There is a particular kind of hesitation I feel every time the train from Milan pulls towards the water and Lake Maggiore begins to unfold on my right. It is not one lake so much as a long ribbon of towns, each with its own accent, its own light, its own idea of how a day should be spent. The pleasure of Maggiore, and its small frustration, is that you cannot have all of it at once. You choose. And half the trip is deciding which of these places will hold your suitcase and which will only borrow you for an afternoon. Over many returns I have grown fond of nearly all of them, so let me walk you along the shore and tell you, honestly, who each town is for.
The Borromean Gulf: Stresa, Baveno and Verbania
If Maggiore has a heart, it beats in the Borromean Gulf, that sheltered curve of the west shore where the islands float like something staged. This is where most first-time visitors should point themselves, and for good reason.
Stresa is the grande dame, the belle-époque resort capital where the grand hotels line up along a manicured lungolago and the whole town seems dressed for a slightly earlier century. It is also the practical choice: the ferry hub for the Borromean Islands, endlessly well connected, with enough restaurants and evening life that you never feel marooned. I always tell people that if they want one base that does everything, Stresa is it. It suits the traveller who likes a little polish, who wants dinner options and a promenade to stroll after, and who intends to island-hop without fuss. My longer thoughts on the town belong in my guide to where to stay, but as a first instinct, start here.
Baveno is Stresa’s quieter, smaller neighbour, a few minutes up the shore and known for its pink granite quarries, the same warm stone you will spot in buildings across the region. It offers much the same island access without the resort bustle, which makes it my recommendation for couples and families who want calm at night but the action close by. You give up a little glamour and gain a lot of ease.
Verbania is the largest town on the lake, and it wears its size gently. It splits into two characters. Pallanza is the elegant, leafy half, home to the celebrated Villa Taranto botanical gardens and exactly the sort of place where you drift between greenery and the water without any hurry. Intra is more workaday, the practical side of town, and the point where the car ferry crosses to Laveno on the eastern shore. As a base, Verbania suits the traveller who prefers gardens and quiet residential streets to hotel grandeur, and who does not mind being a touch removed from the tourist centre.
The Southern Narrows: Arona and Angera
Where the lake tapers to its southern end, two towns face each other across the narrows, and the mood shifts from resort to real life.
Arona, on the west shore, is the well-connected one, easy to reach by road and rail, which makes it a sensible landing point if you are arriving under your own steam or building a wider Italian itinerary. It looks across the water to Angera and is watched over by the giant San Carlone statue, a colossus you can see from some distance. Arona suits the pragmatic traveller and the road-tripper more than the romantic, though it has an honest, lived-in charm.
Angera sits opposite on the eastern shore, crowned by the Rocca di Angera, a Borromeo fortress that also houses a doll and toy museum. It is a lovely half-day rather than an obvious base, the kind of place I pair with a lazy lunch and a slow look at the castle. Bring the children here if you have them; the fortress and its collections reward small curious visitors.
The Northern Gems: Cannobio and Cannero Riviera
Head north, towards where Italy brushes against Switzerland, and the lake grows quieter, milder, more secretive. This is my own favourite stretch when I want to exhale.
Cannobio is the one I return to most. Medieval lanes tumble down to the water, there is a Blue-Flag beach for swimming, and on Sundays a big market spreads through the town and fills it with noise and colour. Nearby, the Orrido di Sant’Anna cuts a dramatic river gorge that is worth the short trip. Cannobio is charming and relaxed in equal measure, and it suits the traveller who wants somewhere authentic to settle for several nights, someone happy to swim in the morning and wander the old streets at dusk.
Cannero Riviera is tinier still, a mild-climate village famous for the ruined castles that stand just offshore, marooned on their little rocks in the lake. There is not a great deal to do here in the busy sense, which is precisely the point. Cannero is for the reader who wants a gentle, almost sleepy base, a place to read on a terrace and watch the light change on those romantic ruins.
The Eastern Shore: Laveno-Mombello and Luino
The Lombardy side of the lake is less garlanded than the west, and I like it the better for feeling unperformed.
Laveno-Mombello is where the car ferry arrives from Intra, so it is a natural crossing point, but its real draw is the Sasso del Ferro cable-chair that lifts you up for sweeping views back across the whole lake. Ride it on a clear day and you will understand Maggiore’s geography in a single glance. Laveno suits the active visitor and anyone who wants that high panorama, and it works well as a day out from the western shore.
Luino is a market town in the truest sense, host to one of the largest weekly markets in Europe every Wednesday. If you are anywhere on the lake on a Wednesday and you love a market, this is where to go. As a base it is workmanlike rather than romantic, but as a day trip it is one of my favourite bits of theatre on the whole lake.
The Swiss Pair: Ascona and Locarno
At the northern tip the lake slips over the border into Ticino, and everything changes: the currency, the language on the menus, the very tempo. Bring a passport and some Swiss francs, and treat this as its own small country, because it is.
Ascona is the chic one, a warm, café-lined lakefront promenade made for lingering over a long coffee and doing very little with great style. It is unhurried and rather sophisticated, and it suits the traveller who wants to swap Italian bustle for Swiss ease for a day.
Locarno is the larger neighbour, anchored by the handsome Piazza Grande (which hosts the famous film festival), with the Madonna del Sasso sanctuary perched above the town and the scenic Centovalli railway beginning its journey here. Locarno gives you more to do and a real sense of arrival. Both towns make a rewarding day out from the northern Italian shore, and the crossing is one of the small adventures I always recommend building in.
Which Town for Which Traveller
If you want one word of guidance, here it is. Choose Stresa for the all-round base with grandeur and easy island access, Baveno for the same access with more quiet, and Verbania for gardens and a residential calm. Head to Cannobio for a relaxed, authentic stay in the north, and Cannero Riviera for something even sleepier. Keep Arona and Angera in mind for the practical south, Laveno and Luino for eastern-shore day trips (that market, those views), and the Swiss pair for a change of key altogether. For a fuller sense of how to fill your days once you have chosen, my guide to the best things to do picks up where this one leaves off.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the prettiest town on Lake Maggiore?
Prettiness is a matter of temperament, but I usually point people towards Cannobio in the north, with its medieval lanes tumbling to a Blue-Flag beach, and to Pallanza in Verbania for its leafy elegance and botanical gardens. Stresa is the most polished and photogenic if it is belle-époque grandeur you are after.
What is the best town to base in?
For most visitors, Stresa. It gives you grand hotels, a lovely promenade, the widest choice of restaurants and, crucially, the main ferry connections to the Borromean Islands. If you want the same access with more peace, Baveno just up the shore is my quieter alternative.
Which is the most relaxed or authentic town?
Cannobio, without much hesitation. It has real daily life, a wonderful Sunday market, a beach for swimming and a gorge nearby, yet it never feels like a resort putting on a show. Cannero Riviera, its tiny neighbour, is even more restful if you want to do almost nothing at all.
Is it worth crossing to the Swiss side?
Yes, at least for a day. Ascona rewards you with a chic, café-lined promenade and Locarno with its Piazza Grande, the Madonna del Sasso above town and the Centovalli railway. Just remember your passport and some Swiss francs, and treat it as the small border crossing it genuinely is.
Related
For more, see my guide to where to stay, the best things to do, and the complete guide to Lake Maggiore.
