Stresa Travel Notes: Don't Forget Isola Madre!

The Borromean Islands are, without a doubt, our most visited attraction from Stresa. However, not as many people make it to Isola Madre and I think that is a great shame. Isola Bella is the like the famous big sister that gets photographed, filmed and written about the most. Don't get me wrong, Isola Bella is a unique place to visit and the gardens are breathtaking, but in this post I'm going to champion the sometimes overlooked little sister, Isola Madre.

Watching the other boats as we sailed across the Borroman Bay

Last weekend with a few hours to spare on Sunday afternoon Luca and I set off on the ferry at 15.30 and enjoyed the leisurely sail around the Borromean Bay to Isola Madre. The boat stopped off en route at Isola Bella and Isola Pescatori where we enjoyed watching the comings and goings of the private taxi boats.

Approaching Isola Madre

The journey time to Isola Madre took a very enjoyable 35 minutes and as you come in to dock you look up at the charmingly rustic but large villa.

First close-up view from the ferry of the villa and gardens

Once off the ferry the entrance is just up the steps and you enter along "Africa Avenue" which is the sunniest and warmest part of the island. The gravel path leads you along the lakeside past large camellia bushes which flower from as early as January.

Africa Avenue

Close up of tree along Africa Avenue

Just around the corner we saw some beautiful, delicate flowers (photo below). I think it is a type of iris but if anyone knows precisely please let me know!

The beautiful blue iris!

Poppies and view across the lake

Next you'll find yourself passing the bottom of a long flight of steps with a wisteria covered pergola before arriving at the restored boathouse. From here you get lovely views across to Pallanza and Laveno.

Pink daisies by the boathouse

Turning left you reach the "Hunchback's Field" which is dominated by giant Himalayan rhododendrons. You then enter the main avenue that leads from the villa straight down to the lake. This spring there has been a special art installation by artist, Velasco Vitali. I'll be honest. Most of the pieces didn't inspire me but the metal sculptures of dogs along this main avenue and on the "Gynerium Lawn" are fun and each one is really full of character!

Curious dog watching out over the lake!

The Gynerium Lawn and some relaxing canines!!

Next you'll find "Parrot Square" and much of Isola Madre's wildlife! We saw a very beautiful blue peacock reclining on the lawn and then having a strut around! There are also white peacocks, parrots, and pheasants.

The blue peacock strutting his stuff!

Detail of the peacock's beautiful tail feathers

Walking further up the main avenue you arrive at the villa and the crowning glory of Isola Madre: the Kashmir Cypress. The tree originates from Asia and the example here is the biggest in Europe. Its green-blue foliage cascades down over the lawn in front of the villa.

The villa

The villa window detail

The villa door detail

In June 2006 the island was hit by a tornado which uprooted the Kashmir Cypress completely. After a super-human effort and lots of care and attention from the gardeners the tree was replanted. It has special supports and this year, for the first time since the tragedy struck, there is new growth and foliage.

The Kashmir Cypress (photo by Luca)

The villa itself is less imposing than the grand palace on Isola Bella and I just love it! It feels like a real house with its rooms filled with furniture and ornaments. There is an amazing collection of puppets and puppet theatres and then my favourite room of all: the garden room. The trompe d'oeil frescoes of plants and flowers trailing down a wrought iron pergola bring the outside in and are just beautiful. Unfortunately no photos are allowed in the villa so you will have to come and see it for yourselves!

The water-lily pool

Water-lily

Back out in the garden you'll find the Capella Sepolcrale and waterlily pool. There is a cafe with shaded seating for refreshments too.

The lawns outside the villa

Once we exited the gardens we walked past the La Piratera bar/restaurant and Luca enjoyed a very good ice cream! The path lead us back along to the ferry station and back we sailed across the bay to Stresa.

The ferry home

All in all a very relaxing few hours and an island that shouldn't be missed! Here's how to get there:

If you are just planning to visit Isola Madre the return ferry costs €10.00 return (€8.00 for over 65's Monday to Friday). If you are planning to combine it with other visits on the same day have a look at our guide to the ferries and you can see the different ticket options.

Entrance costs €11.00 per person and if you combine it with a visit to Isola Bella on the same day you can get a joint ticket for both islands for €18.50. RHS members enter for free.

Have you visited Isola Madre? What did you enjoy the most?

Stresa Travel Notes: Rainy Day Activities

It's not exactly headline news, but the sun doesn't always shine on Lake Maggiore. Our wonderful gardens and lush scenery get a liberal dousing of rain in the spring and autumn and this year it feels like it has been more liberal that usual! A couple of weeks ago the lake was at bursting point and heavy rain is expected again over the next few days. So, I've put my thinking hat on and tried to come up with some ideas to keep you entertained when the weather turns bad.

