Stresa relief
selection of lake fish – there’s perch, trout and black bass in its clear waters – at the friendly Osteria degli Amici.
I’d also recommend the cheap and very cheerful Caffe Torino where we enjoyed a hearty and reasonably-priced dinner with lots of help and advice from larger-than-life waiter Daniele.
We particularly enjoyed the dry red wine from the Travaglini vineyard in nearby Gattinara ( from €20 upwards, according to vintage).
Walking along the promenade lined with palm trees, it’s easy to forget you are actually on the edge of the Alps. At the top end of the 40-mile long lake is Switzerland and snowcapped peaks provide a stunning backdrop.
HOPPING
We decided to head north on the scenic route, taking a €4 train ride to Domodossola, in the hills above Stresa, then hopping aboard the Centovalli narrow gauge railway for a two-hour trip across the border to Locarno (€27 return).
The route winds through hillsides and deep river gorges, stopping at the occasional sleepy mountain village on the way. Locarno has good shopping, a large cobbled square and a picturesque lakeside promenade. It’s quicker to get a ferry back but later in the season, services wind down so we had to take the return train.
There’s plenty more to see on Maggiore: Cannobio is the pick of the lakeside villages with lots of cafes and restaurants. Arona, close to the San Carlo statue, is also worth a visit.
And the Rocca Borromeo, a castle perched on a hill above Angera on the eastern shore, provides a different lake view and a fascinating museum collection of dolls and vintage toys.
But we were heading to the westernmost lake, the much smaller Orta, where we checked into the Hotel San Rocco, a tastefully converted monastery in Orta San Giulio.
The town is a maze of medieval cobbled streets with some quirky antique shops. This tranquil backwater is perfect for a romantic dinner looking out at the floodlit island basilica.
It’s worth taking a boat there to marvel at the church’s fresco-covered walls and the remains of the saint in a glass casket in the crypt.
Feeling slightly less than saintly after gorging on steak and more of the Travaglini family’s nectar at the Ristorante Venus, we set out the next day to atone for our sins by climbing Sacre Monte, a hillside trail with 20 chapels containing sculpted figures portraying St Francis of Assisi.
If you like good food and wine, stunning scenery and a serene lifestyle with a garnish of history, these lakes are an ideal destination just a half-hour drive from Milan’s Malpensa airport.
Balm for your soul, a feast for your eyes – and a disaster for your waistline.