Traveling to the Lake District in mid-october for 5 nights, 6 days for first time. Have already booked first 3 nights in Bellagio at Hotel Florence. What should I do with the last two nights/three days? Maggiore? Orta? Garda? given that its our first time there and that we are going at the end of the season. Thanks.

A vote for Lake Maggiore. Lake Orta can be visited while staying at Lake Maggiore. Stay either in Stresa or in Verbania but I prefer Stresa because you can take comfortably the ferries to the Borromean Islands. If you use a car I advise to drive up to the Matterhorn and up to Locarno by stopping at Cannobbio and Ascona. Worth to be visited is Arona and the beautiful Rocca di Angera, Villa Taranto (awesome botanic garden), San Giulio Island on lake Orta.

Another vote for Stresa on Lake Maggiore. It works well if you are arriving and/or departing from Malpensa, its about a 45 minute drive. Enjoy your trip.

Here's another vote for Lago Maggiore!

KLT,

I haven't visited Garda, but we really enjoyed Lago Maggiore. We stayed on Isola dei Pescatore, the smallest of the islands. Hotel Verbano is the only hotel on the island, offering about 14 rooms. Ours was very comfortable and charming with a terrace right on the lake - north facing views. Their restaurant is excellent. Reachable by the public boats, but early or late a private boat is needed and can be arranged by the hotel.

We loved the islands, especially Isola Bella. Be sure to take the tour of the castello. Villa Taranto was also a treat even though we missed the azalea bloom due to earlier warmer than normal temps. Stresa was a nice town too.

Buon viaggio!

I have just returned from lake Garda and had a wonderful time. Read my report "Venecia, Verona and Lake Garda trip" and decide. In any case I vote for Gardone and Saló, with a trip to Sirmione.
Josele

Consider Sirmione...We visited in April and it was charming.