FLOATING EDENS

Set between deep green forested slopes at the foot of the Alps, Lake Maggiore winds its way from Switzerland to Piedmont and Lombardy, immersed in enchanting surroundings. A jumble of pastel-coloured houses pepper the lake’s shores, elegant mansions rise beside its shimmering waters, gorgeous gardens blaze with the brilliant hues of azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias, a sprinkle of pure-white snow in the background trims the mountain peaks. This ravishing panorama has seduced countless generations of visitors – from writers to emperors, from musicians to queens – ever since 1501 when an aristocratic family, drawn here by the lake’s lush Mediterranean vegetation, cool breeze and glorious alpine views, first set eyes on a portion of a rocky island, grasping its potential as the ideal spot for a fabulous residence.

Indeed Lake Maggiore’s star attractions are the three Borromean Islands, scattered between the shores of Stresa and Verbania. The archipelago is named after the wealthy Borromeos, a noble dynasty of age-old Florentine origin, who built – and still own – the villas on two of the isles you will explore.

Meet your driver at your accommodation and relax on the ride to Stresa. Here your private guide will be waiting ready to lead you on a tour of Lake Maggiore’s famous trio. Reach the waterfront, hop aboard a public ferry or shared motor boat and let your adventure begin! You will dock at Isola Madre, the first of the islands to be landscaped by the Borromeos in the 16th century. As you step inside the palazzo, your guide will paint a vivid picture of how the aristocracy lived in the Baroque period. The rooms are crammed with antique furnishings and adornments, including family portraits, four-poster beds, rich brocades, chandeliers and porcelain ware, all belonging to the Borromeos’ original collections and brought here from several different historic residences, with the aim of recreating a noble villa. A peculiar collection of marionettes and stage scenery for puppet shows offers a unique glimpse into the recreational activities enjoyed by all the members of the family, friends and servants included. Outside white peacocks, golden pheasants and parrots roam freely in the dazzling English-style botanical gardens, amidst a two-hundred-year-old Kashmir cypress, wisteria pergolas, magnolias and hibiscuses – a true corner of Eden.

You will then sail to nearby Isola dei Pescatori, the only inhabited island of the archipelago with a population of fifty proud residents who strive to keep fishing traditions alive. Quaint cobbled streets lined with cafes and restaurants make this the perfect place to break for lunch.

The last stop on your excursion will bring you to Isola Bella, dedicated to Isabella d’Adda, wife of Carlo III Borromeo. In the 1630s he first had the ambitious idea of erecting a sumptuous palazzo on a tiny island whose only dwellers until then had been a community of fishermen. It is, however, to Count Vitaliano VI Borromeo, who created the terraces and completed the construction of the summer palace between 1650 and 1671, that we owe most of the wonders we can admire today. Follow your guide through the apartments of the opulently decorated Palazzo Borromeo and listen to the fascinating stories of its former occupants and their prominent guests – indeed Napoleon himself stayed here in 1797. You will admire beautifully furnished halls, affording magnificent vistas over the lake, filled with period furniture, precious paintings, Flemish tapestries and exquisitely carved stuccoes. Don’t miss the grottoes, artificial caves located on the lower floor of the palazzo, encrusted with black and white shells and pebbles, designed by Vitaliano as a cool sanctum where he could linger over his collection of mirabilia. The surrounding terraced garden, with its well-groomed lawns, elaborate parterres and theatrical stone esedra, is a splendid backdrop to the mansion and a treasure chest of botanical and artistic marvels in its own right. Roses, oleanders, hydrangeas, boxwood hedges and a range of exotic flowers and plants frame breathtaking lake and mountain views.

Your private chauffeur will pick you up in Stresa in the afternoon and drive you back to your accommodation in Milan.