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