Five nights - Lake Orta and Maggiore
Oct 6th, 2006 | 11:25 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 176
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Five nights - Lake Orta and Maggiore
We are leaving for Italy on Thursday to celebrate our 25 anniversary. After three nights at Villa Sampaguita we will be staying two nights at Lake Orta and two nights in Cannero Riviera, with one last open night before we return early the next day (Malpensa).
Thanks to Fodorites we selected these stops and our hotels. The question is what would be a good itinerary for the five days in the lakes area? Where would be best to go while we are at Lake Orta and best at Lake Maggiore? We are also thinking of driving around the top of Maggiore on the last day to get a view of Lake Lugano and Como before spending the night somewhere convenient to Malpensa. Is this easily doable or crazy? Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks to Fodorites we selected these stops and our hotels. The question is what would be a good itinerary for the five days in the lakes area? Where would be best to go while we are at Lake Orta and best at Lake Maggiore? We are also thinking of driving around the top of Maggiore on the last day to get a view of Lake Lugano and Como before spending the night somewhere convenient to Malpensa. Is this easily doable or crazy? Any advice would be helpful.
Oct 6th, 2006 | 12:40 PM
#2
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 11,236
Likes: 1
We're leaving tomorrow to stay in Ascona for a week! Have a great trip. The weather isn't supposed to be too bad: no rain, some clouds and about 20 celcius.
There's a market in Cannobio on Sunday mornings if you're interested.
There's a market in Cannobio on Sunday mornings if you're interested.
Oct 6th, 2006 | 01:23 PM
#4
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 11,236
Likes: 1
Yes. We'll be driving past the Vierwaldstättersee, through the Gotthard tunnel (or maybe over it; depending on the traffic) and down the valley until we are in Ascona.
It's chestnut season now. We gathered some last year and brought them home but when I found worms crawling around the bowl, I had to through them out.
Enjoy the area! I haven't been to Lake Orta yet but maybe we'll make it this year. We definitely want to do the Centovalli circle route. Last year we explored the Maggia Valley and went to Bosco Gurin and Bavona valley. I loved both but found Bavona valley to be very magical and practically tourist free.
It's chestnut season now. We gathered some last year and brought them home but when I found worms crawling around the bowl, I had to through them out.
Enjoy the area! I haven't been to Lake Orta yet but maybe we'll make it this year. We definitely want to do the Centovalli circle route. Last year we explored the Maggia Valley and went to Bosco Gurin and Bavona valley. I loved both but found Bavona valley to be very magical and practically tourist free.
Oct 6th, 2006 | 01:38 PM
#6
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 11,236
Likes: 1
Just in case you're interested, here's my trip report from last year's holiday in Ascona.
--
Just came back from Ascona in Switzerland.
It’s the school fall holiday in Switzerland and so we decided to pack up the kids and go to Ascona for a week. Ascona is located in the southern part of Switzerland, where Italian is spoken and the palm trees grow. Driving from Central Switzerland to Tessin is like driving from Washington State to California….sunshine and warmth!
So we left on a sunny day from our house and drove past the Lauerzersee, Mythen, Vierwaldstaettersee, Fluelen, past beautiful traditional farm houses and drove anxiously towards the Gotthard tunnel. Will there be traffic jam? Will we have to wait one hour to get through the tunnel? Should we risk going through the tunnel or drive over the Gotthard? We risked the tunnel and could drive right through. We came out of the tunnel and the sun was still shining in beautiful Tessin. We drove past the Airolo ice hockey stadium, past the three castles in Bellinzona and to our time sharing apartment in Ascona. Beautiful. And all in two hours!
We walked down to the Lido and the kids started jumping into the lake. The water was cold and there was a brisk cool breeze blowing, but the Lido and its beach was too tempting. My husband and I sat on the rocks and watched our children playing in the water, squealing with delight. They came out freezing and so we went back quickly to our apartment. Luckily, in the resort there was an indoor swimming pool and three types of saunas, which we used every night of our stay.
On Sunday morning, we drove to Cannobio, Italy, to visit the local market. It was soooo crowded and hard to find a parking space. The Italians and Swiss were out in full, window shopping at each stand. There were ponchos, leather shoes, jeans, bras, G-strings and cheese galore. After our stroll, we went to watch the kite surfers do flips while drinking a splendid espresso corretto from the local café looking over the lake. It was the best and cheapest coffee we had: 1.40 Euro!
On Monday, we enjoyed another day in Ascona, although it was very windy and the temperatures were dropping. The weather forecast reported that Tessin was to get cloudier and cooler while central and the rest of Switzerland would bathe in sunshine. A rather frustrating forecast for us. We decided to have pizza in Osteria Nostrana. Surrounded by autographed pictures of famous people (including Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn), we enjoyed a delightful lunch.
On Tuesday we were in fog and drizzle and decided to drive high into the mountains to look for blue skies. We drove up through the Maggia valley up to Bosco Gurin, the only German speaking town in Tessin. Well, after driving through a narrow and winding road and flattening tons of chestnuts that had fallen on the road, we arrived in Bosco Gurin to find pouring rain and fog. What to do? We went to the local restaurant for a nice minestrone. Luckily, another couple from Indiana were there and we struck up a wonderful conversation. After two hours, we drove them to Cevio and said our goodbyes. Despite the rain, it was a wonderful afternoon and I finally got to speak to fellow Americans...for me a real treat.
