Holidays to Lake Maggiore offer up scenic northern Italian countryside, with a healthy sprinkling of little towns and traditional eats.
Northern waters
Lake Maggiore is Italy's second-largest lake, right up in the north of the country. Dotted all around its green shoreline are historic villages like Baveno and Stresa, but big-city thrills are also not far off – high-speed trains can zip you across to Milan in around an hour.
Isles worth eyeing up
Don't miss the Borromean Islands in the western arm of the lake. Depending on the shore you land on, expect tiny fishing villages, clusters of red-roofed villas and a grand palace. Hop on a boat from Baveno, Stresa or Pallanza to the largest island, Madre, to have a wander through its botanical gardens.
)
)
)
)
)
)