Lake Maggiore or Verbano as it is called locally contains three islands called The Isola Borromeos. We stayed in Stresa, which is a very elegant resort on the western side of the lake where you get a wonderful view of the three islands, and in particular Isola Bella. When we first visited the lake a few years ago we stayed at The Astoria Hotel and had a room at the front with a balcony overlooking this island. It was wonderful to wake up in the morning and see the statues and towers of the Pallazo Borremeo suspended in the blue of the lake. The lake is 65km long and 372metres at the deepest point. It stretches from Locarno in Switzerland to Arona Italy.
This time (Sept 03) we stayed at the Regina Palace which has wonderful food and service to match but it is more expensive and we could only get a room at the back overlooking the hills. The hotel decor is opulent and consists of ormolu furniture with red upholstery and gilt frames; the bedrooms are decorated in similar style with large ornately carved beds and shuttered windows. The entrance hall has a grand stairway leading from it with plants and flowers either side of the treads but the centrepiece is a massive chandelier that hangs over the entrance hall. The disadvantage with a room at the back is if you are level with and opposite the railway line as we were it can be noisy. It would be better, if you can afford it, to have a room overlooking the lake, as we did in the Astoria.

A walk along the lakeside promenade
( Lungolaga) away from the town takes you to the funicular and the local water taxis. The funicular takes you first to the Alpine garden and then to the top of Motterone, which is a mountain almost 5000 ft above the lake. There are some that walk or even mountain bike to the top and collapse in the local restaurant and revive with a plate of pasta and a glass of wine. When we were there, on a Sunday, the women and children arrived in cars and the men on bikes there was a wonderful family atmosphere and complete mayhem but good fun for us spectators.

The best way to explore the lake is by the ferries, which leave at regular intervals from Stresa and other towns around the lake. The first thing to do is to obtain a timetable from the boat station and you can then enjoy deciding where to visit each day. If it is your first time it is a good idea to obtain a special ticket, which entitles you to visit several towns and islands on the lake, getting on and off the boat as the fancy takes you; this is also a cheaper option. The ferries finish early evening so the timetable is essential or you could get stuck on the far side of the island needing a taxi or bus back. There are timetables posted at the ferry station but if you are in the centre of town enjoying an espresso or a brandy and a fair walk away from the port this is not very convenient.