Stresa: 1-Day 3 Borromean Islands Hop-On Hop-Off Boat Tour

Experience the beauty of Italy’s Lake Maggiore with a 1-day hop-on hop-off boat tour around the Borromean Islands. Explore stunning palaces, gardens, and charming promenades at your own pace.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Isola Madre - Explore Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands at your own pace with a 1-day hop-on hop-off boat tour from Stresa. Get on and off the boats as often as you like as you admire the beautiful scenery of the lake and visit the superb sights on the islands.
    Starting season from March 19 st 2022, the date on which museums and gardens of Isola Bella and Madre will be opend, until November 1th 2022, the stop on the mother island will be guarenteed. Outside these dates the tour does not include a stop on the isola madre because museums and gardens will be closed (replaced by a brief circumnavigation of the island).Embark on our boats to begin the visit of the Borromean Islands and reach the first island: Isola Madre
    Isola Madre is the first stop, it rises in the middle of the gulf and presents itself with a magnificent Renaissance palace, surrounded by one of the oldest and most important gardens in Italy.
What's Included
  • GPS commentary on board
  • Multilingual captains
  • VAT included
  • Shared transfer to the Borromean Islands
  • All fees and taxes included
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • On-board restrooms
  • Entrance ticket to the palaces and gardens of Isola Madre and Isola Bella (combi ticket euro 28)
  • Landing fee of €0.50 for each island to be paid locally
Additional Information

Spend a day island hopping around the Borromean Islands with a 1-day hop-on hop boat ticket around Italy’s Lake Maggiore. Departing from the lakeside town of Stresa Piazza Marconi, create your own sightseeing schedule using the boat as transport. See the elegant island palace and formal gardens of Isola Madre, admire the lush vegetation on Isola Bella and stroll along the charming promenade of the tiny Isola dei Pescatori. Enjoy lake views as you cruise between them and spend as little or as long as you like at each island.
You may reserve the right to cancel a customer’s booking for a full refund in case of bad weather condiction.

  • We recommend visiting this stop order first stop Isola Madre, second Isola Pescatori at the end Isola Bella.
  • Animals are allowed on board the boats, it is not allowed to enter the Borromean properties.
  • In the 14th century the Borromeo, powerful feudal lords of the area but originally from San Miniato, became owners of the islands and thus began their transformation. Even today the family still owns Isola Bella and Isola Madre, in addition to the three rocks that emerged known as Castles of Cannero due to the ruins of medieval fortifications. Isola dei Pescatori is the only one permanently inhabited, albeit by a small community, while the two “sister” islands are coveted by tourists who admire the two splendid palaces and their gardens, famous throughout Europe for the quality of the landscape. and for the care and variety of plant architectures, made up of over 2000 varieties of different species. In Isola Madre there is also a large fauna of oriental birds, such as white peacocks, golden pheasants and parrots, free in the splendid garden. Isola Bella, on the other hand, has a garden that, skilfully designed over the centuries, has multicolored blooms throughout the year, in rotation among the various floral species (roses, orchids, bulbous plants, magnolias, orchards, azaleas, gardenias, wisteria).
  • Upon your arrival at Stresa Piazza Marconi you can contact one of the representatives at the ticket office or go directly to the pier of Isole Lago Maggiore s.n.c. to find the boat, recognizable by a large tricolor sail with the Italian flag. Please exchange your voucher at the ticket office to join the tour and make the payment of the landing fee.
  • Palace and garden are not included
Location
Navigazione Isole Borromee Lago Maggiore S.N.C.
Piazza Marconi
Departure from Ticket Office Servizio pubblico non di linea Every day from 9.30 to 18.00
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.8
(190 Ratings)
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Alessial215
Jul 6, 2024
Convenient to visit everything - I must say that the organization is fantastic, even if it was full of tourists the boats are many and organized, comfortable and if you are afraid to get off or on like me the drivers are very kind.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ellen_t
May 23, 2024
Great day - The islands themselves fantastic - taxi boats provide regular pickup an stay minimum an hour suggest catch on the hour to allow time on the islands makes it easier
Review provided by Viator
Richertrips
Aug 8, 2024
Borromean Islands hop on-hop off with CMA - We had prepaid tickets on the Headout app, with QR codes, and arrived before the scheduled time to the parking lot of Stresa deck. There, we showed our tickets and got a paper handwritten ticket for the 3 islands. The boat arrived 15 minutes late and got really full, so they called another boat. Everybody got down on Isola Bella. The boats were scheduled to arrive to each island every 30 minutes but we never had to wait that long. Hop on-hop off is a good alternative if you prefer to travel at your own pace. We spent a lot of time in Isola Bella, had lunch in Pescatori (as everybody suggests, because there are much more options there) and stayed shortly at Isola Madre, where the palace is just a Villa and the gardens are more wild and natural.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ingrid_k
Jul 26, 2024
It took 7 hours to visit... - It took 7 hours to visit all three islands. What a wonderful day. The boat service to and from the islands is actually well organized. Just keep your ticket and dont be scared by the large number of people waiting in the harbours.
Review provided by Viator
Marjolein
Jul 16, 2024
Fun day out - Was a nice boat trip where you can decide for yourself how long you stay on each island. It was clear to us beforehand that you had to pay entrance to visit the palaces. Just not that you could book the best entrance to both palaces on the first island if you want to see both. Had a great day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amanda_s
Jun 18, 2024
Great way to visit the islands - Being on the boat taking in the views! The timing of the boats was very out… it never came or left as described but other than that great…
Review provided by Viator
Susan_g
Jun 17, 2024
All went well. - All was as advertised. We arrived on time however the boat was about 20 minutes late for the initial pick up.
Review provided by Viator
Arnaudver
May 25, 2024
Very convenient - Several departure possibilities. The ticket costs 21€ for the day and is very practical and allows you to travel all the way from the Borromean Islands to Stresa. Plan the day to do everything.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bosol
Jun 26, 2024
Views great staff could be more helpful - Disappointed by staff attitude at checking in, finding where we should go, getting on off the boat etc really unfriendly and not helpful at all. Views from boat were lovely
Review provided by Tripadvisor
679marthev
Jul 30, 2024
Disappointment boat company - Very disappointed with the trips planned by Navigazione Isole Lago Maggiore (see photo), we took a boat at 1pm to go to Isola Madre where we took our time to eat and visit. At 3:30 pm, we wanted to return, after an hour, still no company boat in sight....we call the number and tell us that the boats do not return to Isola Madre from 2:30 pm. Now on the site, this is not specified it is well noted "plan your trip as you wish, boats from 9am to 6pm" We had to repay a ticket on a boat of the company CMA (privilege it, the boats often passed) to be able to go to Isola Bella. We were therefore unable to visit the isola dei pescatori due to the time. He dropped us off on the Bella isola and we were able to take over the boat of our original company (Navigazione Isole Lago Maggiore) which ended well at 6pm but only on the Bella isola. We therefore pay to visit the three islands and we can only visit 2 and must pay another company to return. Do not take tickets from Navigazione Isole Lago Maggiore!!!! To be preferred: the company CMA
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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