We will be in the lake district for a week in September - will be using public transportation only. The first week we will be hiking in the Dolomites, then swinging over to the lakes via train. I have heard that Stresa is a good locale to stay, easy to get to via train, etc. However, it has also been described as "unexceptional" or "lackluster" in some reports. Can anyone share their thoughts on this location, or recommend another? We are not looking for top dollar locations - more interested in lovely views, hiking, biking, relaxing. Thank you!
Posted by
1532 posts
There are a number of people here who really like Stresa but I am not one of them. I've been twice, the first time was 20 years ago and it was wonderful. The second time was last September and I was happy to leave after 3 nights. There is pretty good hiking in the hills above the town and you can bike to the Toce River Nature Reserve. I haven't tried it but I think you could bike to Lago d'Orta. But for better hiking and fewer tourists head further north on Lago Maggiore to Cannobio or if you want an even quieter location Cannero Riviera, but ferry service to Cannero is less frequent.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15826 posts
I’ve stayed in Stresa a few years ago, and I don’t mind it, but I was there pretty much only in the evening to sleep at the hotel there, because I had a car and was traveling all over the place, including Lake Orta and the north lake during the day, including the Borromean islands, which of course are best visited from Stresa given the proximity by ferry. A couple of nights I had dinner in town, including at my own hotel, which had a decent restaurant. The other time I was in Stresa was way back.
I’ve stayed also in Locarno, Luino, Intra, Omegna, in previous trips, but it was a long time ago.
My favorite town in the lake is Cannobio, which I visit every time I go there, but it would not be too convenient without a car, if you want to visit places. Frankly, without a car and having to rely on trains and buses for day trips, Stresa is probably your best option. Baveno might be another nice choice, but never stayed there overnight.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32318 posts
I found Stresa to be a good home base for exploring that area, and it has some nice hotels and restaurants. I enjoyed touring the Borromeo Islands and also enjoyed taking the cable car up Mt. Mottarone and enjoying the views (that option is not currently available AFAIK as the cable car is still out of service). One of my highlights was taking the scenic Cento Valli Railway to Locarno CH, which is at the other end of the lake, and then returning by boat in the evening.
If you haven't been there yet, I think it's worth a visit. You might want to have a look at the current Rick Steves Italy guidebook to get some idea of the sights in the area.
Posted by
3 posts
We stayed in Stresa 10 years ago, and really enjoyed it with many historic lakefront hotels and quaint cafes. The best thing to see in my opinion, were the Borromean Islands - Isola Bella and Isola Madre, were both very interesting and beautiful! The train is having hiccups in and out of Stresa with rail maintenance closures this summer up through Sept 8, unless you are traveling after the 9th. I also really enjoyed Lake Garda, taking ferries to different villages. The Dolomites - also visited the past two years, first staying in Ortesei, in Val Gardena, then Corvara/Colfosco in Alta Badia - loved both, with excellent, very accessible and easy hiking options. Enjoy your trip!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17225 posts
We will be spending a week in Verbania with HF Holidays for guided hiking around Lago Maggiore. You can see a description of the hikes, including ones naround Cannobio and Lago di Orta, on this brochure. It might give you some ideas on where to base yourselves.
Posted by
11499 posts
We enjoyed our stay in Ranco, on Lake Maggiore’s eastern side. Most of the visitors there were Italian.