Day 3 Stresa: Locarno via the Maggiore Express!

Domenica 6 settembre

Lake Maggiore in the last rays of light after the sun had set behind the mountains, on our way back to Stresa

For our last day in Stresa, we thought it was only fitting to explore Lago Maggiore a little more, so we paid the huge sum of 35 euro each to go on an all-day excursion, taking the Maggiore Express - which is a small and relatively slow electric railway called 'Vigezzina-Centovalli' that takes almost 2 hours for the journey - from Domodossola in Italy to Locarno in Switzerland, at the northernmost Swiss end of the lake, and a return 3 hour trip by ferry back to Stresa - so not exactly an express but certainly a wonderful experience!

 On this picturesque train journey, the little train climbed up the mountain, through the Valle Viggezo from 257m asl at Domodossola,  taking us over steep gorges with waterfalls and fast mountain streams and through the verdant deciduous forests of the Parco Nazionale Della Val Grande,  past quaint mountain villages such as Santa Maria Maggiore at 830m asl, close to stone cottages with shingle roofs and Swiss-style decoration on verandahs, and we were excited to see the huge ice-covered glacial peak of Monte Rosa , which at 4634 m asl, is the highest peak in the region, and forms the watershed between northern and southern Europe.

  

Monte Rosa, this shot taken from the train, can be seen in the background!

As we were crossing  the border into Switzerland, we were told to take our passports, but  were not required to present them at any time!

On the last part of the journey, through the Centovalli down to Locarno at 192m asl, we got talking to a lovely elderly Swiss German man. Who speaks 6 languages plus a smattering of a couple more, who had worked in Australia as an engineer in Ahrnem Land 40 years ago - he recognised our Aussie accents!  

When we arrived in Locarno, we were surprised ago find it very quiet with few people  in the old town square,  apart from in the cafes and restaurants, until we realised it was Sunday and, like other places we had been, no shops were open!

After a wander along the quiet streets of the Old Town, we decided to take the funicular to the viewing area on th hill overlooking Locarno. It cost only 7.20 Swiss francs and we were able to pay with euro, 7.20 also,  which was lucky! 

Near the top is the beautiful Santuario Madonna del  Sasso, Orselina, ' Madonna on the rock' , an important place of pilgrimage for the Francescan order. 

A very sacred place

The pretty pink and white facade of the monastery. 

We sat in the sun while sitting on a bench by the lake shore, enjoying he view, then boarded the one and only ferry back to Stresa, at 4.15pm, for the long slow and relaxing  trip back to Stresa,  passing by some gorgeous villages on the lake, such as Canobbio .....

Behind Baveno below,  you can see the scar on the mountain side of the granite and marble mines - apparently the marble from this area is that used to repair the Duomo in Milan!

At the end of a lovely but long day,  we were finally back at the hotel at 7.45pm, for a simple dinner of leftovers (last of the big spenders!) on our balcony consisting of bread, cheese, cherry tomatoes, bottled grilled capsicum and tuna, washed down with the last of the sparkling white we started the night before- we couldn't buy any salad as the shops were closed!

Our last night here, so tomorrow it's 'arrivederci' Stresa and ' buongiorno' Rome!

Day 2 Stresa : The Borromean Islands - The Enchanting Isles

Venerdi 4 settembre, 2015

We bought a ticket (15 euro) from one of the many companies offering a small boat from which to hop on and off, rather than the larger ferry, to visit The Borromean Islands and a ticket (20.50 euro) to enter the palazzi e giardini on two of the islands - Isola Madre and Isola Bella.

Stop 1. Isola Madre

This gorgeous island is only 220m wide and 330m long, one of the main islands in the Isole Borromee archipelago which falls within the Italian part of the Alpine Lake Maggiore, Piedmont.

The island is famous for its Palazzo Borromeo, built in the 16th century, surrounded by an impressive 8-hectare garden, the Giardini Botanici dell'Isola Madre, whose construction in the English style, all'Inglese, began in the 18th century on the site of a citrus orchard.

A bee feeding on a lotus flower.

The prized scala dei morti - the staircase of the dead, which in recent decades has been embellished with an important collection of Wisteria.

The gardens were simply stunning - shady and cool yet colourful with old stone walls and steps and all so clean and well manicured!

The clearly labelled plants made it possible to discover the origins of the extensive plant collection from all over the world included acacia and eucalypt species!

A brightly feathered pheasant was strutting along the path, then disappeared into the undergrowth.

A tornado in 2006 caused significant damage to the garden's plants and structures, including the 'most beautiful tree in the world', a massive cyprus which, despite being uprooted, still stands today thanks to a massive recovery effort and many strong cables holding it upright!

In 1501, Lancillotto Borromeo began the construction of the family residence, the Palazzo Borromeo, which is very beautiful and houses an extensive collection of antique dolls and exquisite marrionettes, paintings, marble statues and Venetian glass chandeliers. 

One small drawing room was especially beautiful, with its floral fresco decorating the walls and pink chandelier.

Unfortunately, we were unable to take photos of the palace interior, 

so below is the view from one window.

Stop 2. Isola dei Pescatori

We then hopped back on the ferry to go the most northerly of the three main Borromean Islands Pescatori (or Fishermen's) Island, a little fishing village with a population of only 32 and the only one to be inhabited year-round and it no longer belongs to the Borromeo family. 

View of Isola Pescatori, with an islet in the foreground.

Cobbled steps provide access to the narrow alley ways.

     This small island is only 100m wide and 375m long, so it did not take long for us to explore it!

