Holiday rentals and lettings in Lago Maggiore

Northern Italy has several beautiful lakes that attract travellers from all over the world every year. What if, for your next week's holiday, you put your suitcase on the shores of Lake Maggiore, on the borders of Italy and Switzerland? The lake area has a large number of tourist accommodations, including a fine selection of holiday rentals. These are of very varied styles, from the small country letting with its rustic charm to the prestigious villa overlooking the waves. Whether you are travelling alone or accompanied, as a couple or with your family, you will appreciate the practical and friendly nature of this type of accommodation. Rentals are also the best way to enjoy real autonomy during your stay on site and to discover Lake Maggiore in complete freedom.

Several lakes stretch between northern Italy and Switzerland, including Lake Garda, Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore. The latter has a total area of more than 200 km and borders the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, as well as the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. Its banks, highly prized for the beauty of their landscapes and their mild microclimate, have many renowned seaside resorts such as Arona, Pallanza and Verbania in Italy and Locarno on the Swiss side. The lake is also renowned for its splendid islands, especially the five Borromean islands off Stresa.

The Franco-Swiss lake is very easy to access from France. Thus, only 240 km separate it from Mont-Blanc. From Lyon, for example, it takes four and a half hours by car to reach Arona, the southernmost Italian resort on the lake, and five and a half hours to reach Locarno, Switzerland, in the far north. If you live in the south-east of France, the car is certainly the best way to get there. For those who wish to avoid long hours of travel, an alternative is to fly or train to Milan and then rent a vehicle to reach the shores of Lake Maggiore. The lake itself is about 65 km long. By car, it will take you a little over an hour and a half to get from Locarno to Arona.

These five islands, often referred to as "the pearls of Lake Maggiore" belong to the Italian Borromeo family, but three of them can be visited by the public. You can easily get there as they are served all day by several boat companies. From Stresa, the crossing takes only about five minutes. The visit begins with the Isola Madre, covered with sumptuous exotic gardens where dozens of peacocks have taken up residence and wander as they please. A completely different atmosphere prevails on the Isola Superiore where there is a traditional fishing village with pretty picturesque alleys. The last island, Isola Bella, is certainly the most famous, due to its baroque palace inherited from the seventeenth century. Its park, dotted with orange trees and open-air theatre stages, offers magnificent views of the lake.

Of course, the lake is a choice destination for sailing enthusiasts and regattas are often organised there on sunny days. You can therefore practice windsurfing, canoeing, water skiing, kite surfing and scuba diving. It is possible to rent small sailing boats for the day to go on an excursion or pedal boats for children. If you dream of relaxing on the hot sand during your holiday, you will have a lot of choice as you will find beaches in Verbania as well as in Luino or Arona.

Located just opposite the Borromean Islands, this seaside resort is popular for its many bars and restaurants but above all for its magnificent stroll along the lake as well as for its luxury villas. It is not uncommon to meet celebrities on holiday there. To enjoy a breathtaking view of the lake and the Alps, take the ascending road to Mont Motterone. Also remember to stop in front of the Grand Hotel where the American writer Ernest Hemingway stayed.

The small Swiss town has a rich historical and artistic heritage. On site, you can visit the Marguerite Arp Foundation, dedicated to the Dada Jean Arp artist, the Visconti Castle Museum or the Madonna del Sasso Church, renowned for the beauty of its frescos and altarpieces.

The largest island in the archipelago, Saint-Pancrace, is the only one accessible to the public. It houses a vast botanical garden dedicated to tropical flora. Thanks to the mild climate of the lake, you can admire all kinds of flowers and plants from Korea, Australia and South America.

The shores of Lake Maggiore are full of restaurants. Take the opportunity to enjoy Lombard specialities such as the famous panettone or pizzocherri della Valtellina, buckwheat tagliatelle with all kinds of vegetables.

If you stay in the southern part of the lake, you can easily go to Milan for a few hours. There are many monuments of interest there, but remember to visit its famous Duomo, its cathedral and the Castello Sforzesco, built in the fifteenth century.