Piemonte has plenty to offer if you are looking for a long weekend split between shimmering waters and rocky valleys. Late April to early October brings the best weather. Spring lets you wander among azaleas and tulips in full bloom, while summer offers the ideal conditions for heading out onto high-altitude trails in Val Formazza and Val Grande without the bite of winter temperatures.
A car is essential to link Lago Maggiore and Lago d'Orta efficiently with Alta Val d'Ossola. The drive from the shores of Stresa to Valle Antigorio and Val Formazza takes around an hour and a quarter, following the fast stretch of the SS33 del Sempione before branching off onto the SS659. Looking at the route as a whole, setting up your base at Hotel Regina Palace in Stresa cuts down waiting times at the ferry docks and gets you moving quickly northwards the following morning.
Four days between lakes and rock walls
Day 1 — Botanical gardens and waterside palaces
Morning
In Stresa, sorting out where to leave your car takes a little planning. Parking spaces in Piazza Marconi and along Corso Umberto I are pay-and-display, or marked by white bays that only allow morning parking. Once you have parked, head towards Pallanza to enter the Giardini Botanici di Villa Taranto. The gates open at 9:00, and you can make use of the free adjacent car park. Inside, you wander among twenty thousand plant varieties spread across sixteen hectares of wooded grounds, along a route that usually takes around two hours. Once you have finished your first tour, take the scheduled ferry towards Isola Madre. This is the largest landmass in the Golfo Borromeo, famous for its sprawling English garden where white peacocks roam among rare plant species. Allow roughly an hour and a half to walk around it.
Afternoon
Spend the second half of your day on Isola Bella e Palazzo Borromeo. The sheer scale of the Baroque palace stands in contrast to the geometric precision of the Italian-style gardens laid out over vast terraced levels. Wandering through the staterooms and between the clipped hedges outside easily fills another two hours. To speed up access at the entrance, it pays to buy a combined online ticket that includes hop-on hop-off ferry transport alongside direct entry passes for the villas and the gardens on both islands.
Evening
As the sun sets, head over to Isola dei Pescatori (Isola Superiore), the only genuinely inhabited island in the archipelago. You will have an hour or so of free time to amble through the maze of narrow alleyways running between the houses. Restaurants line the water's edge, serving local catches. Here you will find Ristorante Il Verbano, where chef Marco Sacco brings a modern touch to cooking freshwater fish. Dinner is served in the evening window between 19:00 and 21:00. Given the steady stream of diners, booking ahead is strictly necessary.
Day 2 — The power of ice in Val d'Ossola
Morning
The main road leads your journey north, deep into Valle Antigorio. Road signs point the way down to Orridi di Uriezzo (Orrido Sud). Step into a deep glacial canyon carved out in bygone eras by the subglacial meltwater of the Toce glacier. The gorges must be explored on foot via narrow metal ladders bolted into the rock, with the full circuit taking about two hours. Close by, you will also spot the Marmitte dei Giganti di Uriezzo e Maiesso: enormous, circular natural potholes hollowed out of the solid granite over millennia by the river's swirling eddies. Break for lunch at Ristorante Cistella, located in the hamlet of Croveo in Baceno, right at the base of the rock face, for a menu featuring creamy cheese risottos and rustic buckwheat tarts.
Afternoon
Staying within the Baceno area, a very short hop brings you to the Chiesa Monumentale di San Gaudenzio. This sturdy Romanesque church, perched on a spur of bare rock since the tenth century, is instantly recognizable by the large 1542 fresco of Saint Christopher painted across its exposed facade. Further north, high up in Val Formazza, your day brings you to the Cascata del Toce. With a vertical drop of 143 metres, it ranks among the tallest waterfalls in the entire Alpine chain. The volume of water you see depends on the hydroelectric reservoir upstream: to avoid finding it reduced to a trickle, time your stop to arrive between late morning and the afternoon, when the sluice gates are routinely opened.
Evening
The descent brings the itinerary back down to gentler altitudes, stopping in Viceno, a tiny hamlet in the municipality of Crodo. The tables at Albergo Ristorante Edelweiss offer a welcome rest after hours spent out on the trails. The family running the business serves up high-pasture meats and many of the rustic, unrefined specialities typical of the Alto Piemonte province, providing hearty, filling dishes well suited to the cool valley temperatures.
Day 3 — Calm waters between Orta and Mergozzo
Morning
The Borgo medievale di Orta San Giulio has strict driving regulations. The street grid and central lanes are entirely closed to motor vehicles. You must therefore leave your car in the paid car parks located at the entrance to the village. From there, continue on foot or aboard a small tourist train on wheels until you reach the paving stones of Piazza Motta and the nearby Palazzo della Comunità. From the village centre, the road climbs up towards the Sacro Monte di Orta. This woodland, protected under UNESCO listing, features a trail that completes a loop in forty-five minutes, passing twenty secluded chapels adorned with frescoes dedicated to Saint Francis and offering continuous panoramic glimpses over the lake.
