August 18, 2019
Though the weather forecast promised rain, I decided to take a chance at visiting Villa Taranto, an hour north from Stresa on Lago Maggiore, and caught the 8:10 a.m. ferry. Founded in 1931 by an Englishman, it is one of Italy’s most famous botanical gardens.
Once I arrived, I discovered that I practically had the 60 hectare park to myself, and I saw more workers than tourists.
Near the entrance, there was a dahlia garden with more than 350 varieties of flowers, and thousands of blooms. An amazing and beautiful display!
Unfortunately, many of the more dramatic flowers - wisteria, camellias, and rhododendrons - had already bloomed. But there were many other large floral displays that were impressive and colorful, along with waterfalls and a waterlily pond.
When I’d walked halfway through the park, there was a short thunderstorm, but I was near a shelter , so I ran for cover and stayed there for 20 minutes with a young French couple and their toddler son.
By that time, I’d seen most of the displays, but there was a long walk to get back to the exit. Near the end of that walk, the sounds of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” filled the park from a score of well-spaced speakers. Though I love that music, I was glad to have been able to enjoy the park’s tranquil atmosphere for most of my stay.
Like the gardens on Isola Bella and Isola Madre, many large
trees had been damaged or uprooted by a severe storm the previous week. I
lucked out on the timing of my stay on Lago Maggiore, as there were storms
before I arrived and rain was forecast for the following week, while I’d
enjoyed mostly clear weather during my stay.
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