In the Island of Isola Bella, on the south side of the Alps, Lake Maggiore, in Italy

 “A lake carries you into recesses of feeling otherwise impenetrable.”

-- William Wordsworth
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(in Italy) On the south side of the Alps, Lake Maggiore, the second largest lake in Italy (covering 82 square miles [212 sq km]), is bisected by the border between Lombardy (to the east) and Piedmont (west). Its northern end is in the Swiss Ticino canton. At an elevation of 193 meters above sea level, the lake is 34 miles (~54 km) long, with a maximum width of seven miles (~11 km) and a maximum depth of 372 meters. The lake is traversed from north to south by the Ticino River, and its other affluents are the Maggia from the north, the Toce from the west, and the short Tresa ( from Lake Lugano) on the east. Off the western shore are the famous Borromean Islands, geologic continuations of the Pallanza Promontory. Lake Maggiore is bordered by the Swiss Alps to the north and by the Lombardian Plain and has a warm, mild climate.

+ Since the 15th century, the greatest landowners around the lake have been the Borromeo family, who still own the islands and fishery rights. The lake’s name, meaning “greater,” refers to its being larger than the neighboring Orta and Varese lakes. There is fishing for trout, pike, perch, and shad. Well-known lakeside resorts on the western shore are Stresa, Verbania, Arona, and Cannobio. Other towns are Luino and Laveno, on the eastern shore, and Locarno, Switzerland., at the northern end. (Small steamers ply among them.) Southwest of Verbania, Mount Mottarone (at 1,491 meters) rises between Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta.

+ The westernmost of the major Italian lakes, Maggiore's Borromeo Islands, most easily accessed via ferry from the town of Stresa on the Piedmont coast, are a big draw here for their palaces, terraced gardens, and grottoes, which combine for some great photo opportunities.

+ Among all the northern Italian lakes, Maggiore has some of the best water quality and swimming beaches, with options ranging from grassy lawns to pebbly tracts or sandy shores, especially on the eastern shore. Besides Stresa, the towns of Verbania, Cannobio, and Baveno are among those worth exploring.

+ Since the climate is mild year-round, the area is filled with Mediterranean vegetation and exotic plants. Italy’s international lake, though without Lake Como’s glamour or Garda’s theme parks, is often considered the most peaceful of northern Italy’s lakes, its shores less crowded and its hinterland wilder. The star attractions are the Borromean Islands, which, like a fleet of fine vessels, lie at anchor at the Borromean Gulf’s entrance, an incursion of water between the lake’s two main towns, Stresa and Verbania. More than the lakes to the east, Lake Maggiore harbors a distinct belle-époque air. The lake became a popular tourist destination in the late 19th century with the opening of the Simplon Pass and it is this era (with its stately hotels and regal promenades) that still defines its essence.

+ A view of Isola Bella, in Lake Maggiore: