Palen:
Things to do in your 2 days stay at Stresa:
1. Isola Bella castle and gardens, Isola dei Pescatori village, Isola Madre gardens, Isola Taranto Gardens, old center of Pallanza;
2. Ferry to Laveno, train to Varese, visit of Varese, cableway to Sacromonte monastery, bus to Monte Campo dei Fiori, bus from Varese to Porto Ceresio, Lake Lugano boat to Ponte Tresa, bus to Luino, ferry to Stresa;
3. Hydrofoil to Locarno, bus to Valle Onsernone, visit of unspoilt mountain villages and old stone arch bridges in the chestnut forests, train to Bellinzona, visit of the 3 Unesco world heritage castles, back by train to Stresa either via Gallarate or via Laveno - ferry;
4.Hydrofoil to Locarno, Cablecar to Madonna del Sasso sancturary, gondola to Cardada - Cimetta (viewepoint with views from Mont Blanc - Gran Paradiso - Matterhorn up to Bernina - Ortles - Cevedale), scenic train through the Centovalli to Domodossola (stop at the sancturay of Re if possible), visit of the medieval city center at Domodossola and the Sancturary at the hill above the town, train to Stresa,
5. Boat to Pallanza, bus to Omegna, boat trip around Lake Orta, visit of the Island of San Giulio and of the Renaissance houses at Orta, back to Stresa by bus across the mountains.
6. Train to Domodossola (25min), bus to Macugnaga (1hr 15min), gondola to Monte Moro Pass (2870m/9420ft) at the Swiss border, with stupendous views to the mountains and glaciers over the Swiss Saas Valley (Saas Fee, etc.) up to the Bernese Alps and to the Italian glaciers of Belvedere, Nordend, Monte Rosa, Marinelli, Signal and Locce, Punta Henri Dunant (4632m/15200ft) and tons of similar peaks;
7. Train to Domodossola, bus to Cascata Toce, the highest waterfall of the Alps;
8. Train to Brig (1 hr), cog weel train and gondola to Eggishorn (another hr) a 2930m/9600ft high peak with panoramic views over the whole Altsch Glacier up to Jungfrau on the one hand and over the Rhone Valley up to Mont Blanc - Matterhorn on the other hand;
9. Train and bus to Arona - Romagnano - Varallo Sesia, a stupendous monastery with one of the most beautiful Via Crucis of Europe;
10.Ferry and train to Laveno - Luino, bus to Ponte Tresa, boat to Swissminiatur and then to Lugano, visit of the stupendous churches of Lugano and of the copy of Leonardo's Last Supper at Capriasca;
11. Day trip to the Universal exhibition EXPO2015 at Rho;
12. Day trip to Milan;
13. Boat to Santa Catarina Hermitage, bus to the prehistoric Lake Pile Dwellings at Cadrezzate and Bodio and to the Archelogical park of Viginia Island in Lake Varese;
14. Visit of castles like Angera, Cislago, Induno, Jerago con Orago, San Vito, Bellinzago, Vogogna;
15. visit of natural parks like Parco del Ticino;
16. Visit of Novara and the castle of Galliate;
17. Boat to Intra, bus to Premeno - Piancavallo, hike down to Trarego - Cannobio, back by bus via Intra;
18. Ferry to Laveno, bus to Zuigno, walk to Arcumeggia, a tiny village with outside frescoes on all houses;
19. Visit of the unspoilt Valgrande National Park (hiking);
20. Visit of the famous spas of Bognanco (close to Domodossola)
etc. etc. etc........