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Lake Maggiore question - Visiting Isola Bella from east side of lake

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In final stages of planning a 2 week Italy/France trip. Have booked all of our lodging except the last night before flying out of Malpensa. Will be checking out of Chamonix on a Saturday morning and headed towards Milan where we will be flying out mid-day Sunday. Was looking at spending afternoon and night near Lake Maggiore as it looks like that would be a very easy drive to Malpensa on Sunday.

Would like to visit Isola Bella that Saturday afternoon/evening if we can. There is an Airbnb near Laveno on the east side of the lake that we really like the looks of, but wondered about the logistics of a boat trip to Isola Bella from that side of the lake. Is the only option for visiting Isola Bella the Ferry service that goes from Laveno to Intra and then would have several more stops before Isola Bella or are there other outfits that can give us a more direct tour from the east side?

Posted by
4177 posts

Given your time frame , I think this is a bad idea . Going to the other side of the lake complicates your plan unnecessarily . You would do better to go directly to Stresa and a short boat hop to Isola Bella from the terminal on the main road in the center of town . If you leave Chamonix at 09:00 , depending on road conditions , it would be between 12:00 and 13:00 before you reach Stresa . You will need three to four hours to have enough time to enjoy the sites ( particularly , the gardens ) on the island , without rushing . By then it's late afternoon . Adding the traghetto between Intra and Laveno ( round trip ) will nominally kill an hour each way . The Arona - Locarno boat only serves the west shore of the lake , so a transfer is required . Here are the current timetables for the lake boats ( in PDF ) http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/m_orari.asp . Enjoy the lake , I am back there this coming Autumn for five days , The place is beautiful !

Posted by
9 posts

Thanks for your reply. I had read the timetables and had feared what you confirmed that we probably didn't have time to do the Ferry from Laveno to Intra + connections to Isola Bella.

So, is it correct that there aren't any private boat operators that will take a small group directly from the Laveno dock to the Isola Bella dock?

Posted by
4177 posts

There are , indeed , private operators , but since I avoid that and use public transportation , I can't provide an appropriate answer .

Posted by
1057 posts

Have you written to the prospective Air BnB host to ask? I’ve found hosts to be very receptive to questions, and s/he would certainly be in a position to know.

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