Discovering Lake Maggiore

Arrival on our own to Lake Maggiore. In the early afternoon, meet your private guide for a visit to the Villa Taranto Gardens. With over 20,000 plant species, the botanical gardens of Villa Taranto are considered among the most spectacular in Italy.

After the visit, transfer by your own means to the hotel located in the Baveno area. Check-in and room assignment.

Traditional dinner. Overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer on your own to Stresa, where you will take a motorboat to Isola Madre. Upon arrival, meet the guide for a guided tour of the Botanical Garden and Palazzo Borromeo. Inside the palace, you will visit the most important rooms: the Reception Hall, the Hall of Seasons, the Venetian Lounge, the Library, the Hall of Battles, and the Pope's Hall.

The Isola Madre Garden is unique for its variety of rare plant species from all over the world. The continuous and exuberant blooms, the result of the work of expert gardeners, constantly renew the corners of the park: from the groves of magnolias and bamboo, to the fragrant pergolas of wisteria and citrus trellises, from the parterres of ancient camellias and rhododendrons to the overflowing ponds of water lilies and lotus flowers. Eucalyptus, palms, and bananas coexist with the collection of conifers and maples.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, transfer by motorboat to Isola Bella. Guided tour of Palazzo Borromeo and free time to visit the gardens. A fascinating journey through art and history leads you through more than 20 rooms. The heart of Palazzo Borromeo is the Berthier Gallery, a mosaic of over 130 paintings, including masterpieces by great masters of the past such as Raphael, Correggio, Titian, and Guido Reni, a common practice in noble collections of the time.

Other unique rooms include the Throne Room, the Queen’s Room, the Tapestry Hall, and the Caves, designed to astonish guests and transport them to a magical underwater world. The Baroque Italian Garden, which includes ten terraces, bursts into a different color with each bloom.

After the visit, free time for shopping, strolling through the Vicolo del Fornello.

In the late afternoon, return by motorboat to Stresa. Transfer by your own means to the hotel in the Baveno area. Traditional dinner. Overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer by private means to Mottarone, a granite mountain located between Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta, on the border between the provinces of Novara and Verbania. From here, the view is breathtaking: with a clear sky, the panorama stretches from the Maritime Alps to Monviso, from the nearby Monte Rosa Massif to the Swiss Alps, all the way to the Po Valley.

Meeting with the licensed guide, e-bike rental with helmet, and the start of the half-day tour inside the Mottarone Park. At the end of the tour, enjoy a grilled lunch and tasting at Bar Stazione.

In the afternoon, optional activities at Mottarone Adventure Park. The Adventure Park offers 4 courses with varying levels of difficulty: easy, intermediate, and difficult. The courses are built on a series of trees in the wooded area at varying heights, up to 15 meters. You can challenge yourself on walkways, ropes, zip lines, and jumps, always in complete safety thanks to the Zazza continuous belay system.

At the end of the activity, return to the hotel in Baveno or the surrounding area. Traditional dinner. Overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer by private means to Rocca di Angera. Meet the guide for a visit to the Rocca. The spectacular Rocca di Angera is a perfect example of architectural harmony, composed of five distinct buildings erected between the 11th century and the 17th century: the Torre Castellana, the Ala Scaligera, the Ala Viscontea, the Torre di Giovanni Visconti, and the Ala dei Borromeo.

It is impossible not to be struck by the size and grandeur of the building, as well as by the solemnity of the rooms: the Sala del Buon Romano, the Sala della Mitologia, the Sala delle Cerimonie, the Sala di San Carlo, and the Sala dei Fasti Borromeo, where large paintings, portraits, and furnishings transport us back to distant times.

Lunch is free, with the option to visit the famous Museum of Dolls and Toys.

In the afternoon, transfer by private means to the Parco Pallavicino for a self-guided visit. The park extends over 18 hectares along the lakeshore of Stresa, heading towards Belgirate, where the botanical and animalistic souls coexist in perfect harmony.

Since 2017, under the Borromeo management, significant recovery and improvement projects have been carried out to restore and enhance the environments dedicated to the animals, along with care for the tree-lined avenues. The park is home to over 50 species of mammals and birds, including some wild specimens rescued by the forest rangers who would not survive if released back into the wild.

A must-see is the Flower Garden, with its multi-colored rose garden and flower beds that provide new blooms throughout the summer.

At the end of the visit, return to Baveno by private means. Three-course dinner (drinks not included). Overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. End of services.