MILAN · ITALY
The Milan classics, and the best way to do each.
The 15 most popular lake maggiore & borromean islands day trips for visitors to Milan. The ones worth building a morning or a day around, with prices, running times and who you book through.
Hop-on hop-off boats from Stresa to Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori, and Isola Bella. Flexible island time and great views.
Most Popular“Quick and easy to validate tickets and receive the paper copy to get on the boat. Boat arrived on the hour at each of the islands and the order in which we saw the islands was wonderful (Madre, Pescatori, then Bella)!”
Hop between Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and Isola Pescatori on Lake Maggiore from Stresa, with time for peacocks, lunch, and sights.
“Accueil en français . Petits bateaux typiques avec capitaine parlant français . Rotation toutes les 30 minutes très ponctuelles .”
Hop on Lake Maggiore boats from Stresa to Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Bella for village streets, peacocks, and terrace lunch.
“Servizio molto efficiente e sempre puntuali”
Hop on and off ferries from Stresa to Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori, and Isola Bella, with flexible island time on Lake Maggiore.
“The problem with this provider is the difficulty in finding out where exactly they leave from once you get to the Square. They were several other boats going the same route and theirs was not clearly marked. There were several men Miller around there and we had to ask two or three of them before…”
Hop on a Stresa boat to explore Isola Bella at your pace, with frequent departures, Borromean views, and time for the Palace.
Stresa boat trip to Isola Madre and Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore. Peacocks, botanical gardens, palace terraces, caves, shopping.
“An incredibly good and interesting tour, delivered with great professionalism. The guide was outstanding and went above and beyond. We traveled as a family with a two-year-old, and everything was perfectly organized. Highly recommended.”
Milan to Lake Maggiore by coach and boat, with Stresa time and two Borromean Islands plus Isola Bella’s palace gardens.
“Isola Bella Palace and surrounding gardens. Salvatore was terrific. Very knowledgeable about the history and geography. Thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him:”
Private 5-hour Borromean Islands tour from Stresa with Micaela, boat ride, and guided visits to Isola dei Pescatori, Isola Bella, and Isola Madre.
“Excellent tour filled with great knowledge and wonderful stories. The palace is incredible. I highly recommend this tour!”
Hop between Lake Maggiore’s Borromean Islands from Stresa with a modern speedboat, free island time, and English/Italian audio.
“très belles îles et très pratique cette activité en bateau qui nous dépose et peut nous récupérer tous les 30 min, ça nous laisse gérer notre temps sur les différentes îles. même si on a choisi que 2 îles pour débarquer, on nous débarque quand même sur le 3 ème...à nous de choisir d'y descendre…”
Speed-control thrills on Mount Mottarone in Stresa: a 1200m alpine coaster with 360° Alps and seven-lakes views.
“Activité sympa. Mais le tarif sur place est bcp plus avantageux. Aussi, inutile de réserver en ligne vu qu’il n’y a qu’une file d’attente et nous ne gagnons rien d’avoir anticipé l’achat… Un minimum d’amabilité du personnel ne serait pas de trop…”
Private guided boat tour on Lake Maggiore to the Borromeo Islands, with skip-the-line pier access, Isola Bella palace, and Isola Pescatori village.
“We had such a wonderful day with Micaela! She was very knowledgeable and was great with our 6 year old! We also got to enjoy the amazing view from our private boat!”
1-hour Stresa Lake Maggiore sunset cruise with Borromean Gulf views and Isola Bella gardens, led by a multilingual captain. $23.
“wonderful”
Boat from Stresa to Isola Bella with hop-on freedom, palace and gardens, and famous white peacocks on Lake Maggiore.
“All the staff were very friendly and helpful. Good value and a great service”
Hop on a boat from Stresa across Lake Maggiore, exploring Borromean islands and Isola Pescatori’s fishing village at your pace.
“la météo 😀”
Flexible hop-on boat from Stresa to Isola Madre and Isola Bella, with botanical gardens, terrace views, and palace-style island time.
“Departure was fine. The kiosk to the left of the NAVIGAZIONE ISOLE BORROMEE building will give you a dock colour to go to. Small speedy taxi boat to Madre. Be aware seeing this island costs 20 Euros pp. It was worth it and we had a lovely time. No swimming possible on Madre. Boat to…”
From the Duomo to the lakes, and every way to see them.
