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Oriented toward the Veneto, the eastern shore has a different character, with silvery olive groves lining the shoreline. The western Lombardy-facing shore of Lake Garda is the most beautiful, lined with historic towns, stately villas, mountain-backed roads and frothing flower-filled gardens. Many drive, visiting the lake as a stop en route to Verona, but it pays to narrow down your expectations and devote a day to exploring parts of the lakeshore in depth. Like an Italian lunch, exploring this region is something to be savored slowly. It's visited by nearly one in ten visitors to Italy, for its views, fine food, flanking vineyards and cultural cachet. Lake Garda is the most visited of the Italian lakes, and its a handy stop between Milan and Verona © Imgorthand / Getty Images Lake GardaĬovering 370 sq km (143 sq miles), Lake Garda (Lago di Garda) is the largest of the Italian lakes, straddling the border between three Italian regions. The prettiest road routes hug the lake's west bank, climbing up through the Val Cannobina and then down to Locarno.

The trip to Stresa takes about 90 minutes whether you travel by train or by car.

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How to get to Lake Maggiore: Take a train from the Porta Garibaldi or Centrale stations in Milan and get off at Stresa (worth a visit in its own right), where you can arrange a boat trip to the islands. It has 25 or so residents today, who continue to follow a simple, traditional way of life. Finally, Superiore (also known as Isola dei Pescatori, thanks to its origins as a humble fishing village) was largely left to its own devices. Isola Bella is famous for its luxurious baroque palace and romantic Italian-style gardens, while Isola Madre has 20 acres of landscaped botanical gardens complete with exotic plants and birds, part of the elegant Palazzo Madre. Named for the aristocratic family who acquired these lovely specks of land in the 16th and 17th centuries, the islands each have their own distinctive charm, and it's worth taking time to explore all three. While less celebrated than Lake Como, Lake Maggiore is no less beautiful, and it's home to the three treasured Borromean Islands. Alternatively, you can drive here in about an hour from central Milan via the E62 and A9 highways.Ĭruise around the beautiful Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore © elesi / Shutterstock Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands The trip takes up to 90 minutes (depending on whether the train is direct or not). How to get to Lake Como: Trains leave regularly from the Cadorna, Porta Garibaldi and Centrale train stations in Milan, stopping at Como Nord Lago. Take time to admire imposing villas such as Tremezzo's Villa Carlotta and Villa Balbianiello in Lenno – you might recognize the latter from movies including Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones and Casino Royale. Highlights include touristy but beautiful Bellagio, with its sweep of terracotta-tiled rooftops, and the pretty towns of Varenna, Menaggio and Como.

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Perhaps the best way to experience the lake is by renting a boat (no boat license is required) to cruise from one charming town to the next. Studded with lavish villas and backed by the dramatic scenery of the Italian Alps, languid Lake Como was a playground for the rich and famous long before George Clooney showed up on the scene. Here are eight of the very best day trips from Milan. Whether it's a stroll through the medieval alleys of Bergamo or a boat trip on Lake Como, a day trips from Milan will broaden your experience of this wonderful corner of Italy, and it's a beautiful region to explore in spring, before the summer crowds arrive. Tear yourself away from Milan's chic events, fine dining and cosmopolitan nightlife, and the rewards are many and varied. Within a few hours of the city, you can splash or boat on gorgeous lakes, scramble over rugged mountain ranges, wander the laneways of medieval towns and gape in awe at Unesco-listed hill villages, ancient relics and sacred sites. Milan may be Italy's capital of fashion and glamor, but it's also the gateway to a whole region of rich culture, fine food and even finer scenery.

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