                                             
      Everywhere are signs of this island's fishing heritage, from nets and buoys to fishing boats!

               

               

               

Naturally, Pescatori is a seafood-lovers paradise with its many ristorante di pesce dotted along the promenade which encircles its shores and its narrow cobbled alleys, with a busy flotilla of ferries and small craft bringing visitors across from the mainland, many just to dine. We wandered around this quaint island, past its old church of San Vittore which retains traces of an ancient chapel that was constructed in the mid 9th century!

Stop 3. Isola Bella - saving the best till last!

Isola Bella (the 'beautiful island') is situated in the Borromean Gulf, only 400m from the lakeside town of Stresa, and is the largest of the 3 main islands, being 320m by 400m. It is a place of splendour, thanks to its gorgeous year-round floral displays in its Italianate garden and its priceless architectural treasures, especially the grottoes in the baroque palazzo and the built structures in the garden itself.

                                                          Approaching Isola Bella from the south.

Until 1632, this island was nothing more than  rocky crag occupied by a tiny fishing village, but that year, Carlo III of the influential House of Borromeo began the construction of a palazzo dedicated to his wife Isabella, from whom the island takes its name.

Milanese architect Angelo Crivelli planned the gardens and palace, but work was halted due to the plaghe, until the late 1600s when work resumed. The island achieved highest level of social success during the period of Giberto V Borromeo in the mid 1700s when guests included Napolean Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.

One of the six grottoes inside the palace, the walls and ceilings studded with shells and pebbles and pieces of limestone and offer a cool retreat on a hot day.

                                                    The steps up to the stunning Teatro Massimo.

The island appears as a galleon floating on the blue waters of Lake Maggiore, from the two-hundred year old camphor tree at the palace entrance to the breathtaking panorama of the
Teatro Massimo amphitheater,

with white peacocks strutting on the lawn, its many terraces adorned with statues, obelisks, ageless stone stairs, fountains, huge clam shells carved from white marble, balustrades and masses of glorious pink begonias glowing in the sunshine …….

Charkes Dickens said, in 1844,

 'For however fanciful and fantastic the Isola Bella may be, it is still beautiful'. 

You can see why, below!

The Giardino del Amore, Garden of Love below, 

forms the southern tip of the island, with its perfectly trimmed parterre of box embroidered flowerbeds. 

From the terrace, you can see in all directions, but the most striking being the view to the north of the peaks of the Swiss Alps in the distance.


We had the most amazing day out visting these enchanting islands - well worth the visit and the outlay of 35 euro each!

This photo from Getty

More recently in July this year, this island's palace hosted a wedding party for Pierre Casiraghi (son of Caroline of Monaco and grandson of Grace Kelly) and Beatrice Borromeo, whose family own Isola Bella and Isola Madre.

Day 1: Buongiorno from Stresa, Lago Maggiore

Giovedi 3 Settembre 2015

                                           Many thanks to Penny for her beautiful photos|

Isola Bella in the Borromean Gulf of Lago Maggiore, the 'Greatest Lake', 
with its towering backdrop of mountains.

Me on the promenade of Lago Maggiore on another glorious sunny, warm day - bellissimo!

 We arrived in Stresa yesterday after a couple of short train trips from Como to Milan then Milan to Stresa. We walked to the Hotel Royal, only about 1/2 km from the train station. 

Surely Stresa could not be as beautiful and charming as Bellagio?  How wrong could we be!

After settlng in to our hotel room, we walked into the centre of town, about 1.3 km along a lovely pathway overlooking the lake - such beautiful views of the mountains, and especially the three small isola - Bella, Madre and Pescatori, surprisingly close to short - these are what we have come to see!


                             

Stresa boasts many very grand hotels along its lake front, including the 5 star luxury Grand Hotel des Iles Borremèes, immortilised in Ernest Hemingway's 'Farewell to Arms', which he wrote after staying at the hotel while recovering from a war wound.

 The hotel's grand fontana.

The gorgeous fontana delle ninfe dei continenti - every hour, the fountains at the base of the 4 white marble statues (Africa, America, Asia and Europe) spring to life to music for several minutes. 

The next day, we went to the small market in a piazza in the town centre - very similar to the market we went to at Lenno last week - selling food, flowers, leather goods, jewellery, clothing and household items for sale! 

We were finished at the market by 11.30, and since the weather was so gorgeous and the forecast for Saturday was for clouds and rain, we decided to visit the Borromea Islands for which Stresa is much visited and enjoyed.

See the next blogpost!

Day 3 Bellagio: Ferry trip on Lake Como

Martedì 1 settembre

Three gorgeous photos by Penny.

 View of the buildings along a pretty salita in Bellagio.

From Bellagio, looking towards Lenno.

Beautiful Varenna - ' a luxuriance of trees and flowers is favoured by a mild and sweet climate'

We decided to spend the day exploring the neighbouring lakeside villages - Lenno, Tremezzo, Menaggio and Varenna - which you can reach by the hop on and off ferries which operate between them, the 15 euro for an all day ticket was really good value - we never really did get the hang of the timetable, but the ferries were frequent, so no real problems!



Here is a selection of shots.

At Tremezzo

A few scenes at the Lenno market ....

Glace mangoes I think?

At Mennagio

Penny stopped at Varenna for these......

Two views that I took of Varennna from the ferry as it was pulling away.

Back to Bellagio

Later on, we had a delicious vegetarian pizza e insalata at the Barchetta pizzeria with a wood-fired pizza oven just in the next street.