Afternoon
From Piazza Motta, the ferry takes just a few minutes to cross the stretch of water to Isola di San Giulio. On this small island, buildings huddle against the imposing bulk of the Romanesque basilica. Walking around its perimeter walls means following the famous path of silence, a narrow stone lane squeezed between tall palazzi and glimpses of the lake beyond. In the afternoon, head east to reach the shores of Lago di Mergozzo. With motorboats banned from the basin, the waters remain pristine and crystal-clear, perfect whether you fancy hiring paddle-sports equipment or walking along the dirt track skimming its edge.
Evening
Just outside the village of Mergozzo, you will come across Ristorante Piccolo Lago. The dining room's sliding glass doors run flush with the water's surface. Holding two Michelin stars, the kitchen applies expert technique to lake fish and produce of distinctly Alpine origin. Tables here are in very high demand and covers are limited, so booking is essential and should be arranged weeks in advance to secure a spot.
Day 4 — Walking through woods and national parks
Morning
Get your boots dusty by tackling the Sentiero dell'Anello Azzurro da Pella a Orta. This hiking route requires a brisk, steady pace for six hours. The path runs parallel to the shoreline, cutting through dense woodland and passing the stone cottages of small hamlets. If you have the stamina and prefer gaining altitude, drive to San Bernardino Verbano, park at Alpe Ompio and set foot in the Parco Nazionale della Val Grande (Sentiero Alpe Ompio - Monte Faiè). The trailhead marks the entrance to Italy's largest wilderness area, where trails climb steeply towards bare rock.
Afternoon
The physical effort of the climb up Monte Faiè is rewarded at the summit with a breathtaking panoramic vista: from this single vantage point, Lago Maggiore, the waters of Mergozzo and Lago d'Orta can all be seen at the same time. If you opted for the Anello Azzurro instead, spend your afternoon making your way back to your starting point on a scenic, relaxing ferry ride, admiring from below the elevation you have just conquered. Either way, wind down the afternoon giving your legs a well-earned rest.
Evening
Use your remaining energy to head up into the hills, stopping along the hairpins of Campino overlooking Stresa and the silhouettes of the islands below. Ristorante La Rampolina arranges its tables on a terrace looking down over the water, serving dishes like gnocchi with Bettelmatt cheese, local farm meats and traditional recipes from the Piemonte borders. Here too, calling several days ahead to book a table is strongly recommended. If you prefer staying at lake level among the town-centre streets, Via Mazzini is home to Ristorante Piemontese (Bistrot 76) for fresh handmade pasta and classic sharing platters paired with regional wines.
Practical tips and planning details
- To get around smoothly, having a car is essential for connecting the shores of Lago Maggiore and Lago d'Orta with Valle Antigorio and Val Formazza. The drive takes around an hour and fifteen minutes along the Statale 33 del Sempione and the 659. Once by the lakes, you can easily rely on walking and the scheduled ferry network.
- In central areas such as Stresa, take note of parking fees in Piazza Marconi or along Corso Umberto I, and pay attention to the white bays. In Orta San Giulio traffic is not an issue, as cars are barred at the entrance and must be parked in the dedicated car parks uphill.
- If you plan to explore the Isole Borromee thoroughly, you will save both time and money by buying the all-inclusive combined ticket. This bundles hop-on hop-off boat rides with entry passes to both private estates on Isola Bella and Isola Madre, working out cheaper than individual tickets.
- Exploring the Orridi di Uriezzo requires care due to the canyon's microclimate: the rock walls are perpetually damp, the carved stone is worn smooth, and the steps can be slippery. Sturdy mountain boots with reliable wet-grip soles are strongly advised, along with a light windproof jacket in your daypack to handle the chill inside the gorge.
- For a full four-day trip, budget between €220 and €350 per person. This estimate covers around €40-60 for ferries and entry to the island estates and gardens, plus fuel and meals in mountain huts or restaurants. Hotel accommodation costs should be calculated separately.
Where to base yourself along the route
A prestigious historic hotel with original Liberty-style lines, overlooking the lakeside promenade and convenient for ferry departures.
View on Booking →Rooms set right inside the walls of an ancient convent on the water's edge, offering open views directly facing Isola di San Giulio.
View on Booking →Its location significantly cuts driving times for anyone heading into Valle Antigorio to explore the gorges.
View on Booking →