Why the Italian Lake District is special

The beautiful Italian Lake District lies on the fringe of the snow-capped Alps. Its mild-climate shores are dotted with charming villages and towns, romantic villages and palaces, and interesting gardens, belvederes, spas and resorts.

Italian Lake District
tips and insights

The two most
popular lakes

 

Lake Maggiore

The soothing Borromean Islands are the highlight - and the tiny Isola Bella ("beautiful island") is the jewel.

 

Lake Como

It's the home of picturesque Bellagio village, the favorite among tourists.

 

The three runners-up:

 

Lake d'Orta

It's pleasant and relatively small.

 

Lake Lugano

The lake lies partially in Switzerland and is more Swiss than Italian in character.

 

Lake Garda

It is situated well to the east of the other four and is the largest in volume.

 

Why the lakes are
long and narrow

They were carved by ancient glaciers. The longest is 65 kilometers or 40 miles.

The Italian Lake District
is easy to reach

Lake Maggiore and Lake Como are less than an hour's train ride from Milan, making them popular day trips. However, I recommend a longer stay - there is much to see and experience.

Getting around

Ferries can swiftly take you from one village to the next.

Best months
for visiting

May and September are the two best months for visiting the Italian Lake District. The weather is lovely and the tourist crowds are relatiavely light.

Location in Italy

Read my other Italy pages

Wonders of Italy - Complete list
Italy wonder map
Basic Italian phrases
Italian cuisine
Best time to visit Rome

 

Enit - Tourist Board

 

 

World's Top 100 Wonders
World's Top 1000 Wonders

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