Stresa, Lago Maggiore, Monte Motterone

Lago Maggiore 

Spending six days in Stresa, on the western coast of Lago Maggiore, was a real delight. I landed there on the 14th of August, the eve of Ferragosto, the biggest Italian holiday of the summer, if not the year. On Ferragosto, everything in Italy grinds to a halt, and Italians go on vacation,  which often lasts the entire week.

A view from the balcony of my hotel room in Stresa

I had never been around for Ferragosto before, but I'd been warned: Stresa would be crowded with Italians that Thursday, and most of the following weekend. Fortunately, the worst crowds only lasted a day, and I did my best to avoid them. But the accompanying musical entertainment in nearby Piazza Cadorna was fun.

A tourist couple doing the tango in Piazza Cadorna.

The next day, I headed over to the Lido, where a funivia goes up Monte Motterone, where there are magnificent panoramic views of the lakes.

View from Monte Motterone

 There are three stages to the ride: two separate sections on the funivia (a hanging cable car), then a ride on a seggiovia (chair lift). It was a fun ride, both up and down the 1500 meter mountain. I was up there for several hours, taking photos of the 360° panoramic views, waiting for clouds to dissipate to get better views.

There was a bobsled ride at the summit, but I wasn't inclined to try it, and the long lines of people waiting to use it were an effective deterrent. On the way down, I got off the funivia at Alpino, and walked to a "Botanical Garden", which was not worth the 10-minute walk to find it or the 4 euro entrance fee, as the plants were dry and sad-looking. But it was quiet there, so I sat and enjoyed the view of the lake, getting some great photos of the expanse below me.

(Note:Unfortunately, in May of 2021, a cabin of the very cable car that I rode from Stresa to Monte Motterone crashed and fell into a wooded area of the mountainside, near the summit, killing 14 of 15 people that it was carrying. The ride was closed down and is no longer available.) 

Coming down on the funivia.

Riding the seggiovia.

The main attraction in Stresa was visiting the Borromeo Islands,  which I'll cover in a separate post. However, there was more to do in Stresa.  Several resort hotels boast large, beautiful gardens, and the long stretch of lungolago (walking path by the lake) is a lovely way to spend an hour.

Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees: made famous by Hemingway. The hotel was used as a hospital for recovering war veterans like Hemingway, following WWII. He returned later to visit the hotel,
and the room can still be reserved, for a hefty price.

 Another fun adventure from Stresa is the Lago Maggiore Express, which includes a three-hour relaxing boat ride on the lake to Locarno, Switzerland. Lago Maggiore is the second largest lake in Italy, and the largest in southern Switzerland, so the lake and its shoreline are divided between Italy and Switzerland. After an hour stay in Locarno, there's a panoramic train ride through mountain passes to Domodossola, Italy, then a regional train back to Stresa.  It was a lovely way to spend the day, with wonderful views of the lake and nearby mountains.

On the Lago Maggiore Express

Of course, the Borromeo Islands are the main attraction in Stresa, and they'll be featured in a future post.