Palazzo Borromeo
Palazzo Borromeo
4.5
Art GalleriesHistoric SitesArchitectural Buildings
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
About
In 1670 Count Vitaliano Borromeo decided to turn a rock awash in the middle of the lake into a “place of delights”. It took four centuries to complete this magnificent work that includes Palazzo Borromeo and its scenic gardens. The tour of the house is fascinating: the Throne and Queens rooms, the Napoleon's Room, the Gallery of General Berthier displaying a collection of 130 paintings. On a lower floor, six grottoes covered with pebbles, tufa rock, stucco and marble were designed to afford cool relief from summer heat. World famous, its baroque garden, with the Teatro Massimo at the centre, consists of ten terraces in the shape of a truncated pyramid. Visitors marvel at the sight of the monumental unicorn, the obelisks, the statues, the two towers and other architectural elements, as well as the mighty trees, like the camphor and citrus trees, and the collections of roses, rhododendrons and camellias.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • CFred733
    Phoenix, Arizona116 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A MUST
    Isola Bella is a must. In fact I recommend all three islands. Visit Bella in the morning and tour the palace and gardens. Then go to Superiore for lunch. Then Madre in the afternoon. Makes a great one day adventure.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 27 March 2023
  • Jane N
    London, United Kingdom970 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Must See
    The palace was built as a holiday home and for entertaining. Guests included Napoleon Bonaparte, Queen Victoria and Charles and Diana. There is a lot to see and enjoy including 6 grottos made from volcanic rock, marble, pebbles and shells. When you have toured the palace you will come out into beautiful gardens which have white peacocks roaming freely. Go to the top tier of the Teatro Massimo and you will have lovely views of the lake. There is a cafe and a small gift shop and as you make your way out there are some narrow streets with a few shops.
    Visited August 2022
    Written 27 April 2023
  • shirley123905
    Motherwell, United Kingdom32 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Simply stunning!
    We decided to visit just the one island - Isola Bella although you can do all three. This really did work for us as there were no time pressures to get round all the islands. The entrance to the palace and gardens is an additional 20 Euros pp but so worth it. There is so much to see and everything is stunningly beautiful. It was surprising to see the white peacocks and so many of them too. The cafe within the palace grounds is really nice and serves good food at reasonable prices. Definitely worth a visit.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 June 2023
  • PB123
    Boca Raton, Florida721 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A “must visit” if in the area
    The Borromeo family has done a spectacular job in organising the Palazzo Borromeo and gardens. It is very well organised, very well maintained and really worth a visit. Most of the 199 rooms are kept for private family use, but that is not obvious because the 30 or so rooms open to the public are very impressive. The gardens are spectacular.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 September 2023
  • Yas46
    Adliswil, Switzerland858 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing palace and gardens
    We came here 5 years ago and had to come back! We bought a ticket for all 3 islands. You need about 6 hours to see them all properly and as last boat goes around 6pm you need to start well before noon. The palace is sumptuous with so many glamorous rooms and information about the contents. We have been in October and September and the gardens are superb but would love to come back to see it in the Sporing time. Definitely worth a visit and we shall be back.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 September 2023
  • Paige
    Birmingham, Alabama6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Extremely happy we didn’t miss this gem!!
    OH MY WORD!!! Do not miss the palace or the grounds. We’ve traveled the world and we were shocked that we had never heard of Palazzo Islo Bella! Give yourself three hours to shop, tour, see the palace, and the unreal gardens!!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 October 2023
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4.5
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Paige
Birmingham, AL6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
OH MY WORD!!! Do not miss the palace or the grounds. We’ve traveled the world and we were shocked that we had never heard of Palazzo Islo Bella! Give yourself three hours to shop, tour, see the palace, and the unreal gardens!!
Written 17 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hawk
Canada267 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
The tour on this island palace is definitely the highlight of our trip to Stresa. It has one of the most amazing gardens that we have ever been to. The hydrangeas are in full bloom and the white peacocks are just looking so noble. Lemons, oranges, grapefruits and a few other citrus family plants are all bearing lots of fruits...very tempting. There are so many varieties of trees and flowers in this well manicured garden, yet they are all in harmony: nothing seems out of place and nothing seems overgrown. It feels meditative. It's a must-see place if you ever come to Stresa!
Written 27 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tribe772017
Cincinnati, OH7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023
Beautiful Villa and gardens. Go early to avoid crowds. We took the Lido boat from Stresa harbor to the islands.
Written 22 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Yas46
Adliswil, Switzerland858 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
We came here 5 years ago and had to come back! We bought a ticket for all 3 islands. You need about 6 hours to see them all properly and as last boat goes around 6pm you need to start well before noon. The palace is sumptuous with so many glamorous rooms and information about the contents. We have been in October and September and the gardens are superb but would love to come back to see it in the Sporing time. Definitely worth a visit and we shall be back.
Written 19 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MrRizla
Eindhoven, The Netherlands158 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
Beauty at his best, boat ticket was €14 for 2 adult and 2 kids there the line to buy a ticket is empty for the gardens. The building is also nice to see
Written 18 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PB123
Boca Raton, FL721 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
The Borromeo family has done a spectacular job in organising the Palazzo Borromeo and gardens. It is very well organised, very well maintained and really worth a visit. Most of the 199 rooms are kept for private family use, but that is not obvious because the 30 or so rooms open to the public are very impressive. The gardens are spectacular.
Written 9 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mike W
Wimbledon, London157 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
It is just an amazing and varied building and contents. And once you have spent at least an hour in the “palace”, there is a fabulous garden which must be in the best top 10 in Europe
Written 8 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

shirley123905
Motherwell, UK32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
We decided to visit just the one island - Isola Bella although you can do all three. This really did work for us as there were no time pressures to get round all the islands. The entrance to the palace and gardens is an additional 20 Euros pp but so worth it. There is so much to see and everything is stunningly beautiful. It was surprising to see the white peacocks and so many of them too. The cafe within the palace grounds is really nice and serves good food at reasonable prices. Definitely worth a visit.
Written 29 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Willard D
Novato, CA3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Friends
Probably worth two or three days of wandering to begin get -the grandness- of this family and its sensibilities.
Written 7 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jane N
London, UK970 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
The palace was built as a holiday home and for entertaining. Guests included Napoleon Bonaparte, Queen Victoria and Charles and Diana. There is a lot to see and enjoy including 6 grottos made from volcanic rock, marble, pebbles and shells. When you have toured the palace you will come out into beautiful gardens which have white peacocks roaming freely. Go to the top tier of the Teatro Massimo and you will have lovely views of the lake. There is a cafe and a small gift shop and as you make your way out there are some narrow streets with a few shops.
Written 27 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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PALAZZO BORROMEO: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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