Museums on Lake Maggiore: Tips for Rainy Days
A museum tour along Lake Maggiore – suitable for the whole family
Museums on Lake Maggiore and in Ticino
They don't happen often on Lake Maggiore, but when they do, they're proper: rainy days. Besides a visit to Lido Locarno or Splash & Spa Tamaro or shopping trips to Foxtown Outlet Center or Vicolungo the Style Outlet, a visit to one of the museums on Lake Maggiore is also a great option. Here's our selection, with approximate travel times from Cannobio.
Lake Maggiore Museums at a Glance
- Very close: Castelli di Cannero, a few minutes by boat from Cannobio
- Ticino: Hermann Hesse in Montagnola, Castles of Bellinzona, Sasso San Gottardo
- Lombardy side: Parisi Valle in Maccagno, Ceramic Museum in Laveno, Villa Panza in Varese, Rocca di Angera
- Piedmont: Isola Bella near Stresa, Gottard Park in Castelletto sopra Ticino
- Travel time: approx. 1 to 2 hours depending on the destination
Hermann Hesse Museum in Montagnola
Ticino (CH), approx. 65 minutes away. Hermann Hesse lived in Montagnola until his death, and many of his most famous works were created here. The museum displays artifacts from his life, including his watercolors.
Museo Parisi Valle in Maccagno
Art museum, approx. 60 minutes away. The museum showcases several thousand works of 20th-century Italian art.
Isola Bella near Stresa
Approx. 75 minutes away. On Isola Bella, you'll find a beautiful Baroque garden and the Palazzo Borromeo. A must-see with a wow factor! However, it's less suitable for rainy days. Find out more on our Borromean Islands page.
Villa Panza in Varese
Art museum, approx. 75 minutes away. Villa Panza in Varese houses a large collection of contemporary art.
Ceramic Museum in Laveno
Approx. 75 minutes away. In Palazzo Perabò in Cerro near Laveno, you can view ceramic and porcelain works; the town of Laveno has a long ceramic tradition. The visit can be combined well with the bucket cable car to Sasso del Ferro.
Gottard Park in Castelletto sopra Ticino
Approx. 80 minutes away. The private collection of Mr. Gottardo, who collected machines and vehicles that shaped civil and military transport history throughout his life.
Doll Museum in Rocca di Angera
Approx. 85 minutes away. In the still-preserved, very impressive castle, you will find a large doll museum with well over 1000 dolls on display.
Sasso San Gottardo at Gotthard Pass
Approx. 2 hours away. Here you can visit one of Europe's largest defense systems: kilometers of bunker systems in the Gotthard massif. Impressive, intense, and also a little oppressive. But absolutely worth seeing! The facility is only open in summer.
Very close: Castelli di Cannero
Just a few minutes from us. Since June 2025, the castle ruins on the small islands off Cannero Riviera have been a museum with a multimedia tour. Boats depart directly from Cannobio. Find out all about it on our Castelli di Cannero page.
The castles of Bellinzona
Approx. 1 hour away. The three castles of Bellinzona are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the castles feature exhibitions on the history of the city and the region. Find out more at Castles of Bellinzona.
Whether it’s a rainy day or a culture day: Cannobio is the starting point for all these museums. Stay with us on the lake, in a mobile home with lake view, a holiday apartment in Cannobio, or on a pitch for your motorhome.
Questions and answers
The selection includes the Castelli di Cannero, the Hermann Hesse Museum in Montagnola, the Museo Parisi Valle in Maccagno, the Villa Panza in Varese, the Ceramic Museum in Laveno, the Doll Museum in Rocca di Angera, and Sasso San Gottardo at the Gotthard Pass.