Stresa Yes or No?
 

My husband and I are planning a few days in the Italian lake district at the end of a 2-week stay in Italy in June. We've planned 4 nights in Varenna and 3 nights in Stresa before continuing on to Milan to fly home. I just read something on Rick Steeves that did not paint a nice picture of Stresa, which surprised me, and I am now wondering if there would be a better location on Lake Maggiore to base ourselves? We have a hotel booked but have not paid so at this point we're still flexible. Would love to hear views of others.

I should have mentioned, that we would prefer to be in a town where we can walk to restaurants in the evening and have a glass or two of wine and not have to worry about driving.

Then, Stresa is for you. I based there once and loved the town - not too large but not tiny - yes can walk to anything and train station, if coming by train, is very close to town center. Lake highlights are the three Borromean Islands - each with a difference surprise and all just offshore from Stresa by boat- boats go all around the lake - even to Locarno, Switzerland at northern tip of lake.

When I stayed there, the municipal band struck up each nice on the seaside esplanade.

I'd highly recommend Stresa- buses to Malpensa Airport.

Stresa is a perfect town to spend your time.
A bit crowded that time of year, but the convenience more than compensates.
I seem to recall a good trattoria named " Papagallo"----thats close.

Stresa will fit the bill. It is a wonderful place. We stayed there once and did a day trip last fall.

Here is the trip report for Lake Orta plus a day trip to Stresa/Maggiore from last fall on a very windy day. https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...ember-1659620/

We also based in Varenna the year before, and if interested, here is the part of the trip report covering Lake Como. https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...tober-1649643/

Stresa is fine. It may be crowded during the day, so plan to visit the islands or do the train/boat trip to Lugano.

For my visit to Varenna and my most recent visit to Lake Maggiore see:

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...-on-lake-como/
https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...-on-an-island/

I'm in the minority. I wasn't charmed by Stresa. Nearby Baveno would be less crowded and is a stop on the ferry service to/from the Borromean Islands. If the islands aren't a priority, there are lots of towns that IMO are nicer than Stresa. I liked Pallanza/Verbania and its Villa Taranto, and Cannero Riviera. There is ferry service between Pallanza and the Borromean Islands.

Some people prefer Stresa, others Arona, Pallanza, Cannobio or Cannero. All are fine and none of them are crowded in June (except around Whitsuntide with tons of Swiss and German people and on weekends with day trippers from big cities in Lombardy and Piedmont).
Arona and Stresa are close to Milan Malpensa airport (shuttle bus).
Boats Stresa - Borromean Islands - Pallanza - Intra about every hr.
Only 2 daily boats up to Luino and Locarno.
Buses Lake Orta - Verbania railway station - Pallanza - Intra and
Intra - Cannero - Cannobio - Brissago - Ascona - Locarno (Switzerland) abour every hr.

A good but long day trip option from Stresa - take train to Domodossola then one of Switzerland's fabled scenic trains - the Centovalli which plies a hundred valleys the name says - lovely Alpine valleys - to Locarno - maybe taking boat back to Stresa. Locarno is a neat town on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore.

Many thanks to you all for your thoughts and suggestions. I think we will stick with Stresa. As I mentioned, it's only for 3 nights and our days will be busy, so we probably won't actually be in Stresa too much until the evening. Also thank you for the links to your trip reports -- I will definitely check them out.

I've made several trips to Lago Maggiore, my favorite of the Italian lakes. I always stay in Stresa. Love it.

If you end up there be sure to stop by the amazing food store La Cambusa.

Lake Orta, a short ways from Stresa, is like mentioned above a real gem too though much smaller - so if tire of Lake Maggiore spend a day at Lake Orta. It's still considered to be a rather hidden gem - I especially liked the main city, Orta San Guliano. on a peninsula sticking out into the lake.

I too really enjoyed Stresa and spent four nights there. As mentioned by nearly everyone the islands on the lake are a must do. I also really enjoyed just having a walk along the lake shore and, on ore morning, whilst wandering around the back of the town I came across an "ancient pedestrian pathway" and followed that. It was lovely, not another soul around, some beautiful houses to look at and lots of greenery. I also enjoyed the one day Lake Maggiore Express but, if you are time limited, I would l think doing all 3 of the islands in the lake a better choice. I would also suggest not doing all 3 on the same day, do 2 on day and the third the next to break it up a bit. I was also very pleased that, upon arriving at my hotel which was on the lake front, I upgraded to a room with a balcony overlooking the lake. Late afternoon on the balcony with a glass of limoncello was a delight each day.

" Locarno is a neat town on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore"

Locarno is THE touristic center of Lake Maggiore, a all year destination with more hotel beds and more guest-nights than any other place around the lake.
Buses to 5 different mountain valleys (up to 4600 ft). Gondolas to Cardada Cimetta (5500 ft), Alpe Foppa (5000 ft), Comino (3800 ft), Rasa (3000 ft), Costa (2000 ft), Piana Vigezzo (5650 ft), Mornera (4420 ft), Robiei (6200 ft).
Train connections
to Lucerne - Basel - Germany, Zurich, Como - Milan every hr,
to Domodossola - Brig (Zermatt) - Geneva about every 2 hrs,
to Bellinzona and Lugano every 30 min,
train-bus connection to Thusis - St. Moritz every hr.

I could argue Stresa either way as a base, but it does allow for one excellent close-by daytrip: Sta. Catarina del Sasso Ballaro. We went a couple of times. In addition to its oh-so unique setting, there are monastic items to buy in their quirky gift shop. And as PQ also mentions above, Lago di Orta is well worth considering. Bon Chance!
I am done. The end.

Locarno and Switzerland also much more expensive than Italy - Locarno may be a tourist center if looking to go into Alps but Stresa I'd say is touristic center because of the 3 Borromean Islands just offshore.

Locarno has much more tourists than Stresa and offers much more excursion possibilities than Stresa.
It's a fact that the espresso at Locarno is more expensive than at Stresa. On the other hand, transport by trains and buses all over the area (from Como up to the alpine Passes of Nufenen, St. Gotthard, Lukmanier and St. Bernhardin) costs nothing for hotel guests as they get the Ticino ticket (Travel Pass) for free.
But it's a fact that Americans prefer to go to very few, but well known places along the lakes in the area, like Stresa, Baveno, Pallanza for Lake Maggiore or the Holy Trinity Varenna-Bellagio-Menaggio/Tremezzo for Lake Como.

Sta. Catarina del Sasso Ballaro looks fascinating, Thanks for the suggestion. I've added to my must see list!

3 nights in Sresa - taking much of a day to get there and then needing early transport by cheap bus to airport leave two days and the Borromean Islands to me are as nice as any excursion from Locarno is you wish to see the lakes district, If they had longer maybe Locarno would be a good base but they come for the lakes and IME Locarno's day trips on the lakes does not top the Borromean Islands. Stresa is a nice smaller town. I've been to Locarno and I would take Stresa. Yes Americans may love it and Europeans more Locarno - great if wanting Alpine excursions but not a great base IMO for Lake Stresa - long boat ride to Stresa area.