Lake Maggiore vs Lake Como: Why Lake Maggiore Wins Every Time (2026)
I lived in Milan for several years, and during that time I fell completely in love with Italy’s lake region. Every chance I got, I was on a train heading north. I have been to Lake Como. I understand the appeal. But I have to be honest with you the way I would be honest with a close friend: Lake Maggiore is better. It is more beautiful, less crowded, more interesting, and more rewarding for every kind of traveler — families, couples, solo adventurers, and foodies alike.
I have been recommending Lake Maggiore over Lake Como for more than two decades, and I have yet to have a single person come back and tell me I was wrong. Not one.
If you are planning a trip to northern Italy and trying to decide between these two iconic lakes, read this first. It might be the most useful thing you read before you go.
Lake Maggiore vs Lake Como: The Quick Answer
Lake Como is famous. Lake Maggiore is extraordinary. The difference is that one has been discovered by celebrities and overrun by tourists chasing them, while the other has quietly remained one of the most spectacular destinations in all of Italy — visited by those who know, overlooked by those who don’t.
Both lakes are easily accessible from Milan by train, roughly an hour’s ride from Centrale station. Both offer stunning Alpine scenery, charming lakeside towns, historic villas, and exceptional Italian food. But from there, the experience diverges in ways that matter enormously to how your trip actually feels.
If you’re headed to Lake Maggiore, just take the train from Milano Centrale to Stresa. It’s a beautiful ride and very affordable. Check rates on Rail Europe here. If you’d rather skip the train and hire a driver, book a day tour here.
5 Reasons Lake Maggiore Beats Lake Como
1. The Crowds Are Not There
Lake Como has become a victim of its own fame. In peak season, the main towns are genuinely overwhelmed — narrow streets clogged with tour groups, restaurants with hour-long waits, boat tours booked weeks in advance. The glamour is real but so is the chaos.
Lake Maggiore draws a fraction of the visitors and delivers twice the peace. You can actually sit at a cafe on the waterfront in Stresa and watch the light change on the mountains without feeling like you are competing for space. That is the Italy most people are actually looking for.
2. The Borromean Islands Are Unlike Anything Else in Italy
This is Lake Maggiore’s ace card and it is an exceptional one. The three Borromean Islands — Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and Isola dei Pescatori — sit just offshore from Stresa and are served by ferries running every hour. You can island-hop an entire day and never feel rushed.
Isola Bella’s baroque palace and extraordinary terraced gardens are genuinely jaw-dropping. Isola Madre has a more intimate botanical garden and the most beautiful peacocks I have ever seen. But my personal favorite is Isola dei Pescatori, the Island of the Fishermen. Less than 100 yards wide and barely a quarter mile long, it is strung with fishing nets, roamed by a population of adopted wild cats, and feels completely removed from the 21st century. I have never visited and not felt moved by it.
Book your Borromean Islands boat tour here
3. The Road Runs at Water Level
This sounds like a small thing and it is actually not. Lake Como’s road wraps high along the mountain ridge above the water, which means you spend much of your time looking down at the lake from a distance. Lake Maggiore’s road runs right at the water’s edge. You are on the lake, not above it. The relationship between the road, the towns, and the water is completely different, and it makes the whole experience feel more immediate and more connected to the landscape.
4. The Climate is Extraordinary
Lake Maggiore’s position along the Swiss border gives it a microclimate that feels almost impossible for this far north in Italy. The lake maintains a warm Mediterranean climate year-round, and the result is a botanical landscape that genuinely surprises visitors: palm trees, magnolias, roses, camellias, and subtropical plants that have no business thriving this close to the Alps. It is one of the more visually astonishing things about the lake, and it never gets old.
5. The History Goes Deeper Than Celebrity Gossip
Lake Como’s main cultural claim in recent years has been George Clooney’s villa. Lake Maggiore’s list of notable visitors reads rather differently: Hemingway, Napoleon, the Rothschild family, Clark Gable. Hemingway fans will know the lake from A Farewell to Arms, which is set among these exact shores. The sense of history here is layered and literary and genuinely interesting in a way that celebrity real estate tourism simply is not.
What to Do on Lake Maggiore
Stresa
Stresa is the main town on the Italian shore and the best base for exploring the lake. It is festive without being frantic, walkable without being tiny, and genuinely lovely in every season. The waterfront promenade is lined with tropical plants and blooming perennials. The piazza comes alive in summer with local musicians playing to the restaurant crowds. The enotecas in the winding streets above the waterfront are where I spend most of my time, sampling wine and local cheeses and whatever the cook has decided to make that day.
Villa Pallavicino
Part botanical garden, part zoological park, Villa Pallavicino is one of the most underrated family experiences in northern Italy. The gardens are spectacular — enormous hydrangeas shading old oak paths, with views down over the lake that stop you in your tracks. The zoo is home to peacocks, zebras, kangaroos, llamas, and a collection of goats that roam freely and will absolutely steal your lunch if you are not paying attention. My children loved it when they were young, and I still visit every time I am in Stresa.
