Italian Lake District

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