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- Running along Italy's border with Switzerland is a sequence of lakes
that offer gorgeous scenery and a chance to experience a region in Italy
that, while not undiscovered, has been ignored by many travelers.
The Italian Lakes, which spread through the Piedmont and Lombardy
regions, each
have a different flavor, although all offer beautiful scenery and
colorful towns, comfortable restaurants and unexpected treasures.
- The lakes were created by glacial scouring and generally are defined by
an
elongated shape, as well as being known for great depths. The juxtaposition of these
azure-blue lakes and the snow-capped Alps heightens the spectacular beauty of
the area. In addition, although several of the lakes extend between
Switzerland and Italy, the towns along the lake are Italian through and through, regardless
of the country in which they are located.
- As might be expected, most lakeside towns are small and hotel rooms can
be in
high demand. Staying at a prime property along any of the lakes will
cost you, but what a way to go.
- Lakes Maggiore and Como are the most popular with tourists. Lake
Garda is very popular for water sports and as a vacation place for Italians
seeking respite from the summer heat that pervades much of the country.
- Be sure to check out our Photo Guides for more details and some
great photographs of the area's leading attractions.
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Lake Maggiore
 is
the westernmost of the lakes and its northern edge is within
Switzerland. One of the Lake's most popular towns is Stressa, the gateway to the
picturesque Borromean Islands that are well-known for their scenic gardens.
Be sure to see the palace and gardens on the island of Isola Bella.
Stressa is also known to literary buffs for its role in Hemingway's
"Farewell to Arms".
-
 Lake Lugano
is mainly in Switzerland (in the Canton of Ticino).
Although a minor portion of its shoreline is in Italy,
the villages of Lake Lugano have an Italian flavor and the city of
Lugano is a terrific place to visit and easily accessible from Italy.
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Lake Como
is
widely regarded as the most beautiful of the Italian Lakes. The lake offers spectacular views of the
Swiss Alps. The glaciers responsible for scouring the trough
of Lake Como, dug deep, slightly over 1300 feet. It is the deepest
of the lakes, with a bottom well
below sea level.
- Be sure to see the town of Bellagio for its country
charm and beautiful setting. Cernobbio is a another delightful lakeside
town that is very popular.
- Next, Como is an interesting town and a
center for boat travel along the lake, as well as offering car-ferry
services to a limited number of destinations. For
those interested, Lake Como is where the actor George Clooney bought a beautiful, rambling, lakeside villa.
- Only a short distance from Milan, Lake Como attracts many tourists
looking for a chance to slow down after a tour of Italy's major cities.
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Lake Garda
is the largest and most popular of the lakes in this region of Italy.
Noted as a recreational center, Lake Garda is very popular with northern
Italians (and is the closest lake to Venice). The villages and
accommodations along Lake Garda are the most modern of any of the
Italian Lakes and there is a wide variety of accommodations.
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Although a favored by tour groups (due in part to the availability
of larger hotels), we think the
Lake Garda is the least interesting of the Italian Lakes, at least in
terms of scenery and culture. However, if you are looking for a
place to play that is crowded but lots of fun, this may be just the stop
for you.
- If you are considering a trip to the Italian Lakes, we highly
recommend that you visit
www.italianlakes.com. Although it
is not an official site for the region, we think it is the best site for understanding
the allure and culture of this attractive area. As a matter of fact, we
suspect that visiting the site will convince you to travel to the
Italian Lakes.
If you need information about another travel destination, try
our
Destination Guide Index
or Googling ThereArePlaces.
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