The Borromeo Islands are without doubt Lago Maggiore’s trademark. Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori are situated in the Gulf of Borromeo, all three of them have fascinated people throughout history with the art and culture of a great ruling dynasty: the Borromeo family.

Isola Bella

Isola Bella may be described as the most famous of the Borromeo Islands and the one most popular with the tourists. Its name stems from Isabella, the wife of Carlo III Borromeo. He started the work of transforming this formerly infertile, rocky island in the first half of the 17th century, a task finished in 1671. The great baroque palace is a museum and displays original furniture, paintings and frescoes, Flemish tapestries, sculptures and ancient weaponry. In the palace you can also visit natural grottos and the Italian gardens that consist of ten terraces designed like a blunt pyramid.

Isola Madre

Isola Madre is the largest of the Borromeo Islands. It lies in the middle of the gulf and is home to a resplendent Renaissance palace with one of the most renowned and oldest gardens in Italy. The botanical garden hosts more than 150 different sorts of camellia, a special cypress from Kashmir, subtropical plants and flowers of unique and exotic types. The palace was built in the sixteenth century and is now a museum that displays liveries, tapestries, porcelain, a puppet theatre, paintings and a doll collection from the nineteenth century.

Isola Pescatori

The unique outline of an ancient village makes this the most picturesque of the islands. The island is named after the fishermen, the pescatori, who have lived here for centuries. There are several typical shops and well-known restaurants on the islands, where you can try dishes made of freshly caught fish.

For more details visit the official information website!