At sunset, seven lakes were seen. Believe me you can go all over France and Germany, but you will never be able to experience such feelings.
(Stendhal, Rome, Naples and Florence)
Lake Monate
Our hotel overlooks an evocative and tranquil water-proof pool to spend days in total relaxation. It is a whitewashed lake thanks to the ban on motor boats; Here you will see only papers, swans and pedalos. Numerous private beaches surround it from which you can rent canoes, kayaks and pedalos.
Lake Comabbio
Only 5 minutes from our hotel there is a small natural canyon bordered by three mountains and interspersed by small hills; Is an oasis rich in rare plants mostly floating. One characteristic of this lake is its fishery. Interesting is the cycle path that surrounds it and connects it to Lake Varese.
Lake Varese
Located at the foot of the Varesine Precipices, it is also surrounded by a cyclopedonian track of about 30 km, from which you can reach the Campo dei Fiori park with its chestnut and beech woods and the karst caves from which you can admire a Indescribable landscape. On its highest peak is the Citadel of Science of Nature which includes the Schiapparelli Astronomical Observatory, the Prealpine Geophysical Center with the weather stations, the Seismological Observatory, the Zambeletti Park and the Tomaselli Botanical Garden.
Another important mountain on Lake Varese is the Sacred Mountain, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a Nature Reserve. It consists of a devotional path developed along the slopes of Monte Velate to reach the sanctuary at about 850 mt. The 14 chapels each have a porch of different shape and are decorated with statues and frescoes by the most important Lombard artists of the 1700s.
The Lake Pearl is Virginia’s Isolino, a prehistoric site of international importance, easily accessible by boat from Biandronno. Isolino Virginia is a very suggestive land triangle located a few meters from the western shore of Lake Varese, in the territory of Biandronno; Only a narrow channel called Ticinello separates it from the mainland. The area of the site (9200 m2) is almost entirely covered by a lush vegetation that hosts numerous wildlife including the folaga, the germano, the bonito, the tarabusino and the gallinella of water: they find among the thick canetas that thrive along It is the ideal place to live in absolute tranquility. The flora is composed of willow, oak, black alder, water lily, pungitopo and some rare specimens such as bald cypress bald. Being one of the most famous sites in European prehistory, the area is subject to constraints.
The Ponti Museum at Virginia Island
The chapel built by the Bridges in the second half of the 19th century is now home to a small Prehistoric Museum, which is dependent on the Archaeological Museum of Villa Mirabello: here is preserved part of the collection of finds found on the island; The remaining archaeological material is exhibited in the Civic Museums of Varese. The Ponti Museum, which can only be visited from April to October on weekends and public holidays, can be reached by boat from Biandronno with a public service, but there are also attractions for private vehicles. Guided tours can be booked throughout the year.
In the archaeological park there is an open-air educational path where, near the bar-restaurant open all year round, a statue of neolithic structure dating from 4800-4680 a.C. This structured path didactically illustrate the pre-history of Lake Varese, its peoples, the life they lead: in particular, it is possible to deepen the use of habitable populations of dwellings on water.
Lake Maggiore
Known as “The Imperator of the Lakes” is one of the largest in the Prealpini Lakes, characterized by the presence of numerous islands of exclusive beauty. Stresa and Verbania are the archipelago of the Borromean Islands: the largest Island, the Isola Bella and the Fishermen’s Island. Here you will also find some of the most beautiful gardens, such as the gardens of Isola Bella, one of the most magnificent examples of Baroque Italian garden, Botanical Garden of the Mother Island, beautiful English garden and Villa Pallavicino zoo , In Stresa, which houses more than 40 exotic animal species.
“The Mother Island, earthly paradise. Trees with golden leaves that the sun has tendered. »
(Gustave Flaubert, speaking of the Gardens of the Mother Island, 1845)
In front of Cannero, we find the three rocks emerging from these Castelli di Cannero: the largest rock, totally occupied by the armory of Vitaliana, the smaller rock, on which the ruins of the so-called “prisons” and the cliff of the “Melgonaro” On which grows only a stubborn but tenacious plant that has fascinated both poets and engravers.
