Lake Maggiore is shared by two Italian regions. While the eastern shores nestle in Lombardia, the western side of the Lake marks the north eastern corner of Piemonte and even the border with Switzerland a few kilometers north of Cannobio. As you might expect, the cultural exchanges over the centuries have left their mark in the names of the towns and various comuni.
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Discover Italy North Italy Regions Guide to Turin & Piemonte Piemonte Itineraries Guide to Lake Maggiore
Discover Italy North Italy Regions Guide to Turin & Piemonte Piemonte Itineraries Guide to Lake Maggiore
Guide to Lake Maggiore
But the likes of Stresa, Oggebbio, Meina, Ghiffa and Bèe suggest origins even older than the modern nation states. The village of Ornavasso is a good example.
It probably derives from the German 'ort am Wasser' meaning 'place on the water' and records suggest it was founded in the 13th century by Walser colonists from the Vallese. They must have been holy types as the town contains many religious buildings including a Boden sanctuary reachable by muletrack.
Also impressive is the Baroque 'Madonna della Guardia' built in an octagonal plan between 1674 and 1772. It sits next to a medieval watchtower with spectacular views over the Ossola Valley and the Corni di Nibbio peaks.
Garden and flower lovers should beat a path to Lake Maggiore. It was here the 4th edition of 'Orchids on the Lake' was held at Ossola and the town is recognised as having 5 of the best 35 gardens in Italy by publishers Prisma of Sweden.
The gardens can be found at Villa Taranto, Isola Madre, Isola Bella, Villa S. Remigio and Villa Pallavicino. Each garden had to overcome 6 hours of careful scrutiny including photographic records. Other gardens featured in the top 35 were at Giusti (Verona), Villa Melzi (Bellagio), Villa d'Este (Cernobbio) and the Medici Villas at Fiesole & Florence.
Castello dal Pozzo is considered perhaps the most exclusive accommodation on the shores of Lake Maggiore in Piemonte. The one time residence of the last of the Visconti d’Aragona family, the Marquis Alberto, it has recently been restored as a luxury boutique hotel. Set in its own English inspired park…
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Our articles about Piemonte below.
• Piemonte Recipes
• pear timballo dessert pie recipe • bonet di amaretti alla piemontese • bagna cauda recipe • crumiri biscuits • white chocolate cake • paniscia rice recipe • castagnole carnival sweets • risotto with barbera wine
Piemonte Food and Wine
• alba wine city • white truffles from alba • alba truffle festival • asti spumante wine • slow food foundation • barbera nizza wine • barolo corkscrew museum • upper po valley food route • novarese and verbano gastronomy • biella cheese and wine route • grapes of cuneo • international salone del gusto • quintessenza • piemonte food history • bra cheese festival • turin coffee bars • bettelmatt cheese • optima roero • official truffle charter • barge rice festival • nebbiolo wine • lake maggiore food tour • white truffles from alba • best piemonte cheeses • wine route tortona hills
Piemonte Itineraries
• white truffle route in lower piemonte • nizza monferrato • langa astigiana • stresa on lake maggiore • acqui terme • made in granda • guide to turin • guide to alba • biella • ivrea orange throwing carnival • valleys of cuneo • lesa on lake maggiore • where to ski in piemonte • guide to lake maggiore • piemonte faith routes • paths of moscato d'asti wine • the source of the river po • lake maggiore day trips • alto monferrato wine route • gavi to strevi wine route • mountain bike routes • on the trail of literary giants in turin