More than 300,000 Germans visit Lake Maggiore year on year. They constitute the largest tourist group of all nations visiting the northern Italian lake.

The Lake Maggiore is in the foothills of the Alps extending itself between the two Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. Part also lies in the Swiss Canton of Tessin. However, the tourist region of Lake Maggiore is by far the largest geographical area of interest. Included here for example are Lake Orta, Lake Mergozzo and the Lake Ossola valleys.

At the place where Lake Maggiore is widest, it opens up to the Borromeo bay with the famous Borromeo islands. This island group, to which the “Isola Bella”, the “Isola Madre” and the “Isola dei Pescatori” belong, was developed in 1630 by the Milan family Borromeo by the introduction of impressive villas and parks. The islands are a special attraction for tourists, particularly in spring and summer time, when everything is in bloom.

A visit to the 50 acre “Villa Taranto” park, which is best approached by boat, forms for many interested tourists a not to be missed part of their  programme for their stay.

Also the cultural attractions in the region have nothing to fear, as far as their artistic standard is concerned, when compared with other artistic exhibitions in other Italian regions.

Meanwhile the surroundings of Lake Maggiore itself have become a sophisticated travel destination for visitors interested in art and culture. More than 230 hotels, with the capacity to accommodate two million visitors annually, underpin the tradition to visit this many faceted, versatile and attractive region of Italy. All the same, only a few know that the second highest mountain in Europe, Mount Rosa, is only 30 kilometres from Lake Maggiore. Or that in the Province of Verbano Cusio Ossalo there is a network of over 2,500 Kilometres in total of hiking trails, many of which remain to a great degree undiscovered.Travel with DB Autozug to the centre of Piedmont, to Alessandria or up to the Swiss border to Lörrach near Basle. From there you can reach Lake Maggiore easily and in a short time.