I have to admit, it wasn't easy coming up with ideas. A lot of our main attractions are gardens which are obviously best seen and experienced in dry weather. However, with the right frame of mind and a bit of intrepid spirit, you can still enjoy Stresa and its surroundings in the rain.

1. Visit Milan by Train
Milan is close, easy to reach by train and has lots of things to do in case of wet weather. You can view and download our "Milan by Train" fact sheet at the end of this post and here are some of the things you could see and do:

• Visit the Duomo. It's free to enter but if you want to take photographs you need to pay €2 (during Expo 2015 from 1st May to 31st October everyone pays €2 to enter and you can take photos - no flash)
• Hit the shops. Milan is famous for the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II arcade, the enormous Rinascente department store, big names from the high-street near the Duomo and designer stores on Via Montenapoleone
• Be a culture vulture and visit a gallery. Try the Pinacoteca di Brera or there is always something interesting to see at the Triennale Design Museum. Photography fans can catch the latest exhibition at Forma.

2. The Lake Maggiore Express

It might not be an obvious choice in the rain, but you are on trains or the ferry for most of the day so at least you are in the dry. Enjoy a lazy lunch in Locarno or Ascona and then head back to Stresa on the ferry.

3. Have a Foodie Day

Italy is famous for its food and wine so take a rainy day out from sightseeing and indulge!

• Visit Massimo and Barbara at Il Buscion wine bar, try some local wines and order a platter of cheese, hams and salami. 
• Hop on the ferry and enjoy a special lunch on Isola Pescatori at Belvedere or Verbano
• Have a carpet picnic. Sniff out some foodie treats in town and enjoy an indoor picnic in your room. You'll find some lovely delis and shops with yummy treats in the centre of Stresa and the Carrefour supermarket is handy for drinks, paper napkins and cups. **it goes without saying that your hotel won't be too pleased if you make a mess ;)**

4. Pamper Yourself

The Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées has a beautiful spa centre where you can choose from a full range of facials, massages, body treatments and therapies. 

5. Hit the Shops

Use a rainy day to root out some souvenirs and send some postcards (a nearly forgotten practice, but I still love receiving them). As well as Stresa's choice of boutiques, Arona (train) and Intra (ferry) have a large choice of shops. If you have a car there is a shopping centre in Gravellona Toce.

6. Join an Excursion
We have guided excursions on offer most days. You can dry off on the coach, our guide Barbara will keep you entertained and you'll see some great new places.

7. Grab an Umbrella and Carry On
If you've only got a couple of days in Stresa, I'm sure you can do most of what you had planned to do. Don't miss out on the Borromean Islands because it is raining. You can still enjoy the palace on Isola Bella and a stroll on Isola Pescatori. 

Did you experience rainy days during your visit to Stresa and Lake Maggiore? Share your ideas for what to see and do in wet weather.

Milan by Train 2015 B

Stresa Travel Notes: Villa Taranto - Life after the Tornado!

The Main Avenue

Sunday 26th August last year was definitely the morning after the night before for the gardeners and managers of the Villa Taranto gardens in Pallanza (Verbania). On the Saturday night Verbania had been hit by a freak, small tornado that swept across the Borromean Bay from Stresa Lido. It clipped the top of Isola Bella but the full force was felt by the gardens at Villa Taranto. You can see photos of the effect of the tornado a month on in the local pages of La Stampa.

The head gardener and managers were obviously distraught at the devastation. However, they were also determined, that although the gardens were closed with immediate effect, they would reopen for the 2013 season. And so they have! On the 16th March the gardens opened their gates to the public and they will be open everyday until the 3rd November. Like a lot of Europe we haven't had the driest Spring so we didn't get the chance to visit the gardens until the public holiday last Thursday.

It was a glorious day and, along with many other visitors, we paid our €10 and made our way up the main avenue into the park. We love Villa Taranto and have visited the gardens many, many times before the tornado, so we were a little nervous about how they would look. We were not disappointed! The gardens are still a joy to visit: the tulip beds were bursting with colour, my favourite handkerchief tree (davidia involucrata) has survived unscathed and the acers, camelias, rhododendrons and many other trees, plants and shrubs fill the parkland and lawns.

The Fountains

I think the best way is to let the photos speak for themselves (practical visitor information is at the end of the post!):

Walking through the tulips

Around 80,000 bulbs are planted for tulip week

Admiring the acers

The fleshy petals of a Magnolia flower

Time for an icecream!

My favourite handkerchief tree

The gardeners have left one uprooted tree as a reminder

Lake views from along the garden paths

Practical Visitor Information
The gardens are open everyday from 16th March to 3rd November 2013. They are open all day from 08.30 - 18.30 and entrance costs €10 for adults and €5.50 for children 6-14 years.

There are a bar and restaurant just by the entrance and several picnic tables. Half-way around the gardens there is a small bar selling drinks, snacks and ice-creams.

