.
How to Get to Stresa on Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is west of Lake Como in the Italian lakes region. It’s divided between the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy, and Switzerland to the north.
Stresa is the most popular town on Lake Maggiore and the place where most people go to visit the Borromean Islands. If you’re not staying in Stresa or along Lake Maggiore with boat access to the islands, Stresa is also easy to reach by train.
You can take a day trip from Milan by train. Direct trains take about 60-90 minutes. If you’re renting a car for an Italy road trip, it’s just over an hour to drive from Milan to Stresa.
From Turin, there are no direct trains to Stresa. The fastest train takes about 2 hours and you’ll need to transfer in Rho Fiera. If you’re driving from Turin, the ride will take about 90 minutes.
From nearby Lake Orta, you can drive in about 30 minutes from the town of Orta San Giulio to Stresa or take bus #32 to arrive in less than an hour.
Boats to Isola Bella & the Borromean Islands
Most people take a boat from Stresa to Isola Bella and the other islands. Stresa is on the Piedmont side of Lake Maggiore, along the lake’s western shore.
Small motor boats that take people to the islands, as does the ferry from Stresa’s main waterfront area near Piazza Marconi.
I usually take one of the small motor boats from this location. The tricky thing here is that the parking lot is pretty small. You may need to look for parking on a side street and walk down to where boats depart or go to the main waterfront area with a bigger parking lot if you can’t find anything.
Boats to Isola Bella and the Borromean Islands also depart from the towns nearby like Baveno and the Pallanza-Verbania area. But Stresa will have more boats, more frequently.
You can get a boat ticket in advance. Just be sure you know where the boat is leaving from so you go to the right part of the Stresa waterfront.
These boats work as a hop-on-hop-off service. You can come and go during the day at your own pace. So, you can easily visit Isola Bella and hop to one or both of the other islands if and when you want as long as you have a multiple-island ticket.
Tips for Visiting Isola Bella
- You’ll need tickets for the boat to the islands and also an entrance ticket for the Palazzo Borromeo + Garden. There are also combination tickets that include the botanical gardens on Isola Madre and things to do around Lake Maggiore.
- You can book your tickets ahead of time. You should absolutely do this if you’re visiting in the summer to avoid the ticket lines.
- Lake Maggiore and Isola Bella are a photographer’s dream. If you’re taking photos with your smartphone, bring a portable battery charger.
- Be mindful of the ferry and water taxi schedules, especially later in the day. You don’t want to miss the last boat back to Stresa.
Ideas for Planning Your Visit to Isola Bella
At its simplest, you can plan a day trip to Isola Bella. I recommend spending the full day and visiting at least one of the other islands, too.
Stresa makes the easiest base, especially if you have just one day.
You could start with Isola Bella. Then, head to Isola Pescatori for lunch. Afterwards, spend the afternoon on Isola Madre. My guide on the Borromean Islands has this and another detailed one-day plan.
With more time, you could include Lake Maggiore and Isola Bella as part of a broader itinerary that might include places like Milan, Lake Como, and Lake Orta.
One possible scenario might look like this.
- Days 1-2: Arrive and visit Milan
- Day 3: Take a day trip to Lake Como
- Day 4: Visit Lake Maggiore & the Borromean Islands
- Day 5: Spend time visiting Orta San Giulio on Lake Orta and the Saco Monte di Orta
With this itinerary, it would make sense to spend the night in Stresa on Day 4 and, depending on your plans after this, rent a car for Days 4-5. It’s not completely necessary but it would give you the most flexibility, especially on the last day.
Ready to Visit Isola Bella at Lago Maggiore?
I hope you’re feeling inspired to visit Isola Bella (and all the Borromean Islands) on Lake Maggiore! It’s an absolute gem in northern Italy that deserves a place on your Italy itinerary.
When you go, look for me! I’ll be the one taking 500 photos of the peacocks! 😉
Let me know! What questions do you have about visiting Isola Bella and Lake Maggiore?
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