Italy

Discovering the Italian lakes of Northern Italy

The Italian lakes are among the most beautiful places to visit in Italy . Located in northern Italy, near the Swiss border, the Lake District of Italy is known for Lake Maggiore, Lake Garda or Lake Como. We visited for a few days this beautiful region. We give you all our advice to visit the Italian lakes easily!

What are the lakes to visit in Northern Italy?

There are several lakes to visit in Northern Italy. The best known are Lake Maggiore and Lake Como. There is also the Lake Orta  which is very nice as well Lake Garda.

The lakes are not all close to each other. If you do not have a lot of time, it will often be necessary to make a choice among those you want to visit. To help you decide, here is first the map of the Lake in Northern Italy , then our advice and experiences of visit!

Map of Italian Lakes

Lake Maggiore and the Boromean Islands

Lake Maggiore is certainly one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy . It is home to the famous Borromeo Islands that you can visit for a day.

Isola Madre and its beautiful park which houses peacocks in freedom.

The Isola Superiore , a fishing village that has retained its charm. The ideal stop for lunch.

The Isola Bella and its palace, its grotto of shells, and its Italian garden.

It takes a full day to discover Lake Maggiore . A shuttle service will take you to each island as the day progresses (€ 20 per person for a full day of shuttles).

Lake Orta and Sacro Monte

Lake Orta is perhaps less known than the others, but it deserves as much to be discovered. Take the time to climb to the top of the Sacro Monte , a hill where 20 chapels were built to tell the story of Saint Francis of Assisi. It is a beautiful place that allows to have a panoramic view of Orta.

Then descend to the village of Orta , a small village typical of Italy.

Lake Garda

Lake Garda is one of the most famous Italian lakes. You can discover small villages, castles and monasteries. For athletes, it is also possible to go sailing, mountain biking or horseback riding on the trails provided for this purpose.

Lake Como

It is the third largest lake in terms of size (after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore), and also the deepest lake, reaching 410 meters deep.

Lake Como being one of the largest, you will certainly not be able to visit all the small villages. Make a choice before leaving, preferring the towns of Varenna , Bellano and Colico to discover the charm of the Italian lakes, or the city of Como for the palaces and its famous silk museum.

Bonus: Visit Milan if you have time

Before visiting the Italian Lakes, we arrived by Milan Airport. We took the opportunity to visit the city for 3 days, a marvel for fans of shopping and art lovers. We can only advise you to visit the beautiful Milan before continuing to the north of Italy.

Have a nice trip to Italy!

Jennifer Bringardner

Through BonAdvisor, I share my passion for travel since 2017. A hobby at first, I quickly realized that my articles could inspire travelers like you to better organize their trips. A question about a destination, a visit, a good plan? I'll answer in the comments.

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