Stresa and the Isole Borromee

One of the better-known resorts on the western shore, Stresa is a tourist town that provided one of the settings for Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms. It has capitalized on its central lakeside position and has to some extent become a victim of its own success. The luxurious elegance that distinguished its heyday has faded; the grand hotels are still grand, but traffic now encroaches upon their parks and gardens. Even the undeniable loveliness of the lakeshore drive has been threatened by the roar of diesel trucks and BMW traffic. The best way to escape is to head for the Isole Borromee (Borromean Islands) in Lake Maggiore.