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Stresa

The small and pretty town of Stresa, today one of the most popular resorts on the shores of Lake Maggiore in Piedmont, northern Italy, originated as a tiny fishing hamlet first mentioned in records in 998AD. By the fourteenth century Stresa's population had grown sufficiently for it to be officially recognised as a village and gained the right to hold a weekly market; a tradition still upheld in the town each Friday morning.

2 results matching: Journey to Stresa

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Lake Maggiore
Save up to £150pp
4.2 stars(63 reviews)
2024MayJunJulSepOct
8 days from
£1,449 pp £1,299 pp
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Save up to £150pp
8 days from
£1,449
£1,299
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  • DestinationItaly, Switzerland
  • Starts / EndsSt Pancras International
  • AccommodationHotel
  • TransportRail, Coach
Map and accommodation
Lake Orta
New tour
Save up to £150pp
4.2 stars(47 reviews)
2024AprMayJunSepOct
8 days from
£1,399 pp £1,299 pp
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Save up to £150pp
8 days from
£1,399
£1,299
per person
View Details
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  • DestinationItaly
  • Starts / EndsSt Pancras International
  • AccommodationHotel
  • TransportRail, Coach
Map and accommodation
Our customers love our Stresa tours
Lake Maggiore, Lake Orta and the Alps
03 Oct 2023
customer
4 stars
“Overall it was a really good holiday. The Itinerary was good. On the first day we set off fairly early on Eurostar but then had to wait at Gare de Lyon for more than 2 hours and finished up dining at 9 pm. I think that this was due to unforeseen circumstances but perhaps could have been handled better. The holiday we wanted to go on was cancelled, and we took the last two places on this tour, resulting in our hotel room not being up to the standard we are used to from previous Rail Discoveries holidays. On the way home we used the same stopover hotel and had free time before returning on Eurostar. Personally , I would have liked to have returned earlier to catch our train home. We had to spend an extra night in London , which was expensive for basic food and accommodation and did not enhance our holiday.
Collected by Trustpilot
The Best of the Italian Lakes & the Matterhorn
28 Sep 2023
R Lower
4 stars
“The hotel was in the most beautiful setting on lake Orta - food was excellent and the infinity pool superb. The journey both ways was long but worth it - especially with the first night in Turin. Our tour guide, Linda, was first rate - I would thoroughly recommend the trip especially if you’ve never been to the mountains and lakes before.
Collected by Trustpilot

Stresa's idyllic location on Lake Maggiore overlooking the island Isola Bella and providing magnificent views of the lake's surrounding hills had already secured the town's popularity with European aristocracy as a holiday retreat, but the opening of the Simplon Pass between Brig, Switzerland and Piedmont in 1806 boosted Stresa's tourism further still. Consequently many beautiful villas and grand hotels were constructed at the beginning of the nineteenth century and by the twentieth the now well-established resort was welcoming prestigious guests such as George Bernard Shaw, Ernest Hemingway, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin and Princess Margaret.

Today, although a highly popular Italian resort, Stresa remains small enough to explore on foot, rewarding visitors with medieval buildings, opulent and historic villas, public gardens and several museums. During the summer, the Stresa to Mottarone cable car ascends to the summit of Mount Mottarone from which unparalleled panoramic views across the Po Valley to the Alps are obtained.

Villa Taranto Gardens

Established in 1940 by Captain Neil McEarcharn, Villa Tarantino's large, landscaped gardens lovingly recreate the style of an English garden and features beautifully maintained lawns, flower gardens - including the spectacular Dahlia Garden which showcases over three hundred species, a water-lily pond, waterfalls, fountains and sculptures.

Stresa Market

Held in Piazza Capucci each Friday morning Stresa's colourful market is the perfect place in which to buy delicious local produce including salami, smoked meats and sausages, fresh blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, honey, jams and cheese.

Villa Ducale

Built in 1770 by a rich tobacco merchant, Villa Ducale has a rich history. Bequeathed to the philosopher Antonio Rosminiin 1848 the villa later became the preferred holiday residence of the Duchess of Genova whose daughter, Margherita, became the first Queen of Italy. Today the restored villa is notable for its beautiful architecture and décor, its library of more than 100,000 books and its extensive Italian gardens which feature exotic plants and flowers.

Isola Bella

An enjoyable ten-minute boat ride from Stresa, the small lake island of Isola Bella is entirely occupied by the magnificent castle-like palace and stunning terraced gardens created by the wealthy Borromeo family in the seventeenth century.

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