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Best of Lake Maggiore

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8 days

Take in the best of Lake Maggiore on this 8-day Italy and Switzerland tour. Spend seven nights in the beautiful lakeside town of Baveno, with free time to relax and explore at leisure. Join a guided boat tour to the picturesque Borromean Islands, enjoy a half-day guided tour to Lake Orta and pop into Switzerland aboard a scenic rail journey to Locarno.

For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more download our Trip Notes

Tour Overview

Duration

8 days

Starts

Baveno

Ends

Baveno

Range

Handpicked

Tour Guide

Tour leader escort & local guides for sightseeing

Group Size

Min 2 / Max 45

Minimum age

No minimum age

Departs

May - October

Hotel Rating

3-star hotel

Countries

Switzerland, Italy

Arrival Transfer

No - can be booked on request

Departure Transfer

No - can be booked on request

Meals included

Breakfast: 7, Dinner: 7
Save 20% today
Per Person From
£1,245.00
£996.00
Deposit From
Final payment
£600.00
£1,392.00

Tour Highlights

Baveno - Explore the charming lakeside town of Baveno, with its scenic waterfront promenade, quaint streets, and stunning views across Lake Maggiore
Borromean Islands - Take in some of the beautiful islands of Lake Maggiore, including Isola Bella, Fisherman's Island and Isola Madre
Lake Orta - Discover Omegna at the northern tip of Lake Orta, then sail to the medieval village of Orta, known as the "Venice without water"
Locarno - Take a scenic rail journey through the Ossola Valley to the Swiss town of Locarno, travelling over 83 bridges and through 31 tunnels

Included

7 breakfasts & 7 dinners (11 May and 7 September departures will only include 2 dinners)
7 nights in a 3 star hotel
Escorted by a professional English-speaking tour leader, with local guides for included sightseeing
All relevant transportation in private, air-conditioned vehicles
Full day Borromean Islands boat trip, visiting Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre
Half day guided excursion to Lake Orta & the medieval village of Orta, plus a boat trip
Full day excursion to Locarno in Switzerland, including a journey on the Centovalli railway
Note: This tour is operated in conjunction with our trusted partner and you will join travellers from different operators, not solely On The Go.

Not Included

International flights and visas
Airport transfers
Tipping - an entirely personal gesture!
Optional excursions
Hotel city taxes

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival in Baveno & Welcome Dinner

You will most likely arrive in Italy at Milan Malpensa Airport or Turin's Torino Airport. From here, make your own way to our accommodation in Baveno, a charming lakeside town on the shores of Lake Maggiore. Once settled in, the rest of the day is yours to spend at your leisure. You might choose to take a stroll along the scenic waterfront promenade, explore the quaint streets of Baveno, or simply relax and unwind, taking in the beautiful views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

In the evening, join your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at the hotel, where you’ll have the chance to get to know one another.

Please note: 7 dinners are included on this tour, with the exception of tours departing on the 11 May 2025 and the 7 September 2025. On these departures, 2 dinners will be included.

Overnight: Baveno
Meals: Dinner

Day 2 - Baveno at Leisure

Today, you are free to explore the charms of Baveno at your own pace. Take the time to visit the local cafés, or enjoy a leisurely stroll along the beautiful lakeside paths. Along the way, you'll be treated to magnificent views across the lake to the Borromean Islands.

Overnight: Baveno
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3 - Borromean Islands

Baveno - Isola Bella - Fisherman’s Island - Isola Madre - Baveno. Today, we’ll enjoy a full-day included excursion to the Borromean Islands by boat. Isola Bella, one of the most admired destinations on Lake Maggiore, will be our first stop. Here, we’ll explore the famous Baroque Palace and its Italian-style terraced gardens, renowned for their white peacocks.

After some free time to wander, we’ll head to Fisherman’s Island (Isola dei Pescatori), the only island that’s permanently inhabited. Famous for its narrow lanes and the Church of San Vittore, you’ll have some free time for lunch.

