Stresa Holidays

Holidays in Stresa take you to one of the prettiest locations in the Italian Lakes, with the elegant town perched on the western shore of Lake Maggiore where soaring mountains form a photogenic backdrop.

Stresa has been here for at least a thousand years and the town is peppered with historic buildings, from medieval churches to Renaissance villas. Its cobbled streets are full of pavement cafés and boutique shops, while the surrounding area is renowned for its opulent lakeside palaces and ornamental gardens.

The town is a handy hopping-on point for many ferries and boat trips which sail up and down Lake Maggiore, offering a relaxing way to enjoy the scenery and visit the other towns and villages around this 65km-long lake.

Explore Stresa like no other

Stresa is a sedate place, especially in the evenings, when compared to some of the larger and busier resorts around Lake Maggiore. It’s ideal for enjoying lakeside strolls, relaxing pre-dinner aperitivos and a generally slower pace of life.

This area is nirvana for horticulturists and there are several famous gardens . The Borromean Islands, often described as “the jewels of Lake Maggiore” are stunning .Regular boat services run back and forth between Stresa and the three main islands, where you’ll find enchanting ornamental gardens on Isola Madre and Isola Bella, while Isola dei Pescatori is home to an idyllic little village where you can eat at one of several restaurants overlooking the lake.

For music lovers the Stresa Festival runs from mid July to early September, when you can enjoy live classical and jazz performances at several venues around town, as well as some concerts that are held on the Borromean Islands.