Best of Lake Maggiore

You will most likely arrive in Italy at Milan Malpensa Airport or Turin's Torino Airport. From here, make your own way to our accommodation in Baveno, a charming lakeside town on the shores of Lake Maggiore. Once settled in, the rest of the day is yours to spend at your leisure. You might choose to take a stroll along the scenic waterfront promenade, explore the quaint streets of Baveno, or simply relax and unwind, taking in the beautiful views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

In the evening, join your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at the hotel, where you’ll have the chance to get to know one another.

Please note: 7 dinners are included on this tour, with the exception of tours departing on the 11 May 2025 and the 7 September 2025. On these departures, 2 dinners will be included.

Today, you are free to explore the charms of Baveno at your own pace. Take the time to visit the local cafés, or enjoy a leisurely stroll along the beautiful lakeside paths. Along the way, you'll be treated to magnificent views across the lake to the Borromean Islands.

Baveno - Isola Bella - Fisherman’s Island - Isola Madre - Baveno. Today, we’ll enjoy a full-day included excursion to the Borromean Islands by boat. Isola Bella, one of the most admired destinations on Lake Maggiore, will be our first stop. Here, we’ll explore the famous Baroque Palace and its Italian-style terraced gardens, renowned for their white peacocks.

After some free time to wander, we’ll head to Fisherman’s Island (Isola dei Pescatori), the only island that’s permanently inhabited. Famous for its narrow lanes and the Church of San Vittore, you’ll have some free time for lunch.

Our next stop will be Isola Madre, the largest of the three islands. With its 20-acre park, we’ll be enchanted by the rare plants and exotic flowers in the English-style botanical gardens. We’ll finish the day with a visit to the 16th-century home where the Borromean family spent their summers. After our day of exploring the islands, we head back to Baveno.

Today, you’ll have a full day to relax and take it easy! Your guide will be happy to offer suggestions for activities and places to explore in the surrounding area.

Baveno - Omegna - Orta - Baveno. After breakfast, we’ll travel by coach to Omegna, located at the northern tip of Lake Orta. From there, we’ll continue on through charming villages to the southern end of the lake, where we’ll board a boat to sail to the medieval village of Orta. Known as the 'Venice without water', Orta is a labyrinth of picturesque streets and narrow cobbled lanes, with many chapels dedicated to St Francis of Assisi. We’ll return to our hotel in the afternoon.

You have another opportunity to relax and enjoy this beautiful region of Italy. Your guide will be happy to recommend places of interest based on your preferences.

Baveno - Domodossola - Locarno (Switzerland) - Baveno (Italy). After breakfast, we’ll travel by coach along the floor of the Ossola Valley towards Domodossola. Here, we’ll board a narrow-gauge railway for a scenic journey, travelling over 83 bridges and through 31 tunnels, all the way to the Swiss town of Locarno, located at the northern tip of Lake Maggiore. You’ll have free time for lunch, shopping, and sightseeing in Locarno before we return to our hotel by coach in the afternoon.

Enjoy a final breakfast at the hotel before check out. We wish you a safe onwards journey!