Lake
Maggiore
Like many of the world's most
fascinating places, Lake Maggiore, the most westerly and second largest
of the pre-alpine lakes of Europe is a place where history, cultures and
regions meet. To the west, its banks are in Piedmont, to the east in
Lombardy and to the north in Switzerland. Before the unification of
Italy, Piedmont and Lombardy were separate nation states, guarding their
lands from the greedy designs of their neighbors. At Ornavasso you can
still see the medieval watchtower with its spectacular views over the
Ossolo valley and the peaks of the Corni di Nibbio alongside the
octagonal Baroque church of the Madonna della Guardia, built between 1674
and 1772.
This stunning waterscape boasts the perfect semi-Mediterranean climate,
mild in both summer and winter, encouraging glorious lush and exotic
flora such as the orchids to be seen on the Borromeo islands, Isola
Madre, and Isola Bella, which also boasts an exquisite palace. The
Borromeo islands are visible from almost every part of the shore and can
be reached by the frequent ferries and water taxis that cross and recross
the lake. Visit Swiss Locarno in spring for the magnificent camelias,
mimosa and forsythia.
Leggiuno has the sanctuary of Santa Caterina del Sasso, a Dominican
monastery begun in the thirteenth century, which is perched high on a
rock over the lake. Arona's giant bronze statue of St Charles Borromeo is
hollow and the energetic can climb up inside to gaze at the view through
the saint's eyes.
At Ornavasso visitors can reach the sanctuary of the Madonna del Boden by
following a muletrack, while Stresa's cable-car will take you 1,370 m
(4,500 ft) up the mountainside. The last-named village is a charming
patchwork of cobbled streets and square — but then there are so many
charming villages in this pretty area.
