An Unplanned Italian Interlude
While on a Globus 'Best Of Switzerland' coach tour, journalist Steve McKenna found an unexpected bonus: a visit to the enchanting Italian town of Stresa, nestled on the shores of Lake Maggiore. This lakeside gem, sitting at an altitude of 200 metres, offered a delightful four-hour respite from the alpine landscapes of Switzerland.
Choosing Stresa's Shores Over Crowded Islands
Faced with the choice of joining an optional excursion to the famous Borromean Islands—Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and Isola dei Pescatori—McKenna decided against it. Having recently visited the Swiss island of Isole di Brissago and wary of the high summer tourist crowds, he opted to explore Stresa itself. This decision led him on a peaceful stroll along the town's beautifully manicured lakeside promenade, edged with tidy lawns, flowerbeds, and sculptures, before getting lost in the photogenic lanes of its old town.
The promenade is lined with grand lake-facing properties, including the historic Villa Ducale, built in 1771 for tobacco magnate Giacomo Filippo Bolongaro. Today, it houses the Rosmini Museum, dedicated to the philosopher priest Antonio Rosmini. Another landmark is the palatial Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees, a five-star art nouveau establishment where Ernest Hemingway convalesced after World War I. The hotel famously features in his novel A Farewell to Arms, and room 105, where he stayed, is now the Hemingway Suite.
A Taste of Piedmont in the Old Town
Wandering away from the water, McKenna explored Stresa's compact central core, a car-free network of alleys filled with the town's 5000 residents and an abundance of shops and eateries. The air was scented with lime, lavender, and camellia from gift stores selling local soaps, lotions, and leather goods. After a morning cappuccino at the local Torrefazione e Bar Moka Stresa, he opted for a light lunch at Al Buscion, a family-run wine bar that has operated for 20 years.
There, he enjoyed a simple but satisfying meal of a porcelloso panino—deconstructed with porchetta, chutneys, and warm bread with melted fontina cheese—paired with a glass of Bonarda wine from neighbouring Lombardy.
A Town of Cinematic Beauty and Tragic History
While Stresa's beauty has attracted film directors for decades, its history holds darker chapters. In 1943, it was a site of the Lake Maggiore massacres, where Nazi SS troops executed Jewish people. More recently, in 2021, a cable car accident from Stresa to the nearby Mottarone summit claimed the lives of 14 people.
Despite this poignant history, the town's prevailing atmosphere is one of relaxed charm. As his four hours drew to a close, McKenna reunited with his Globus tour group, refreshed from his Italian detour and ready to continue the journey back into Switzerland.