Our next stop will be Isola Madre, the largest of the three islands. With its 20-acre park, we’ll be enchanted by the rare plants and exotic flowers in the English-style botanical gardens. We’ll finish the day with a visit to the 16th-century home where the Borromean family spent their summers. After our day of exploring the islands, we head back to Baveno.

Overnight: Baveno
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4 - Baveno at leisure

Today, you’ll have a full day to relax and take it easy! Your guide will be happy to offer suggestions for activities and places to explore in the surrounding area.

Overnight: Baveno
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5 - Lake Orta and the Village of Orta

Baveno - Omegna - Orta - Baveno. After breakfast, we’ll travel by coach to Omegna, located at the northern tip of Lake Orta. From there, we’ll continue on through charming villages to the southern end of the lake, where we’ll board a boat to sail to the medieval village of Orta. Known as the 'Venice without water', Orta is a labyrinth of picturesque streets and narrow cobbled lanes, with many chapels dedicated to St Francis of Assisi. We’ll return to our hotel in the afternoon.

Overnight: Baveno
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6 - Baveno at Leisure

You have another opportunity to relax and enjoy this beautiful region of Italy. Your guide will be happy to recommend places of interest based on your preferences.

Overnight: Baveno
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7 - Scenic Railway Journey to Locarno

Baveno - Domodossola - Locarno (Switzerland) - Baveno (Italy). After breakfast, we’ll travel by coach along the floor of the Ossola Valley towards Domodossola. Here, we’ll board a narrow-gauge railway for a scenic journey, travelling over 83 bridges and through 31 tunnels, all the way to the Swiss town of Locarno, located at the northern tip of Lake Maggiore. You’ll have free time for lunch, shopping, and sightseeing in Locarno before we return to our hotel by coach in the afternoon.

Overnight: Baveno
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8 - Arrivederci Baveno

Enjoy a final breakfast at the hotel before check out. We wish you a safe onwards journey!

Meals: Breakfast

Hotels

The hotels listed below are ones which we frequently use on this tour. We reserve the right to substitute these hotels to ones of a similar standard.
Hotel Beau Rivage
Baveno

This relaxed hotel, set in an elegant building overlooking Lake Maggiore, is just a 3-minute walk from the Baveno boat dock, 3 km from the palace and gardens on Isola Bella, and 12 km from Villa Taranto botanical gardens. The simply furnished rooms offer free Wi-Fi and TVs, while the hotel also features a bright restaurant with a terrace, a bar, an outdoor pool, a hot tub, and gardens.

Our Rating
Standard
Local Rating
3 Star Hotel
Hotel Moderno
Baveno

This seasonal hotel, located along a pedestrian street, is 1 km from Parco della Villa Pallavicino zoo and just a 4-minute walk from Stresa ferry terminal, which provides access to Lake Maggiore’s Borromean Islands. The relaxed rooms come with Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, while the hotel also offers a casual restaurant with two dining rooms, a lobby bar with seating in a tree-shaded courtyard, and outdoor dining at the front of the hotel.

Our Rating
Standard
Local Rating
3 Star Hotel

Prices & Dates

Departure dates are guaranteed with 2 travellers. 'Twin/Double' prices are per person when there are 2 people on the same booking sharing a room. 'Single' prices are applicable to solo travellers wanting the privacy of their own room, or if your booking party cannot reach the minimum of 2 persons in a room. Single Rooms can also be booked by any other person wanting the comfort and privacy of their own room. Room sharing is not available on this tour.

2025
Twin/Double
Single
4 May - 11 May
Save 20%
£1,245£996
£1,515£1,212
11 May - 18 May
Save 20%
£1,315£1,052
£1,655£1,324
1 Jun - 8 Jun
Save 20%
£1,355£1,084
£1,625£1,300
20 Jul - 27 Jul
Save 20%
£1,355£1,084
£1,625£1,300
24 Aug - 31 Aug
Save 20%
£1,355£1,084
£1,625£1,300
7 Oct - 14 Oct
Save 20%
£1,315£1,052
£1,655£1,324
12 Oct - 19 Oct
Save 20%
£1,245£996
£1,515£1,212

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