Northern Italy/Lakes in June

We liked Lago Maggiore very much. We had an apartment that was part of Hotel Rivoli, in Baveno. Stresa is a larger town nearby. Things to do include taking a ferry to the Borromean Islands. There is an interesting palace with lovely gardens. I should think they will be in full splendor at that time. We had a very good meal at a restaurant on one of the islands, but that was many years ago. Now, who knows?
Lago d’Orta is very near. Orta San Giulio was a charming town back then. There is a tiny island, accessed by a 5 minute boat ride. The church of San G. has 14th c. frescoes depicting the work of the saint and a beautifully carved 12th c. pulpit.
If I remember correctly, there is some kind of lift that you can ride to the top of one of the surrounding peaks. My memory is fuzzy on that attraction because on the day we had planned for it, high winds forced the closing of the lift.
If Switzerland is open, it is quite easy to get to.

Are you planning to travel entirely by train, or maybe thinking of renting a car for part of the trip? Trains only access the southernmost part of Lago di Garda. You can reach the lovely villages more to the north by ferry, but a car might be more convenient.

We spent 3 nights in picturesque Malcescine a few years back, and really liked it there. It was April, so we did not use the lake for swimming, but the hiking on Monte Baldo was great. I would love to return and explore more.

https://www.visitmalcesine.com/en

Thanks. Not sure on getting a car. Not the best experience driving through Tuscany a couple years ago. But not completely opposed to it either.

I understand. I don’t like driving in Italy any more either. I just asked about that so I should have a sense of what kind of suggestions to make for Lago di Garda.

The train eastbound from Milano Centrale to Verona makes 2 stops on the lake on the way: Desenzano and Peschiera del Garda, 10 minutes apart. We plan to spend 2 nights in Desenzano on our way to the Dolomites next September, but I suggest you take the boat from there or Peschiera to one of the villages further up the lake, where it is more scenic.

Here is the spring boat schedule for Garda, to give you an idea of the routes and time involved:

https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/doc/pdf/orari/garda/BATTELLI%20dal%2012%20al%2031%20MARZO%202022.pdf

I am only familiar with Malcescine, but I am sure there are other lakeside villages that are nice as well, if you don’t want to ride the ferry that far. Maybe Roberto or another forum member could help you make a choice.

Salò on Lake Garda is a lovely town.

You might look at Lake Orta. It was recommended to me on this site. We are also planning a trip for June and have stayed in Varenna. We are tentatively staying in Stresa on Lake Maggiore, but Orta San Giulio on Lake Orta looks lovely, too.

We are doing the Rick Steves, Venice, Florence and Rome trip and I really wanted to see Lake Como, so we are flying into Milan and spending two nights before the tour in Varenna and will take the train from their to Venice. I hoping that we'll have a chance to get over jet lag in a laid back place before what will be an intense tour.

Although they are not fast I have enjoyed my bus trips through the Dolomites and around Lake Garda.

https://www.visitgarda.com/en/Bus-timetables/

https://www.visitgarda.com/en/garda_lake/#&l=en

We also loved Lugano.

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/destinations/lugano/

From Lugano you can do the Panorama train from Lugano to Lucerne over the old Gotthard Pass including a Lucerne lake steamer up to the city (and if you choose you can catch a fast train back through the new tunnel).

That would be the Gotthard Panorama Express from Lugano to Luzern, one of the two trains that (mostly) over the Alps, instead of under them in a deep tunnel.

https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/trains-trips/rail-travel-specialtrains/panoramareisen/gotthard-panorama-express.html

The other such train, the Bernina Express, travels higher through the Alps between Chur in Switzerland and the Italian border at Tirano. A dedicated bus bus takes passengers westward through Italy and back into Switzerland at Lugano.

https://www.rhb.ch/en/panoramic-trains/bernina-express#overview

So from Lugano, one could take either train and end up in Switzerland. Or from Varenna on Lake Como, one can skip the bus portion and take an Italian regional train to Tirano to catch the Bernina Express (or a regular, unnamed train) and ride to the Engadine area or beyond.

hey hey laura
we stayed on lago de garda in barolino at hotel nettuno. we were there for their annual wine festival (festa de uva) in september/october. rented car in venice and drove over to festival.
it's a gorgeous lake with many small villages around the lake, there is also ferries that take you to them. so much to see and do.
like lola mentions, train hub at pescheira del garda with ferries to let your tour the lake without having a car, but you can see alot with the car for a day or two.
with that many days in northern lakes region, divide you days up and see what else there is to see. many people say stay out of milan, but there is a lot of history there to see, piedmont has many small towns known for truffles and wine, turin is a train ride away, known for coffee houses and chocolates, auto museums "motor valley", flea markets and gardens/parks to walk thru, museums/churches/piazzas.
known for more risotto, polenta, butter style cooking. see something different of italy that most people don't and enjoy it. probably less crowded.
i'll send you a private message with things to research if interested do some research about activities, places to see and things to do.
aloha

Thank you all! We’ve got to get busy planning and keep our fingers crossed that this will happen! Been postponed for 2 years.