Dogs are allowed into the gardens but they must be kept on a lead.

There is a ferry stop just opposite the entrance and ample parking if you are there by car. The ferry journey takes approximately 45 minutes and costs €12.40 for a regular return ticket.

Let us know if you visit Villa taranto gardens and what you like best.

Stresa Travel Notes: The Laveno Bucket Lift

Spring has finally arrived in Stresa! This weekend Luca and I decided to take advantage of the clear blue skies and have a day out to Laveno and a ride on the bucket lift. I haven't been on it since I was a holiday rep back in the summer of 1999 and Luca, due to suffering from vertigo, has never been. However, we'd agreed it was to be on our list of things to do this summer so I made sandwiches for a picnic and off we went.

The bucket lift

The name bucket lift might sound a bit ominous but it is well worth a go! It is akin to a chairlift, in that it is in continuous motion, but you are stood in a "bucket" suspended from the cable instead of sat on a "chair". Each bucket takes maximum two people. There are some enclosed buckets, but we think it is a much better experience to ride in the ones that are open from just above waist height.

Setting off from Intra on the car ferry

We drove around to Intra and from there we took the car ferry to Laveno as foot passengers. If you don't have a car then you can catch the ferry to Intra and change on to the car ferry. Prices are at the end of the post.

Leaving Intra (top), the car ferry crossing (middle) and arriving in Laveno (bottom)

Once you get off the car ferry in Laveno, turn left and walk along the lakefront. Follow the road round to the right and past the church. After the church take the first right, signposted "Funivia". You'll find the bucket lift station after 200m.

The Bucket Lift station

The bucket lift man helped us get on. He slowed down the lift and opened the bucket door for us to get in. We were asked to stand on markers a few metres apart so we each had time to get in. He shut the door and we were off!

Starting our ascent!

For us, the wonderful thing about travelling in an open bucket was the silence. There's just you and the countryside. The bucket lift whirs gently, you can't hear any cars or street noise and, with no glass or windows, you have uninterrupted panoramic views across the lake.

View across to Pallanza and the Borromean Bay

As we ascended the views got wider and wider. We started off with Verbania and the Borromean Bay in our sights and ended up with Monte Rosa and all the way round to the south of Lake Maggiore and Lake Varese.

Looking towards the south end of Lake Maggiore

Luca's vertigo, although not forgotten, was sidelined whilst he thoroughly enjoyed taking photographs of the views!

When we reached the top we were helped off and then chose a place to eat our sandwiches. We sat on the sun terrace but there were also grassy areas and picnic tables to choose from. If you don't take a picnic there are a restaurant and snack bar offering refreshments.  

The restaurant and panorama viewed from the sun terrace

As well as enjoying the sunshine and the panorama we watched four hang-gliders taking off from the special launch ramp (Luca says he'll try that next time but I've a feeling he's only joking!!). As well as hang-gliders there were paragliders making the most of the glorious weather.

Hang gliders queuing up, ready for take off ...

... and in flight

Then, after a restorative ice-cream we started our descent. I got to stand at the front this time and the feeling when we went off the edge of the station platform was pretty amazing!

Starting our descent: Verbania, Isola Madre and the mountains

The town of Laveno is a pretty little town with a boat-filled harbour, promenade, shops and bars. If you time your visit for a Tuesday you can also browse the weekly, local market. We enjoyed a stroll along the lakefront before catching the ferry back over to Intra.

Laveno harbour

Practical Information
From April to October the bucket lift is open everyday (full timetables here) and costs €10 for adults, €7 for over 65's and €4.50 for children. There are also reductions for families.

Ferry return Stresa – Laveno (change in Intra) € 16.80 or € 13.60 for over 65’s (over 65’s price Monday to Friday only, ID required).

Return ride on the bucket lift € 10.00 or € 7.00 for over 65’s

For drivers you will only need a foot passenger ticket Intra to Laveno which costs € 6.80 or € 5.60 for over 65’s (over 65’s price Monday to Friday only, ID required). This works out much cheaper than taking your car on the car ferry.

So ... have you tried the bucket lift? Let us know what you thought.

Sarah, Viaggi Tomassucci

Stresa Travel Notes: 150 Years of the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées

This weekend the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées held a special lunch for over 600 Stresa residents over 65 years old. The occasion? To celebrate 150 years since the hotel first opened its doors in 1863. So I thought I would dedicate a post to the history of the hotel, how it has changed over the years and who are its most famous guests!

Illustration of the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées in its early  Years

The hotel was the idea of the Omarini brothers who already ran a hotel on Isola Bella called the Dauphin (now the Delfino). They saw the future of tourism in Stresa on the mainland and together with architect Antonio Polli the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées was created. Works started in 1861 and were completed in 1863.

Early photo of the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées

Just five years later, in 1868, they were ready for expansion and the wing on the right hand side was added.

