In July I was fortunate enough to visit an Italian friend and former tennis teammate who lives about an hour outside of Milan. After spending our first day in the fashion capital of the world, we decided to go see Lago Maggiore, a stunningly beautiful lake that divides Italy and Switzerland on the south side of the Alps.
We arrived in Stresa, a small town on the west bank of the lake, and bought boat tickets with which we’d be ferried to the nearby islands of Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Bella. The sky was clear save for a few stray clouds, and a gentle breeze beckoned us to go and explore.
We landed on Isola dei Pescatori first, which is the only island on Lago Maggiore inhabited year round. In addition to the hotels, gift boutiques, and restaurants that line the cobbled alleys of the island, the rising steeple of the church of San Vittore is instantly recognizable from a distance.
The true attraction was on Isola Bella where, in addition to a remodeled Baroque palace open to visitors, we entered the island’s elaborate Italian-style garden spread across ten terraces. The garden is full of exotic plants and flowers, as well as statues representing art and nature (including unicorns). Once in a while a white peacock would pop its head out from under a bush and walk along the garden’s lawns and rocky paths, marveling at the splendor of its own feathers and surroundings.
Looking back, Lago Maggiore and its islands seem like a fairytale, but the photos prove that indeed it was real.