Stresa Holidays

Holidays in Stresa take you to one of the prettiest locations in the Italian Lakes, with the elegant town perched on the western shore of Lake Maggiore where soaring mountains form a photogenic backdrop.

Stresa has been here for at least a thousand years and the town is peppered with historic buildings, from medieval churches to Renaissance villas. Its cobbled streets are full of pavement cafés and boutique shops, while the surrounding area is renowned for its opulent lakeside palaces and ornamental gardens.

The town is a handy hopping-on point for many ferries and boat trips which sail up and down Lake Maggiore, offering a relaxing way to enjoy the scenery and visit the other towns and villages around this 65km-long lake.

Explore Stresa like no other

Stresa is a sedate place, especially in the evenings, when compared to some of the larger and busier resorts around Lake Maggiore. It’s ideal for enjoying lakeside strolls, relaxing pre-dinner aperitivos and a generally slower pace of life.

This area is nirvana for horticulturists and there are several famous gardens . The Borromean Islands, often described as “the jewels of Lake Maggiore” are stunning .Regular boat services run back and forth between Stresa and the three main islands, where you’ll find enchanting ornamental gardens on Isola Madre and Isola Bella, while Isola dei Pescatori is home to an idyllic little village where you can eat at one of several restaurants overlooking the lake.

For music lovers the Stresa Festival runs from mid July to early September, when you can enjoy live classical and jazz performances at several venues around town, as well as some concerts that are held on the Borromean Islands.
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Lines open: Monday to Saturday 09:00 to 17:30, Bank Holidays 10:00 to 16:00.
Giardini Naxos is an affordable and laid-back resort, close to Taormina and with plenty of charm of its own. Stretching along the beachfront in the same wide bay as Taormina, this authentic Italian town thrives in the summer, and is a tranquil option outside of peak months. Designed around a long promenade packed with shopping and dining, the town of Giardini Naxos is perfectly suited to a relaxed seaside escape.

There’s plenty of history to enjoy too, with the 15th-century Vignazza Tower and 16th-century Schisò Castle dominating the town’s skyline. Activity in the Giardini Naxos generally revolves around relaxing by the seafront, with several lidos providing easy access to the beach. In the evening, many of the beachfront bars and cafes stay open late and it is not uncommon to dine late into the evening, with ice cream or crepes to finish. Should you wish to see more of the area, then Taormina is just a 15-minute drive across the bay, and boasts an ancient amphitheatre, historic streets and a 13th-century cathedral.

Handpicked Hotels in Stresa

Discover the real Stresa while staying in one of our carefully selected hotels

Things to do in Stresa

Stresa’s lakefront promenade is lined with palm trees and splendid old hotels, which make for a delightful evening stroll. The palatial Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees is famous as a one-time favourite of the American writer Ernest Hemingway, who used it as a setting in his novel A Farewell To Arms. Nowadays it’s considered the most exclusive hotel on Lake Maggiore, but even if you’re not staying here you can eat in the opulent, high-class restaurant or treat yourself to a little pampering in the hotel spa.

The streets behind the promenade in Stresa offer a fantastic range of bars, trattorias and restaurants – more than enough for you to eat in a different place on every day of your holiday..

Flight Information

The closest airport to Lake Maggiore is Milan Malpensa (MXP). Direct flights to Milan are available from Birmingham, Edinburgh, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, London Stansted and Manchester and take approximately 2 hours.

Direct flights to Milan Bergamo (BGY) depart from London Stansted, Bristol, Manchester, East Midlands and Belfast and take approximately 2 hours.

When to go

Lake Maggiore is a summer destination, with the season generally running from April to October. The best time to visit is in the springtime, when the temperature is warm but not too hot and all the wild flowers are out in bloom. May, June and September are ideal months to visit. Temperatures are at their hottest in July and August and this is when the lake is at its busiest.

Visa Information

At the current time, British citizens do not require a visa to visit Italy.

Tipping

Whilst tipping isn’t embedded into Italian culture it is always appreciated as an acknowledgement of good service. Nowadays people generally round up a bill in a bar or cafe and leave 5-10% extra on a restaurant bill. Taxi bills are usually also rounded up.
 
On guided tours/excursions, it is customary to leave a token of appreciation for the driver and guide.
 
On small group escorted tours, it is customary to leave a token of appreciation for the driver and guide at the end of the tour.

Introduction to languages

The official language of Italy is Italian. English is widely spoken too, so getting by is easy.

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