What to see and what to do in Stresa

The beautiful town Stresa is located on the western side of Lake Maggiore, in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in Piedmont and is one of the most beautiful and popular tourist destinations in northern Italy.

Its lakefront overlooks the Borromean islands, which are surrounded by the pre-Alps and is characterized by a succession of magnificent residences, noble villas, exclusive hotels and well-kept gardens lapped by the waters of Lake Maggiore. The small historic center is very picturesque: beautiful nineteenth-century palaces, flower-filled terraces, boutiques and many restaurants.

What should be seen and visited in Stresa

The ancient city of Stresa

The old town of Stresa is small, cozy but well maintained and tidy. Piazza Cadorna is one of the main meeting places for citizens and tourists, it is overlooked by numerous commercial activities such as local craft shops, shops with typical products, ice cream parlors and restaurants. This square is also a great starting point for exploring the narrow streets of the center, which offer a postcard view with their decorated houses and small arcades features.

Sant'Ambrogio Church

The church, with a typical Greek cross plan with a neoclassical facade, was built in 1790 on a project by the abbot Giuseppe Zanoia da Omegna. The altar on the right holds the mortal remains of San Vitaliano martyr: in 260, just ten months and twenty-eight days, he was killed by the anti-Christian ferocity of the Romans. In 1833 Pope Gregory XVI agreed to transfer his remains from the Roman catacombs to the parish church of Stresa, where he has been venerated as protector of children since 1835.

Furthermore, in this church, in August 1912, the funeral of Elisabetta di Sassonia, Duchess of Genoa, who had lived in Stresa for fifty-five years, was celebrated in the presence of Queen Margherita.

Pietro Canonica Museum

Starting in 1898, Canonica regularly frequented Stresa for seventeen years, thanks to his friendly relations with the Duchess of Genoa, mother of Queen Margherita of Savoy. Regular guest in the Duchess's villa, the sculptor painted various bronze monuments for the town over the span of more than three decades. This consolidated bond led Canonica to donate to the Municipality of Stresa, in 1953, a core of plaster and marble, to be placed in a room dedicated to him.

After the first arrangement in the Palazzo dei Congressi, the sculptures of Canonica, appropriately restored, now find an adequate exhibition venue in a room specially set up in the Palazzo del Comune.

The Ducale Villa

It is the oldest stately home in the town, in fact there is evidence of its existence as early as 1771. After being built by the Bolongaro family of Stresa on the lakefront, it was bequeathed by the last descendant of the family to the philosopher Antonio Rosmini in 1848. He lived there in his last years of life and also hosted Alessandro Manzoni. The Villa was later the favorite holiday resort of Princess Elisabeth of Saxony, wife of Ferdinand, Duke of Genoa and second son of King Carlo Alberto.

Since 1966 the Villa has housed the International Center for Rosminian Studies with the task of promoting culture in general, Rosmini's thought and work in particular. Here it is possible to visit the historical museum of Antonio Rosmini, the room of Antonio Rosmini and the park.

In addition, you can admire the Monument dedicated to the friendship between Manzoni and Rosmini, erected in 1932 and located in via Manzoni, halfway up the slope that leads to Colle Rosmini. The Crucifix and bas-relief are the work of the sculptor Pietro Canonica.

Continuing further, you arrive at the Church of the Holy Crucifix at Colle Rosmini, from where you can admire an enchanting panorama. Here it is possible to stop in front of the monument dedicated to Rosmini, the work of the Ticino sculptor Vincenzo Vela, to go down to the crypt where the mortal remains of the philosopher rest, to also visit the tomb of the Rosminian religious poet Clemente Rebora.

Borromean Islands

A boat trip is certainly the best way to transform your trip on Lake Maggiore into a unique and unforgettable experience. The major attraction of the gulf, however, is constituted by the famous Borromean islands: Isola Bella, with the noble Palazzo Borromeo and the Italian gardens, created with exuberant Baroque imagination; Isola Madre, loved for its lush vegetation, rare plants, exotic flowers, peacocks, and parrots in the wild; Isola dei Pescatori, which houses a picturesque village; finally, the islet of San Giovanni, the only one that cannot be visited.