On Wednesday, the weather was a bit better so we went to Bellinzona to explore the three different castles. The kids loved the defence system and the architecture. We collected fallen chestnuts as well and roasted them in the evening.
Thursday was our “explore the lake” day. We went to Brissago island, which is a botanic garden, filled with different plants. There’s also a story that the island was originally owned by a German millionaire who used to have his female visitors walk naked around the island. We searched the island, but everyone was clothed except for the statues. Interestingly, they were many types of squashes grown next to a beautiful statue of a naked woman.
We continued our trip back to Locarno where we spent an hour drinking coffee and eating gelato. We decided we liked Ascona much better because it was quieter and quainter.
Friday was our “explore the Ascona delta” day. We packed up a picnic and walked along the Maggia river dike until we go to the point where the waters of the river and lake meet. There’s a beautiful sandy beach there so we made a fire, roasted our wurst, made rock piles and enjoyed the sun.
Saturday was the Castania festival in Ascona. We strolled along the market stands, watched the locals roast chestnuts and enjoyed the last bit of the Tessin air before driving back to central Switzerland.
--
Just came back from Ascona in Switzerland.
It’s the school fall holiday in Switzerland and so we decided to pack up the kids and go to Ascona for a week. Ascona is located in the southern part of Switzerland, where Italian is spoken and the palm trees grow. Driving from Central Switzerland to Tessin is like driving from Washington State to California….sunshine and warmth!
So we left on a sunny day from our house and drove past the Lauerzersee, Mythen, Vierwaldstaettersee, Fluelen, past beautiful traditional farm houses and drove anxiously towards the Gotthard tunnel. Will there be traffic jam? Will we have to wait one hour to get through the tunnel? Should we risk going through the tunnel or drive over the Gotthard? We risked the tunnel and could drive right through. We came out of the tunnel and the sun was still shining in beautiful Tessin. We drove past the Airolo ice hockey stadium, past the three castles in Bellinzona and to our time sharing apartment in Ascona. Beautiful. And all in two hours!
We walked down to the Lido and the kids started jumping into the lake. The water was cold and there was a brisk cool breeze blowing, but the Lido and its beach was too tempting. My husband and I sat on the rocks and watched our children playing in the water, squealing with delight. They came out freezing and so we went back quickly to our apartment. Luckily, in the resort there was an indoor swimming pool and three types of saunas, which we used every night of our stay.
On Sunday morning, we drove to Cannobio, Italy, to visit the local market. It was soooo crowded and hard to find a parking space. The Italians and Swiss were out in full, window shopping at each stand. There were ponchos, leather shoes, jeans, bras, G-strings and cheese galore. After our stroll, we went to watch the kite surfers do flips while drinking a splendid espresso corretto from the local café looking over the lake. It was the best and cheapest coffee we had: 1.40 Euro!
On Monday, we enjoyed another day in Ascona, although it was very windy and the temperatures were dropping. The weather forecast reported that Tessin was to get cloudier and cooler while central and the rest of Switzerland would bathe in sunshine. A rather frustrating forecast for us. We decided to have pizza in Osteria Nostrana. Surrounded by autographed pictures of famous people (including Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn), we enjoyed a delightful lunch.
On Tuesday we were in fog and drizzle and decided to drive high into the mountains to look for blue skies. We drove up through the Maggia valley up to Bosco Gurin, the only German speaking town in Tessin. Well, after driving through a narrow and winding road and flattening tons of chestnuts that had fallen on the road, we arrived in Bosco Gurin to find pouring rain and fog. What to do? We went to the local restaurant for a nice minestrone. Luckily, another couple from Indiana were there and we struck up a wonderful conversation. After two hours, we drove them to Cevio and said our goodbyes. Despite the rain, it was a wonderful afternoon and I finally got to speak to fellow Americans...for me a real treat.
On Wednesday, the weather was a bit better so we went to Bellinzona to explore the three different castles. The kids loved the defence system and the architecture. We collected fallen chestnuts as well and roasted them in the evening.
Thursday was our “explore the lake” day. We went to Brissago island, which is a botanic garden, filled with different plants. There’s also a story that the island was originally owned by a German millionaire who used to have his female visitors walk naked around the island. We searched the island, but everyone was clothed except for the statues. Interestingly, they were many types of squashes grown next to a beautiful statue of a naked woman.
We continued our trip back to Locarno where we spent an hour drinking coffee and eating gelato. We decided we liked Ascona much better because it was quieter and quainter.
Friday was our “explore the Ascona delta” day. We packed up a picnic and walked along the Maggia river dike until we go to the point where the waters of the river and lake meet. There’s a beautiful sandy beach there so we made a fire, roasted our wurst, made rock piles and enjoyed the sun.
Saturday was the Castania festival in Ascona. We strolled along the market stands, watched the locals roast chestnuts and enjoyed the last bit of the Tessin air before driving back to central Switzerland.