The hotel after the extension was added in 1868

In 1872 Antonio Omarini wrote a guide book in French for the hotel's guests. As a sign of the times I find it fascinating to read that features of the hotel were listed as "electricity in all the rooms, modern sanitary facilities and central heating throughout the hotel". Suggested excursions for the guests include donkey and mule rides into the mountains. The hotel also began to be mentioned in travel guides both in Italy and abroad.

Pages from Antonio Omarini's guide book

After the turn of the century plans were afoot for further extension of the hotel and in just 95 days over the winter 1911-1912 three new floors were added along with the domed roofs. Thus the hotel took on the look  we all know today.

Adding three floors and the domed roofs in just 95 days! 1911-1912

The 1st June 1906 was a real turning point for the hotel and tourism in Stresa in general. The Simplon train tunnel opened, the Orient Express came past and Stresa became a main stop on the Grand Tour. This not only meant more guests, but they also stayed for longer.

The lounge as it looked in 1912

In 1907 the Omarini brothers started to sell the majority of shares to the "Anonymous  Partnership Grand Hotels Union" who in 1923 were absorbed by CIGA (Italian Company of Grand Hotels) in Venice. The Omarini brothers still managed the hotel until 1923.

Ernest Hemingway enjoying a boat ride on Lake Maggiore

With the outbreak of World War I the hotel was initially used as a refuge for those who wanted to and could escape the war. In 1917, however, it was requisitioned and became a military hospital. In 1918 Ernest Hemingway spent convalescence time at the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées. He returned in 1948 and signed the guest book as "an old client". The famous Hemingway Suite is named after him and he famously set part of his novel, "A Fairwell to Arms" at the hotel. The suite covers 240 square metres and the terrace covers 160 square metres (you can see the terrace above the front entrance).

One of the Hemingway Suite bedrooms

During the war the hotel was subject to vandalism so when the owners took control again a small army of carpenters, decorators, carpet layers and builders were drafted in. After three months the hotel was transformed and ready to accept paying guests once again.

In 1923 CIGA decided it was time for modernisation so the hotel would appeal to international guests. In 1925 an advert in "Hotel" magazine said the hotel newly-modernised hotel boasted: 300 rooms and 75 ensuite bathrooms, daily concerts, billiards and skating! I couldn't believe the bit about skating until I saw the postcard below.

Postcard showing the lakeside skating rink!

In 1935 Luigi Carnacina was named general manager of the hotel. He was a famous chef and hotel manager of the time and Luca remembers his Gran used to have his cookbook. His first task was to welcome Mussolini and the French and British Prime Ministers for the first Stresa Conference. The actual meetings took place on Isola Bella but the leaders stayed at the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées.

During World War II the hotel was occupied first by German and then American troops who converted it into a convalescence home for injured officials. After a short period between 1945-1946 when it was the municipal casino, it returned to being a hotel. I was amazed that in 1959 a mini-golf course "Garden Golf" was added in the hotel's park. It was later removed.

The mini-golf course at the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées

The hotel boasts a guest book full of famous names which include royalty: King Hussein of Jordan, Prince Ranieri III of Monaco, Princess Margaret (UK) and the Duke and Duchess of Kent to name a few. Celebrities from the world of music and cinema who have stayed at the hotel include Richard Wagner, Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Sylvester Stallone and more recently, George Clooney. Carlo Azeglio Ciampi,  Italian Prime Minister 1993-1994 and Italian President 1999-2006 has also been a guest. Not to mention illustrious business leaders such as Umberto Agnelli (Fiat).

Princess Margaret

In 1990 CIGA was having difficulties and after almost 70 years the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées returned to the ownership of Stresa hoteliers. SIALM (Italian Partenership of Lake Maggiore Hotels) took over the hotel and its new managers were (and still are) Gianluigi Mariani and Marco Padulazzi.

The hotel was refurbished and the Wellness Centre got a complete overhaul. The rooms and bathrooms were modernised and the meeting and function rooms were updated. Architect Statilio Ubiali oversaw the woroks and brought the hotel back to its original 1911 Liberty style. In 1995 the hotel was named the "most beautiful hotel in Italy" by the Touring Club Italiano. Between 1998-2000 attention turned to the hotel's park and the grand fountain, statues and mosaics were added.

Drawings and photos of the entrance and the fountain

In 2013, to celebrate 150 years of the hotel, a new entrance has been added.

The new entrance to celebrate the hotel's 150th birthday

I hope you've enjoyed learning about the history of the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées. It is a beautiful hotel and I love it when I have the opportunity to visit our clients there. Sitting in the sunny, Liberty style lounge at the front of the hotel is always a special experience.

Let us know if you have you stayed at the hotel? What did you enjoy the most?

We'd like to thank the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées for the photographs.