Lake Maggiore is a moderately touristy spot, but it’s mostly European tourists. I went for Easter Break, during April, and I heard Americans maybe once the entire weekend, and that was on Isola Bella, one of several islands in the lake that you can take a boat to.
Lake Maggiore is about two and a half hours by train from Turin. You’ll have to change trains twice, but there are no difficulties besides that. The main attraction city is Stresa—a pretty famous town. Ernest Hemingway spent some time there to recuperate his injury during World War I, and part of his famous novel A Farewell to Arms takes place there. When I went for Easter, though, I stayed in Baveno, just one town past Stresa on the train. I stayed at Hotel Eden, and I highly recommend it. The prices vary on the season (they charge more during peak season), but when I went I believe it was 45 Euros a night, breakfast included (it’s not a shabby breakfast either). It is a family-run hotel and the people who work there are very kind.
My room, room 45, was one of the only rooms with a balcony—albeit a small one, but large enough to fit the desk chair and allow me space to read as I looked out to the stunning view of Lake Maggiore. From my window I could see Isola Pescatore and, past that, Isola Bella. The weather was nice and there were several cafés near my hotel that I frequented. One of the cafés closest to my hotel had aperitivo—though meager—for only 4 Euros. Ristorante Posta is also worth mentioning—it is in the main (very small) piazza of Baveno, it is reasonably priced, and it is absolutely delicious.
Lake Maggiore is a place to go to get away and to enjoy some nature. It was a perfect place to go for Easter, too—no expensive airfare, not an overwhelming amount of tourists. And besides these things, it was interesting to watch European tourists. There were Germans, Swiss, French, and Italians. Probably others. I even met two Germans at Ristorante Posta, on the evening of Easter, when I had been eating alone, who joined me at my table and eventually ended up paying for my dinner. I’ll be staying with them in Frankfurt next week.
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