What to do in and around Stresa

• spend a day on the Trenino delle Centovalli: opened in 1923, the Vigezzina delle Centovalli Railway connects Domodossola and Locarno along the narrow-gauge tracks, crossing the splendid gentle landscapes of the Val Vigezzo and the harsher ones of the Centovalli
• jump into the void on Lake Maggiore Zipline: an emotion that runs on the yarn in a marvelous landscape. A steel cable, 1850 meters long, one and a half minutes of pure fun, 350 meters from the ground and at over 120 km/h, which offers unique sensations. Practical and easy to reach You leave from Pian d'Arla and arrive at Alpe Segletta, in the beautiful valley of the Intrasca which crowns the Piedmont shore of Lake Maggiore, above Verbania
• take an excursion to Mottarone: from Piazzale Lido, in the hamlet of Carciano di Stresa, on the shore of the lake in front of Isola Bella, the Stresa-Alpino-Mottarone cable car departs which, with a journey lasting 20 minutes, reaches the peak of Mottarone at 1,491 meters high Located between Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta, it is considered one of the most beautiful natural balconies in Italy! The mountains are frequented all year round by nature lovers: countless paths and trails, on foot, by bicycle, on horseback, offer possibilities for all tastes, ages and levels of training. In winter it turns into an important ski center, boasting 15 km of well-equipped slopes that also provide a rental point. From the summit of Mottarone the "Alpyland" Mottarone Slittovia starts, 1.2 km of track, pure fun for young and old. Mottarone is the ideal place for a day trip in the open air but also for the typical flavors of the mountain to taste
• visit the Umbrella and Parasol Museum in Gignese: moving a few kilometers, another very ancient village linked to another characteristic activity: that of the umbrella maker! The Umbrella and Parasol Museum in Gignese is entirely dedicated to this traditional craft (open every day, except Mondays, 10:00 - 12: 00/15: 00 - 18:00), which tells the story of an object that we all know, whose production is historically connected with this village on the slopes of Mottarone
• visit the “Rocca Borromea di Angera”: on the way back from the valleys to the lake, it is worth making a stop at the Rocca d'Angera, the Borromean fortress perched on a spur of rock overlooking the lake, which houses the extraordinary Museum of dolls and toys, one of the most important exhibitions in Europe of toys of all types of materials and workmanship. Reaching Angera is very simple with the boats leaving from Stresa
• visit the Park of Villa Pallavicino: this Zoo Park has an area of about 20 hectares and is populated by over 40 species of animals including mammals and tropical birds: fallow deer, llamas, Tibetan goats, hares and macaques live in freedom in an area called "Lombardina". Instead at the Antica Cascina there are zebras, kangaroos and ferrets. Not far from the bar there is a pond with turtles and beavers. The park's centuries-old trees (imposing Liriodendron, and the ancient Ginkgo biloba) and the botanical garden, visited by thousands of people every year, are famous and unmissable
• visit the Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto: the origin of the Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto dates back to 1931 when Neil McEacharn bought the property with the aim of making it one of the best botanical complexes in the world. They are located in Pallanza on an area of about 16 hectares, on the northern slopes of the Castagnola promontory. Many thousands of plants have been imported from all over the world; very rare collections, some of which are unique in Europe and acclimatized after long work, have been arranged with a sense of art in a setting of beauty, between the lake and the mountains. A place full of magic and history

Tips about where to sleep in Stresa

These are just some of the accommodation facilities in Stresa. You can find all the hotels, B & Bs and campsites where you can spend a stay or a holiday in Stresa on Lake Maggiore here.

Curiosities about Stresa

The name of Stresa was first mentioned in a document dated 998. Under the jurisdiction of the Visconti and Borromei, starting from the nineteenth century Stresa began to gain fame, thanks to the presence first of Antonio Rosmini, then of Alessandro Manzoni and subsequently of Elisabetta of Saxony, Duchess of Genoa.

How to get to Stresa

Stresa can be reached from Milan / Malpensa Airport:

• by car: by car from Milan on the A8 motorway towards Laghi-Sesto Calende-Varese, then the A26 motorway towards Gravellona Toce up to the Carpugnino exit. In Carpugnino follow the signs for Stresa
• by train: 21 trains leave daily from Milan with a stop in Stresa, with destination Domossola or Geneva / Basel