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All 25 Lake Maggiore Attractions »

Isola Bella

Isola Bella, Italy
4.5 of 5 stars 57 Reviews
Type: Islands, Castles, Historic Sites
Owner description: One of three magical islands on Lake Maggiore, Isola Bella charms visitors with its magnificent Baroque palace and terraced gardens that slope to the... more » Owner description: One of three magical islands on Lake Maggiore, Isola Bella charms visitors with its magnificent Baroque palace and terraced gardens that slope to the lake. « less
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57 reviews from our community

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Date Rating
Budapest, Hungary
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 28 May 2012 NEW

Isola Bella - The name says it all, the island is really beautiful. The Borromeo Palace has many extravagantly decorated rooms but the most impressive is the large garden behind the Palace. Look for the beautiful plants, flowers and white (!) peacocks. The gardens are best in April/early May for the azaleas and rhododendron. For me it's one of the... More

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Fairfield County
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
Reviews in 22 cities Reviews in 22 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2012

Magnificent palace and more magnificent gardens. Lovely views from every window. The grottos are particularly interesting and a fine example of man made grottos. Isola Bella is really unique, worth the drive from Lake Como and boat trip to island. We saw it on a beautiful spring day after a fresh snowfall on the Alps and spring flowers in full... More

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Norwalk, Connecticut
Top Contributor
59 reviews 59 reviews
Reviews in 23 cities Reviews in 23 cities
18 helpful votes 18 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 April 2012

The palace and gardens are worth the boat trip and there is an excellent restaurant, Restorante Albergo Verbano, in a small hotel with great views of Lake Maggiore. The Gaudi style architecture of the palace separates it from other villas and palaces in the Lake Country of Italy.

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Lyon, France
Contributor
20 reviews 20 reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 April 2012

This Island is the one you should visit if you like Gaudi-like architecture. The Palace is quite nice and has some very special rooms looking like man-made grottes/caves. The gardens are also very cool with peacocks wandering around them. The style is really different than anything you usually see in Italy so that makes it a worth-a-visit destination. I would... More

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Belle Mead, New Jersey
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 April 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Took the ferry to Isolo Bella in early April with my teenage daughter. After a gellato, we toured the 17th century villa, or palace of Charles III, and it's formal gardens. The palace is a fine example of baroque architecture, with many rooms to see, most embelished with stuccos and reliefs, antique furniture, Murano chandeliers and many paintings; a few... More

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London, United Kingdom
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 March 2012

We visited here on recommendation from my mother in law, who visits Stresa regularly & what can i say, great great tip. Gorgeous castle/mansion house to view, with the most awe inspiring interiors & views around the lake from every window. The gardens were just stunning & the white peacocks strolling around made it a truly decadent experience. I could... More

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Huntington Beach, California
Top Contributor
75 reviews 75 reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
27 helpful votes 27 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 March 2012

The island is quaint, good restaurants and - yes- tourist shops, but the gardens and the palace are amazing. Taste is relative, and the copiously rich have never been known for understated wealth. The grounds, the rooms, the peacocks - all combine to offer a view into what it meant to live here with the power and wealth that that... More

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horsham
Senior Contributor
26 reviews 26 reviews
Reviews in 20 cities Reviews in 20 cities
19 helpful votes 19 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 March 2012
1
person found this review helpful

T he island is very touristy and the palace and gardens to be quite frank naff. Nothing special about the palace. The gardens are highly manicured with great views but ov run with tourists and the design - a prow of a ship with huge godlike enormous statues were an example of money over taste. Hideous sorry . I might... More

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Atlanta, Georgia
Top Contributor
84 reviews 84 reviews
Reviews in 32 cities Reviews in 32 cities
30 helpful votes 30 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 November 2011
3
people found this review helpful

When I started researching our trip and came across this beautiful island, I knew I had to come here. It is amazing!!!! I did not expect to enjoy the tour of the palace so much (there was only one room I was even interested in) because all I really cared about were the gardens but I loved everything; even my... More

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Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 October 2011
1
person found this review helpful

In the middle of the lake. It has nice restaurants and the botanical garden is quite beautiful

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