Isola Bella: Hop-on Hop-off Boat Tour from Stresa

About this experience

The Isola Bella hop-on hop-off boat tour is a guided lake crossing that runs between Stresa and the Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore. Departing from Piazza Guglielmo Marconi in Stresa, the service operates on modern, comfortable boats with a multilingual skipper on board. Lake Maggiore sits on the border of Lombardy and Piedmont, roughly an hour from Milan, and the Borromean Islands have been associated with the Borromeo family since the 12th century. The hop-on hop-off format means passengers can disembark, explore at their own pace, and reboard a later boat. Isola Bella is the main stop, home to the 17th-century Borromeo Palace and its terraced baroque gardens, both of which can be visited for a separate entrance fee. Beyond the formal gardens, the island also has a small fishing village on its quieter side, worth a short walk. Back in Stresa, the Alpinia Botanical Garden sits in the hills above the town and offers views across the lake. Tickets cover the round-trip boat crossing between Stresa and Isola Bella and include the multilingual skipper service. The landing fee of 0.50 euros per island is paid on-site and is not included. Entrance to the Borromeo Palace, food, and hotel transfers are also outside the ticket price. Note that this tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Highlights

• Hop on and off at the Borromean Islands at your own pace
• Departs from Piazza Guglielmo Marconi in Stresa
• Multilingual skipper on board throughout the lake crossing
• Crosses Lake Maggiore on the Lombardy and Piedmont border
• Islands linked to the Borromeo family since the 12th century
• Around one hour from Milan by road

What is included

• Hop-on hop-off boat service on Lake Maggiore
• Return lake crossing between Stresa and Borromean Islands
• Multilingual skipper on board
• Departure from Piazza Guglielmo Marconi, Stresa

Cancellation terms

This ticket is nonrefundable. Rescheduling is not possible for this ticket.