Side trip from Lake Maggiore region
Feb 1st, 2008, 04:19 PM
#2
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Who/how many are we (5 college students? a senior couple?)?
Can you tell us something about your interests?
What other areas of Italy have you seen?
Is this part of a larger trip?
(I can;t imagine spending 5 days in Milan - 1 maybe.) Why not Venice - you could see a lot there in that time.
Or Florence with a couple of side trips to the countryside?
Can you tell us something about your interests?
What other areas of Italy have you seen?
Is this part of a larger trip?
(I can;t imagine spending 5 days in Milan - 1 maybe.) Why not Venice - you could see a lot there in that time.
Or Florence with a couple of side trips to the countryside?
Feb 1st, 2008, 05:49 PM
#3
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You're spending "a few days" on Lake Maggiore, but want to take "a 5-day side trip somewhere else?"
Surely a wordsmith can explain himself better than this.
How many days, exactly, on Lago Maggiore?
What are your interests? Do you want to be in the city or countryside?
Agree that 5 days in Milan would be excessive, though it's a great city.
Surely a wordsmith can explain himself better than this.
How many days, exactly, on Lago Maggiore?
What are your interests? Do you want to be in the city or countryside?
Agree that 5 days in Milan would be excessive, though it's a great city.
Feb 1st, 2008, 06:44 PM
#4
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Sorry for my lack of good wording! I was tired & in a hurry! Anyhow, we have a chance to take a trip to the Lake region on Maggiore---we are 60 (2 of us).....we would travel around the region, but I have read Como is much prettier than Maggiore? Is there that much of a difference? Also, we wouild only spend a day in Milan because we fly in and out, but would like to see other areas in the region....is Genoa far?
Feb 1st, 2008, 07:40 PM
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Well, I can't compare Lago Maggiore with Lago di Como YET! We visited Stresa in May 2007 for six - yes, 6 nights! May 2008, we will visit Lago di Como for six nights.
Our trip to Stresa was absolutely wonderful. Of course, it helps that we had perfect weather every day. There is plenty to do in this area (BTW we are in the same age bracket as you).
The three Borromee Islands: Pescatore, Bella and Madre are lovely, and you can reach them quickly by boat. Lunch or dinner on the verdanda of the Hotel Verbano (Isola Pescatore) is a perfect setting and the food is very good.
Also, it is possible to visit towns while riding on either a ferry or a hydrofoil further north up the lake like Ascona and Locarno (Switzerland). Pallanza is a lovely town directy across Lago Maggiore and a nice place to have lunch one of the days.
You can also rent a car, as we did, and drive 45 minutes (one-way) to Lago d'Orta.
Our hotel was directly on the lakeside promenade, which is level. Stresa town center (also mostly level) is an attractive area with plenty of restaurants and a good-size piazza.
We are hoping our trip this May to Lago di Como is as wonderful as Lago Maggiore!
Our trip to Stresa was absolutely wonderful. Of course, it helps that we had perfect weather every day. There is plenty to do in this area (BTW we are in the same age bracket as you).
The three Borromee Islands: Pescatore, Bella and Madre are lovely, and you can reach them quickly by boat. Lunch or dinner on the verdanda of the Hotel Verbano (Isola Pescatore) is a perfect setting and the food is very good.
Also, it is possible to visit towns while riding on either a ferry or a hydrofoil further north up the lake like Ascona and Locarno (Switzerland). Pallanza is a lovely town directy across Lago Maggiore and a nice place to have lunch one of the days.
You can also rent a car, as we did, and drive 45 minutes (one-way) to Lago d'Orta.
Our hotel was directly on the lakeside promenade, which is level. Stresa town center (also mostly level) is an attractive area with plenty of restaurants and a good-size piazza.
We are hoping our trip this May to Lago di Como is as wonderful as Lago Maggiore!
Feb 2nd, 2008, 04:53 AM
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Add Lago d'Orta and the town of Orta San Giulio to your agenda. Also Lake Lugano (most scenic of all The Lakes IMO) and its waterside towns. And Yes, Lake Como is very nice, especially the Bellagio-Varenna-Menaggio area.
Feb 2nd, 2008, 05:11 AM
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I completely agree for a day trip to Lago d'Orta and its unique and wonderful Isola San Giulio.
Then, IMHO, which is more beautiful and charming between Verbano (Lago Maggiore) and Lario (Lago di Como) is a very pretty happy problem !!!
They are both two corners of Paradise on this small planet.
Have a lovely teip, ciao.
Vincenzo
Then, IMHO, which is more beautiful and charming between Verbano (Lago Maggiore) and Lario (Lago di Como) is a very pretty happy problem !!!
They are both two corners of Paradise on this small planet.
Have a lovely teip, ciao.
Vincenzo
Feb 2nd, 2008, 06:26 AM
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See both Orta and Maggiore here. We love that area:
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=4173
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=4173
Feb 2nd, 2008, 07:59 AM
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In a virtual ranking among the five lakes of North Italy, no doubt that Lake of Iseo, IMO, is the fifth.
Anyway if you want to go there, the nicest place to visit is its island Monte Isola, the largest lake island in Europe. Boats are very often from Iseo. In Monte Isola there are no cars, only bikes and public buses.
The small town is very nice and if you want to have lunch I suggest you LOCANDA AL LAGO.
If you love wine, you should visit Franciacorta, the land of "bollicine", meaning sparkling wine.
Vincenzo
Anyway if you want to go there, the nicest place to visit is its island Monte Isola, the largest lake island in Europe. Boats are very often from Iseo. In Monte Isola there are no cars, only bikes and public buses.
The small town is very nice and if you want to have lunch I suggest you LOCANDA AL LAGO.
If you love wine, you should visit Franciacorta, the land of "bollicine", meaning sparkling wine.
Vincenzo
Feb 2nd, 2008, 09:03 AM
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We liked Lago d'Iseo - very picturesque with Monte Isola always in sight. Its tight scale and size is just right, surrounded by mountains.
Unlike Lugano, both Maggiore and Como are quite large - the opposite shores are quite a distance away.
Unlike Lugano, both Maggiore and Como are quite large - the opposite shores are quite a distance away.
Feb 2nd, 2008, 09:36 AM
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We've been to both lakes Lago Maggiore & Lago Como twice and come to the conclusion that they are equally fantastic, just in different ways. L.Como can be incredibly gorgeous IF the weather is beautiful otherwise the beauty is covered by haze. There is a lot more to do and explore by zig zaging with the ferry in L. Maggiore so even in bad weather you can be wowed by the Borromee islands, Vila Taranto etc.
We were equally happy with Stressa as with Bellagio. We stayed in the hotel in Stressa where Hemingway was inspired to write his novel The Sun Also Rises. Supposedly he loved watching the Alps from his hotel room. I believe Mark Twain was a bit disappointed by LakeComo as he blurted that Lake Tahoe is more beautiful than Como.
On our last trip we did both lakes by crossing from Bellagio by ferry and driving our car through Lugano all the way to Lenno. We left our in the car park in Lenno and used the ferry to explore L. Maggiore.
We were equally happy with Stressa as with Bellagio. We stayed in the hotel in Stressa where Hemingway was inspired to write his novel The Sun Also Rises. Supposedly he loved watching the Alps from his hotel room. I believe Mark Twain was a bit disappointed by LakeComo as he blurted that Lake Tahoe is more beautiful than Como.
On our last trip we did both lakes by crossing from Bellagio by ferry and driving our car through Lugano all the way to Lenno. We left our in the car park in Lenno and used the ferry to explore L. Maggiore.