The Borromean Islands
Ferry service runs from Stresa’s waterfront continuously throughout the day. A full day of island-hopping is one of the great low-key pleasures of Italian travel. Bring comfortable shoes for the palace stairs, a camera for the gardens, and an appetite for the small restaurants on Isola dei Pescatori where the fish comes directly from the lake.
Dining in Stresa
One of my favorite ways to eat like a local is through EatWith, a platform that connects travelers with local hosts for intimate dining experiences — think home-cooked meals in someone’s kitchen, chef-led supper clubs, and small-group food experiences that you’d never stumble across on your own. It’s a world away from the tourist-trap restaurants that tend to fill up the main squares, and honestly one of the best ways to understand a destination through its food culture. Whether you’re looking for a hands-on cooking class or a long table dinner with locals, EatWith has experiences in destinations all over the world worth exploring before you go.
Day Trips
Lake Maggiore’s position makes it an exceptional base for exploring the broader region. The Swiss town of Locarno is less than an hour by ferry or car and worth a visit for its Italianate piazza and the extraordinary Centovalli Railway. The town of Verbania on the western shore has some of the lake’s most beautiful villas and gardens. And Milan is always just an hour away by train for a day of museums, food, and fashion.
Find a day trip from Lake Maggiore to Switzerland.
Where to Stay on Lake Maggiore
Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées — Stresa
The most storied hotel on the lake and one of the great historic hotels of Italy. Dating to 1863, this magnificent five-star property sits directly on the waterfront in Stresa with views across to the Borromean Islands that are among the most beautiful I have seen from any hotel window anywhere in the world. Hemingway stayed here repeatedly and referenced it in A Farewell to Arms. The interiors are Belle Époque grandeur done at full volume — crystal chandeliers, frescoed ceilings, antique furnishings throughout. The spa is exceptional, the dining is refined, and the sense of place is irreplaceable. If you are going to splurge anywhere on this trip, it should be here.
Check prices at Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées
Hotel La Palma — Stresa
This is my personal favorite hotel on the lake and the one I recommend most often. La Palma is the only hotel with a swimming pool literally on the lake itself, and the effect is extraordinary — you are in the water looking out at the mountains and the islands with nothing between you and the view. The rooftop Sky Bar is where I want to be every evening of my life. The rooms are stylish and modern without feeling generic. The service is warm and attentive. This hotel gets everything right and does so at prices significantly more accessible than the Grand Hotel next door.
Check prices at Hotel La Palma
Regina Palace Hotel — Stresa
Another Belle Époque landmark on the Stresa waterfront, the Regina Palace dates to 1908 and delivers old-world grandeur at four-star prices. The indoor and outdoor pools are lovely, the spa is well-appointed, and the location is ideal for walking to everything Stresa has to offer. This is a particularly good choice for families who want the historic atmosphere without the full price tag of the Grand Hotel.
Check prices at Regina Palace Hotel
Boutique Hotel Stresa
For travelers who prefer intimate and personal over grand and historic, Boutique Hotel Stresa is the right choice. Centrally located in the heart of town, it combines contemporary design with genuinely warm hospitality and easy walking access to the ferry, the shops, and the waterfront restaurants. Perfect for couples and solo travelers who want a characterful base without the scale of the larger properties.
Check prices at Boutique Hotel Stresa
Hotel Verbano — Isola dei Pescatori
Here is a recommendation most Lake Maggiore guides never mention: stay on the island itself. Hotel Verbano on Isola dei Pescatori is one of the most romantic and unusual hotel experiences in northern Italy. The island has no cars, no crowds after the day-trippers leave, and an atmosphere of complete tranquility that feels worlds away from the mainland even though you are just minutes by ferry. Waking up on Isola dei Pescatori with the lake completely quiet around you is something I have not forgotten and you will not either.
My recommendation for visiting Lake Maggiore
Clearly, I’m partial, but I would suggest flying into Milan and taking the train to Stresa. Book a private rental for a week or two and use that as your base for exploring Northern Italy and the Swiss border towns. There are some really beautiful rental villas available which give you a kitchen for cooking up the goodies you find in your daily explorations and a place to call home with creature comforts.
We often stay in Italy for three to four weeks each year. I’d stay longer but I don’t like to leave my rescue dogs behind! But I found the perfect solution – Trusted Housesitters is a great community of vetted individuals who will housesit and petsit while you travel. I highly recommend it! Check out the Trusted Housesitters membership program!
How to Get to Lake Maggiore
Flights into Milan are frequently cheaper than flights into Rome, and Milan puts you perfectly positioned for lake country. From Milan Centrale, the train to Stresa takes approximately one hour and runs frequently throughout the day. It is one of the easiest and most scenic rail journeys in northern Italy.
Book your train from Milan to Stresa here
If you prefer the flexibility of a car, driving from Milan to Stresa takes about an hour and gives you the freedom to explore the smaller towns and the western shore of the lake at your own pace.
