Touring Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore with Insight Vacations
Touring Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore with Insight Vacations
Touring Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore with Insight Vacations
WJ Tested: Insight Vacations Italian Escapade Isola Bella Optional Tour
Isola Bella (Beautiful Island)… The perfect two-word descriptor for this stunning attraction on Lake Maggiore. We found it was definitely worthwhile to add this approximate 3-hour tour to our list of optionals during our Insight Vacations Italian Escapade tour.
Private Boat to Isola Bella
Upon arrival at the Grand Hotel Dino (our lakeside resort in the Italian Lake District for 2 nights) we quickly dropped our bags in the room, freshened up and then gathered once again with our group and Tour Director for the private boat ride over to the island known as Isola Bella.
Arriving on Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore
For starters, Lake Maggiore is absolutely breathtaking, with the Alps as a backdrop and the Borromean Islands (comprised of just three small islands and a couple of islets) visible from our hotel in Baveno.
Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy
Isola Bella is dominated by the palace built by Carlo III for his wife, Isabella, during the 17th Century and is also graced with lovely gardens. It is here we had our first sighting of white peacocks – strutting their stuff and fanning their tail feathers.
A private boat whisked our group of Insight passengers over to the island, taking in the view along the way. Once at Isola Bella, we were met by a local guide (in our case, the effervescent Romeo) and toured throughout the impressive palace. This is a popular tourist destination, so it was most efficient to be part of an organized group to gain the greatest appreciation of the place.
Isola Bella Palace Guided Tour
Touring the inside of the palace on Isola Bella
Once through the palace we enjoyed ample free time where we took a lovely stroll about the expansive Botanical Gardens. The white peacocks that freely roamed a section of the gardens gave us a spectacular show with over-the-top displays of tail fanning. Our late-afternoon visit afforded us a peaceful and tranquil visit to the idyllic garden setting as most tourists had already departed.
White Peacocks on Isola Bella
Wandering around the small island and back to the boat allowed us time for window shopping in the small storefront area and even the opportunity to enjoy a cocktail. We found that Caffè Lago was just the place to sit in their beer garden with our glasses of German beer and take in the stunning scenery all around us.
Jill enjoys a German beer at Caffè Lago
Gardens on Isola Bella
We sat back on the 20-minute boat ride return to Baveno and relished in the moment, topping off yet another amazing day in Italy. This area of the Northern Italian Lake District is certainly worth visiting and we only wished we could stop the hands of time while here.
Exploring Lake Maggiore in Italy with Insight Vacations
Next… Exploring Stresa and Lake Maggiore
Previous: Insight Vacations Italian Escapade – | Tour Overview | Meet and Greet in Rome! | Rome with Local Historian | Skip the Lines – Vatican Museums | Siena | Florence & Michelangelo’s David | Florence to Pisa & Lake Maggiore |
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Note: WAVEJourney were guests of Insight Vacations for their April 30 – May 12, 2013 Italian Escapade tour. Read our full disclosure statement to see that this has no effect on our reviews.
