Lake Maggiore is the lake that many visitors overlook in favour of Como, and those who discover it often wish they had come sooner. It is larger, quieter in many places and wonderfully close to Malpensa. Stresa, on the western shore, is the best-known town, with grand hotels from the Belle Époque and a view over the Borromean Islands. Here is how to plan the trip from Milan or directly from the airport.
How far it is
Lake Maggiore is the closest major lake to Malpensa. On an ordinary weekday morning, Google Maps gives about 64 km and around an hour from Terminal 1 to Stresa. From the Duomo in central Milan the drive is about 92 km and roughly an hour and a half at mid-morning, faster early in the day. From Linate, allow about an hour and a half as well. The route follows the A8 and A26 motorways for most of the way, then the lake road for the last stretch.
Stresa and its hotels
Stresa grew as a resort in the nineteenth century, and its lakefront is still lined with grand hotels, such as the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées, alongside smaller, more modern properties. It is a good base for a few days: boats to the islands leave from the town, and the lake road gives access to the rest of the western shore. Your driver can take you to the hotel entrance and handle the luggage, which matters on narrow lakefront roads in summer.
The Borromean Islands
The three Borromean Islands are the main reason many people come to Stresa. Isola Bella has the baroque palace and terraced gardens of the Borromeo family; Isola Madre is known for its botanical garden; Isola dei Pescatori is a small fishing village with restaurants. They are reached by boat from Stresa and nearby towns, so the car takes you to the jetty and waits or meets you on your return.
Beyond Stresa
North of Stresa, the lake road continues to Verbania, with the gardens of Villa Taranto, and then towards the Swiss border. On the Swiss shore, Locarno and Ascona are a pleasant extension of the trip. The eastern, Lombard shore, with towns such as Angera and its fortress, faces Stresa across the water. A chauffeur makes it easy to combine several of these in one day without worrying about parking.
Direct from Malpensa
Because Malpensa is so close, a direct transfer from the terminal to Stresa is one of the easiest arrivals in northern Italy: you can be at your hotel about an hour after leaving the arrivals hall. Your driver tracks the flight and waits with a sign showing your name, and 60 minutes of waiting from the actual landing are included.
A day trip from Milan
If you are based in Milan, Lake Maggiore makes an excellent day trip. Leave in the morning, take a boat to the islands, have lunch on Isola dei Pescatori or in Stresa, and return in the late afternoon. An hourly booking with a minimum of four hours keeps the car with you for the day; for a full day on the lake, eight hours is often a comfortable choice.
Combining lakes and Switzerland
Lake Maggiore sits between Lake Como, Lake Orta and the Swiss Alps, which makes it a natural stop on longer itineraries. From Stresa, the road over the Simplon Pass leads into Switzerland's Valais, the region of Zermatt and Verbier, while Lugano is about an hour and a half away by car. If you are planning a multi-stop trip, we can quote each leg in one message.
Choosing the vehicle
For a couple, a Mercedes E-Class or S-Class is ideal. For families or groups with luggage, the Mercedes V-Class carries up to seven passengers, and the Sprinter Luxury VIP up to eight. All prices are fixed in writing before you travel, with fuel and tolls included.