Book your rental car from Milan here
Cruising to the Italian Lakes
One itinerary worth knowing about: several Mediterranean cruises depart from Genoa, which sits less than two hours from both lakes. If you want to build a trip around a few days on the lakes before or after a Mediterranean sailing, the logistics work surprisingly well. Browse Mediterranean cruises departing from Italy on CruiseDirect.
When to Visit Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is beautiful in every season, which is one of its great advantages over other Italian destinations. Spring (April through June) is the most spectacular time for the gardens and flowers, and the weather is consistently lovely without summer’s peak crowds. Summer brings warmth, festival energy in Stresa’s piazza, and long golden evenings on the waterfront. Autumn turns the mountains extraordinary colors and brings the grape harvest to the surrounding Piedmont wine country. Even winter has a quiet beauty here that I find deeply appealing.
If you are choosing between spring and summer, go in May or early June. The Borromean Island gardens are at their absolute peak, the ferry lines are manageable, and the light on the lake in the late afternoon is something I can only describe as perfect.
Lake Maggiore vs Lake Como: The Final Verdict
Lake Como is beautiful. I would never tell you otherwise. But beautiful and worth the crowds, the prices, and the compromised experience of a destination that has been loved almost to death are two different things.
Lake Maggiore gives you everything Italy’s lake region promises — the mountains, the water, the history, the food, the extraordinary light — without asking you to share it with quite so many other people. It rewards the traveler who chooses it with an experience that feels personal, unhurried, and genuinely memorable in the ways that matter most.
I have been recommending it for more than 20 years. I am not stopping now.
FAQs: Lake Maggiore vs. Lake Como
Is Lake Maggiore better than Lake Como for families? In my experience, yes. Lake Maggiore has a more relaxed, less crowded atmosphere that makes it genuinely easier to enjoy with kids. Villa Pallavicino alone — with its botanical gardens, petting zoo, peacocks, and zebras — is worth the trip. Add in the Borromean Islands, which are perfectly sized for a full day of island-hopping by ferry, and you have a destination that keeps families of all ages entertained without the chaos that can come with Lake Como’s more tourist-heavy towns.
How far is Lake Maggiore from Milan? About an hour by train from Milan Centrale, which makes it an easy day trip or a weekend escape. Lake Como is roughly the same distance, so travel time isn’t a deciding factor between the two — but the experience when you arrive is very different.
What is the best town to stay in on Lake Maggiore? Stresa is my top pick, and it’s where I’ve always stayed. It’s walkable, charming, lined with tropical gardens along the waterfront, and perfectly positioned for ferries to the Borromean Islands. The hotel options here range from grand historic properties like the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées and Regina Palace to the more modern La Palma, which has my favorite feature on the entire lake: a pool that sits directly on the water.
What are the Borromean Islands and are they worth visiting? Absolutely worth it — don’t skip them. The three islands (Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and Isola dei Pescatori) have been owned by the same family, the Borromeos, since the 12th century. Isola Bella and Isola Madre have stunning botanical gardens and the Palazzo Borromeo palace. My personal favorite is Isola dei Pescatori, the fishermen’s island. It’s tiny, atmospheric, and wandered by a population of wild cats who have clearly figured out how to live their best lives. Ferries run hourly between islands, so a full day of exploring is easy to plan.
Why does Lake Maggiore have a Mediterranean climate if it’s in northern Italy? The lake sits in an alpine pocket that traps warmth, which gives it a surprisingly mild climate year-round. That’s why you’ll see palm trees, magnolias, camellias, and roses growing right alongside the Alps — a combination that never gets old no matter how many times I’ve seen it.
Is Lake Como worth visiting at all? Of course — Lake Como is beautiful and has its own appeal, especially if you’re drawn to its dramatic mountain ridges, upscale towns like Bellagio, and grand historic villas. But it’s also considerably more crowded and glamour-focused than Lake Maggiore. When people ask me what to do at Lake Como, I tell them to go to Lake Maggiore instead. The two lakes offer genuinely different experiences, and for most travelers, Maggiore surprises them in the best possible way.
What famous people have visited Lake Maggiore? The list is pretty impressive for a lake that tends to fly under the radar. Hemingway was a regular — he set part of A Farewell to Arms at the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées in Stresa, which is still one of the most beautiful hotels on the lake. Napoleon, Mussolini, the Rothschild family, and Clark Gable have all been guests here. No George Clooney, but honestly, the literary and historical legacy feels more interesting to me.
Do I need travel insurance for a trip to Lake Maggiore? Yes, and I’d never travel to Italy without it. Between flight delays, missed ferry connections, lost luggage, and the occasional gelato-related emergency, things happen. I use and recommend Travel Insurance Master for trip coverage — you can get a quote here. It takes two minutes and saves a lot of stress.
Updated March 2026 with current hotel recommendations and pricing links.
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I will be in Rome next May for a wedding & I have been contemplating where to travel to after the wedding. Your article is lovely & so in-depth. I’m sold on Lake Maggiore!
Thank you so much! Trust me – you will LOVE Lake Maggiore! I want to hear about it when you get back!