Lombardy Lake Maggiore overlooks the villages of Angera, Ispra, Laveno Mombello, Luino and Maccagno, each with its own natural and architectural beauties.
Lake Maggiore ends in Sesto Calende in the mouth of the Ticino; From where the Ticino Nature Park, a large UNESCO protected Biosphere Reserve, covers the lake’s embankment. It is accessible on foot and by bicycle and also offers a spectacular view.
Lake Lugano
Otherwise, Ceresio, is a pre-Alpine lake branched along the Italian-Swiss border. Digested within the pre-Lombardy circle, it recalls more or less the same landscapes of the Lario Comasco, although it is about three times smaller. Despite the serious damage caused by the pollution, the lake is very fishy. Apart from some protected areas, it is possible to fish everywhere, albeit at different conditions.
Two funiculars climb the emblematic mountains of Lugano: Monte San Salvatore – from there, a beautiful altitude trail leads you to the village of Corona and to Morcote – and the Monte Brè. A cable car takes you to the sunny resort of Serpiano, from which you can easily access the UNESCO world heritage site of Monte San Giorgio. The mountain, verdant and with numerous rare plants, is one of the most important fossil discoveries of an ancient subtropical sea.
Lake Ganna and Ghirla
They are both in the municipality of Valganna and are now part of a fauna reserve. Their waters are rich in Lucci and Tinche, while on the shore there are birds such as the Royal Germano and the Swamp Migliarino.
Lake Como
The Alto Lario is the athletic paradise especially for those who like activities like wind surfing and sailing. On horseback you can cross one of the most important natural reserves of the Region, the Pian of Spain, where, among cannoles and tife, nesting numerous species of water birds. The musts of Lake Como, however, are the villas facing it and their beautiful gardens, reachable on board of elegant wooden motorboats up to date that recall the ‘Dolce Vita’ Italian of the 1960s. The villas that deserve to be watched are many, all enclosing within their elegant architecture a prestigious past.
Lake Orta
It is entirely located in Piedmont and surrounded by hills and mountains that culminate with the 1400 mt of Mottarone, also known as “Mountain of the Two Lakes” for its particular location between Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore. From its summit, which in winter turns into a popular ski resort, you enjoy one of the most beautiful views of the Western Alps, the Lombardy-Piedmont Plain and seven lakes.
Campo dei Fiori
Over 1200 meters high, among beech and chestnut trees, steep paths open from which Varese can be admired with its seven lakes, the Padana plain and the Alpine peaks. Fresh air and the scent of flowers make you forget right away The city, far away and silent. You will hardly encounter many people, so the park will always give you a quiet and relaxing trip. The large green spaces and the absence of cars make this place perfect for those who want to take a walk with your dog, which you can leave free without any problems. Inside there is the Citadel of Science of Nature, the astronomical, meteorological and seismic observatory, where you can book guided tours for a total immersion in the scientific world. It is possible to make a night-time sightseeing that, by allowing time, includes observation of the starry sky and its constellations. Reaching the top is worth it: there is a large stretch of lawn where you can take a break and the scenery will pay you back full of fatigue to climb. The blue sky shone behind a rainbow of green trees, with the yellow and pink flowers breaking the monotony of the landscape, the surface of the lakes reflecting the light of the sun and the glittering sailors tell the true heart Of Varese: verdant and uncontaminated. Given the rapid increase of visitors and tourists, in 1911 it was decided to open the funicular to connect the center of Varese with the Sacro Monte.
Sasso del Ferro
One of the most beautiful panoramic balconies of Lake Maggiore, rises above the town of Laveno Mombello, on the valley shore of the lake, reaches 1000 meters altitude and can be reached with a convenient and fast cableway that, starting from the center of Laveno, Reaches the summit in about fifteen minutes. Once you get to the summit, you have the feeling of being wrapped in nature and, on good weather, you can also look at the Monte Campo dei Fiori, the lakes of the area, the Val Grande, to see the majestic alpine chain between Which stands out from Monte Rosa and, in the south, after Monviso, the Ligurian Apennines.