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Isola Bella

Isola Bella

Highlight • Historical Site

Isola Bella

Recommended by 64 hikers out of 65

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Location: Stresa, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont, Italy

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Best Hikes to Isola Bella

4.9

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1. Isola Bella – Isola Bella loop from Baveno

10.4km

02:50

150m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.2

(9)

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2. Isola Bella – Baveno Town Hall loop from Baveno

16.4km

04:43

390m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

5.0

(8)

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3. Pallanza Lakeside Promenade – Lake Maggiore loop from Verbania

19.5km

04:57

60m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

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Paul

September 2, 2021

The story of Isola Bella, the first settlement
The history of the settlement of the 320 meter long and about 180 meter wide island begins in 1632. Up until this point in time, the so-called "Isola Inferiore" was just a rocky mountain on which a small fishing village was at home. This sight prompted Carlo III. Borromeo to level the rocks and build a palace on the island for his wife Isabella d'Adda. After this woman the island was first called "Isola Isabella" before the name changed to "Isola Bella". The Milanese architect Angelo Crivelli took care of the building of the palace. The builder also designed the gardens of the complex.
Famous guests
Under the influence of Carlos' successor, construction work was resumed after an interruption caused by the plague epidemic. Further construction work was the initiative of Cardinal Giberto III. as well as Vitaliano IV. Vitaliano in particular invested a lot of money in the work, for which he had the support of the Roman architect Carlo Fontana. Then Carlo IV succeeded Vitaliano. This visionary had the terraced gardens completed, which were finally inaugurated in 1671. During the reign of Giberto V. Borromeo, famous guests such as Napoléon Bonaparte and his wife Joséphine paid a visit to Isola Bella. Furthermore, Caroline von Braunschweig, who later became Queen Caroline of England, made a guest appearance at Isola Bella. According to stories, Caroline von Braunschweig enjoyed the place so much during her stay that she left no stone unturned in persuading the Borromeans to sell the Castelli di Cannero or the Isola Madre.
A wonder of the world in the middle of Lake Maggiore
The main symbol of the Borromeo family is the outstanding unicorn
The most important symbol of the Borromeo family is the unicorn protruding 37 meters above the water level, which can be seen from the castle and the lake side facing away from the palace. During the 18th century, Isola Bella was even considered a wonder of the world due to its unusual shape. From a long distance in particular, Isola Bella is reminiscent of a mighty ship. The western part of the island juts out like a narrow bow into Lake Maggiore. The huge middle section is comparable to the hull of a ship. The garden terraces on the other side of the island look confusingly similar to the large stern of a ship.
You can visit Isola Bella from the end of March to the end of October from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. For an entry price of 16 euros per person, you will receive an entry ticket that gives you access to all Borromean Islands.
Text: lagomaggiore.de/sehenswuerdheiten/isola-bella
lagomaggiore.de/sehenswuerdheiten/isola-bella

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Paul

August 21, 2025

Isola Bella "As fantastic and wonderful as the island of Bella may be and is, it is even more beautiful than one can imagine."
"As fantastic and wonderful as the island of Bella may be and is, it is even more beautiful than one can imagine." This is what Charles Dickens, the famous English author, said in 1844 about Isola Bella, the second of the Borromean Islands.
Isola Bella lies on the northwest side of the lake and consists entirely of a garden in the Italian style of the Palazzo Borromeo. In 1632, Count Vitaliano Borromeo began construction of the monumental Baroque palace and the majestic terraced gardens, which still testify to the pomp of an era. Visitors are overwhelmed by the splendor of the tapestries, paintings, furniture, and statues that adorn the palace. At the end of the visit, guests have access to the gardens and can fully enjoy an enchanting stroll among exotic plants.
A historical note
On April 11, 1935, the "Stresa Peace Conference" was convened. This location is located offshore from Isola Bella, but the four-day conference was held in the Borromean Palace on Isola Bella. The participants were: Mussolini, the Italian dictator; MacDonald, the Prime Minister of England; and Laval, the Prime Minister of France. The goal was to counter Hitler's expansionism so that Austria remained independent. Unfortunately, the political events that soon followed demonstrated that this peace conference was ultimately unsuccessful.
Text / Source: Lago-Maggiore.de
lago-maggiore.de/ausflugsziele/borromaeische-inseln.html

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Siebener_Walter

July 21, 2025

Is the high entrance fee okay?

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Details

Informations

Elevation 240 m

Weather

Thursday 15 January

11°C

5°C

8 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 4.0 km/h

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See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Stresa, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont, Italy

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Shell Grottos of Palazzo Borromeo, Isola Bella

Isola Bella Gardens and Palace

Baveno Town Hall

Church of San Vittore, Isola Superiore dei Pescatori

Botanical Garden, Isola Madre

Teatro Massimo, Isola Bella

Isola Bella

View of Isola Bella from the Lake

View of Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and Isola Superiore

View of Baveno

Oratorio Beata Vergine Addolorata di Roncaro

Isola Bella

1. Isola Bella – Isola Bella loop from Baveno

2. Isola Bella – Baveno Town Hall loop from Baveno

3. Pallanza Lakeside Promenade – Lake Maggiore loop from Verbania

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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