Planning a Trip

The major town on the lake is a pretty, festive little place, with a long lakefront promenade, a lively and attractive commercial center, and a bevy of restaurants and hotels that range from the expensively splendid to the affordably comfortable.

Getting There

By Train -- Stresa is linked with Milan by 20 trains a day (regional: 1 1/4 hr.; high-speed: 58 min.).

By Boat -- Boats arrive and depart from Piazza Marconi, connecting Stresa with the Borromean Islands (Isole Borromee) and with many other lakeside spots; most boats on the lake are operated by Navigazione Sul Lago Maggiore (tel. 800-551-801 or 0322-233-200; www.navlaghi.it).

By Car -- A8 runs between Milan and Sesto, near the southern end of the lake; from there Route S33 follows the western shore to Stresa. The trip takes a little over an hour.

Visitor Information

The tourist office is at the ferry dock (tel./fax 0323-31-308) and is open Monday to Saturday (daily Mar-Oct) 10am to 12:30pm and 3 to 6:30pm. You can also get info from private websites (try www.lagomaggiore.it and www.stresa.it). For hiking information, ask for the booklet Percorsi Verdi.

Festivals & Markets

July to September, Stresa draws visitors from around the world for its Settimane Musicali, or Festival of Musical Weeks, a major gathering of classical musicians. The festival has an info office at Via Canonica 6 (tel. 0323-31-095; www.settimanemusicali.net).