Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore, also known as Lake Maggiore, is one of the most
of the most beautiful lakes in Europe!
Lake Maggiore (Lake Maggiore) - your vacation destination!
Lake Maggiore, considered alpine, is located in northern Italy and borders Switzerland. It is particularly attractive for international tourism due to its beauty and varied natural landscape. Its islands, gardens, parks, nature reserves fascinate tourists as well as the beautiful typical Belle Époque villages that surround Lake Maggiore.
History of Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore, also known as Lake Maggiore or Lake Maggiore, is one of the most beautiful bodies of water in Italy. It has inspired great artists from Italy and abroad and many even chose a place on Lake Maggiore for their final resting place (for example, the famous writer Erich Maria Remarque is buried in Ascona ). It is considered the largest lake of the pre-Alpine type, a characteristic that is mainly due to its geological formation. Lake Maggiore has the so-called crypto-depression, i.e. its lowest points are below mean sea level, a characteristic of lakes of glacial origin. These are mostly narrow, elongated and with many cliffs on their banks. It is precisely this rugged structure that makes Lake Maggiore so beautiful.
Located between Lombardy, Piedmont and Switzerland, Lake Maggiore is considered the most historic lake with a series of impressive landscapes, among which are the islands of Lake Maggiore, considered small pearls of art.
Characteristics of Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a lake with endless charms and spectacular deep blue waters, as well as an alpine landscape with snow-capped mountains that captivates all its visitors. All these characteristics make it a lake that stands out from many others in the world.
The lake was formed after the last ice age and is located in the Alpine region, belongs to two countries, with Italy accounting for 80% and Switzerland 20%. After Lake Garda at the foot of the Alps, it is the second largest lake in Italy.
It is a body of water located on the alpine border between Italy and Switzerland. It is located between the Alps, the mountain range of Central Europe, and the Po Valley. Lake Maggiore has an area of 212 square kilometers, a length of 64.4 kilometers and a maximum width of 10 kilometers, its depth at the deepest point is about 370 meters and it receives its water mainly from the Ticino River, which flows through southern Switzerland and northern Italy.
The lake is the favorite residence of the noble families of Lombardy, who have built beautiful palaces and large villas on its shores or on its islands.
Lake Maggiore climate
Lake Maggiore has two types of climate: on the one hand, the influence of the oceanic winds and, on the other, the cold of the continental winds. The best season climatically is from June to August, there is a very pleasant climate with little rainfall.
The average maximum temperature on Lake Maggiore is 23°C in July, but only 3°C in January. The average annual temperature is 13 °C. The water temperature of Lake Maggiore is often up to 27°C in high summer and cools down to as low as 5°C from autumn. The average annual rainfall is 432 mm. This compares to about 220 days of sunshine.
In short, in the region of Lake Maggiore, summers are warm, winter is cold and often cloudy, with a snow season that lasts about 3-4 months. The wind speed on Lake Maggiore is variable throughout the year, with calmer periods between the months of June and February, with an average wind speed of 6.2 kilometers per hour. Quite active is the wind from February to June with speeds up to 7.8 kilometers per hour. Ideal conditions for all sports related to wind.
Botanical gardens, parks and nature reserves
Nature lovers have the opportunity to visit several botanical gardens on Lake Maggiore. They consist of many nature reserves that are maintained as part of the world’s nature reserves. Particularly noteworthy:
Villa Taranto , a 16-hectare botanical garden with more than a thousand plants located in Pallanza in the municipality of Verbania, on the western shore of Lake Maggiore. It houses species such as azaleas, cornus, Victoria Amazonica, dahlias, herbarium as well as the mausoleum of its founder Neil McEacharn.
Alpinia, a 40,000 square meter garden in Stresa founded in 1934 by Igino Ambrosini and Giuseppe Rossi; it houses about 1,000 species native to the Alps and some others from regions such as China, Japan and the Caucasus. Represented by Artemis, Centaurea, Geranium, Campanula, Dianthus and many others.
The Val Grande National Park consists of two valleys, such as: Val Grande and Val Pogallo , whose areas are forested and whose rivers flow into the San Bernardino. The park is one of the most visited tourist centers and also has several museums.
The Natural Park Valle del Ticino, is recognized by UNESCO as a reserve of natural resources of the entire biosphere. It is the oldest park in Italy, was founded in 1974, is located entirely in Lombardy and covers an area of 91,410 hectares.
Lake Maggiore is very popular with tourists and gives the feeling of walking through a magical place surrounded by palaces, parks and even religious centers. The nature that this lake offers with its parks and nature reserves is unique and makes many of its fans return to Lake Maggiore again and again.
Castles and sacral buildings
The many churches and cathedrals are of high cultural value and also usually offer excellent vantage points over the countryside and Lake Maggiore.
We recommend a visit to the Sacro Monte de Ghiffa above Ghiffa (between Cannobio and Verbania), declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The monastery of Madonna del Sasso, a cultural testimony of the 15th century, is also worth a visit. It is located above Locarno and accessible from the center of Locarno of an impressive funicular. From the monastery, following the Way of the Cross downhill, you reach the center of Locarno again. The church of San Martino in Ispra is something very special: in fact, San Martino is not one church, but two, because the complex is composed of two church buildings originally built in opposite directions and in two different centuries. From Lake Maggiore you can see only the older part, extensively decorated with precious frescoes.
In the municipality of Leggiuno, on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore, lies the monastery of Santa Caterina del Sasso. Seen from the lake, one gets the impression that Santa Caterina del Sasso is part of the massive rock formation with which the monastery is intertwined. The impressive tour of the church, small and large monastery is an unforgettable day trip with a gigantic view. In the town of Arona there is one of the largest statues in the world, the Colossus of San Carlo Borromeo, which is about 35 meters high and should not be missed.
Islands
The 11 islands of Lake Maggiore attract people’s interest because of their natural beauty. Especially the Borromean Islands are worth a visit. The Isola Bella is a
beautiful place dominated by a magnificent baroque palace. Flanked by a lush, terraced Italian garden, the palace is the keeper of priceless works of art.
Isola Madre, located in the center of the Borromean Gulf, is the largest and most characteristic of the Borromean Islands. You can find there a charming botanical garden, one of the oldest in Italy, full of exotic flowers and rare plants that give the island the charm of a tropical country.
Isola dei Pescatori is a picturesque village inhabited mainly by fishermen who still devote themselves to this activity. Hence the name of the island (Fishermen’s Island). The restaurants on the island are known and famous for the freshest and best fish dishes.
The Isolino di San Giovanni is also part of the Borromean Islands archipelago. Unlike the other islands, which are all in the Borromean Gulf opposite Stresa, the island of San Giovanni is just a few meters from the shore of Verbania Pallanza. It is the most inconspicuous of the four islands and is the private residence of Count Carlo Ferdinando Borromeo, which is why it cannot be visited and is therefore unknown to many tourists.Tourists should not miss to visit at least one of the Borromean Islands in the lake. They are among the most beautiful places in Europe and their gardens and outdoor areas are breathtaking. A visit to the beautiful palaces, which served as residences for the Italian nobility, also completes a vacation on Lake Maggiore.