Owned by the Borromeo family, Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore has evolved from a tiny fishing village into a pinnacle of Baroque art and an unparalleled treasure trove over the course of 400 years.
From a simple rock in the 17th century, Isola Bella has become an exclusive place of beauty, culture, and modernity thanks to the work of the Borromeo family, who have owned it since then. Today, it is managed under the aegis of Terre Borromeo, the brand that encompasses all the family’s destinations on Lake Maggiore: Isola Bella, Isola Madre, Rocca di Angera, Parco Pallavicino, Parco del Mottarone, and Castelli di Cannero.
The Borromeos are descendants of Saint Carlo Borromeo and Cardinal Federico Borromeo, one of Lombardy’s most illustrious families, who made Terre Borromeo an exceptional model of management of antique monumental properties.
Fantastic and wonderful as Isola Bella may be, and is, it is nevertheless very, very beautiful.
(Charles Dickens)
The name derives from “Isola Isabella”, in honor of Isabella d’Adda, wife of Carlo III Borromeo, who received the island as a dowry and designed the Baroque garden in 1630. Work continued over the following centuries, until 1948, when the island took on its current appearance, with its splendid Italian-style garden of sloping terraces and the Teatro Massimo on one side, and Palazzo Borromeo on the other.
The monumental palace today is a museum of Baroque art, housing paintings, tapestries, sculptures, furnishings, and masterpieces: all waiting to be discovered, captivated by the splendor of bygone eras.
A book would not be enough to list all its wonders, rich in incredible historical testimonies: such as the Music Hall, which in 1935 hosted the Stresa Conference, attended by great heads of state to discuss Germany’s violations of the Treaty of Versailles. The typescript written following the meeting is still framed in the Hall today.
The heart of Palazzo Borromeo is the Berthier Gallery: a mosaic of over 130 17th- and 18th-century paintings, including copies by masters such as Raphael, Correggio, Titian, and Guido Reni. A museum within a museum, it also houses original works of Lombard Renaissance painting by artists such as Bergognone, Boltraffio, Crespi, Giampietrino, and Procaccini.
The Isola Bella’s Grottoes, at water level, are striking for their flair and originality. They were designed by order of Vitaliano VI Borromeo to amaze guests and offer a cooler environment in the summer: a marine world with walls, vaults, and floors adorned with pebbles, shells, marble, and tuff fragments, decorated with busts of heroes and deities, display cases, and display cases with urns, vases, porcelain, and accessories.
At Isola Bella, in addition to the gardens and the Palace, you can also visit the small village, full of restaurants and eateries, and book one of the lake-view apartments managed by Terre Borromee, so you can enjoy the island at your leisure and savor the lake and its sunsets.
The apotheosis of Baroque art, Italian style, and the charm of Lake Maggiore.
The Secret
In the Grottoes is the marvelous Nude Venus, created by Vincenzo Monti based on Canova’s Sleeping Nymph.
Useful Info
Isola Bella
28838 Stresa (VB)
Tel. +39 0323 933478
Ticket for the gardens and Palazzo Borromeo: €23
For private tours: event@isoleborromee.it
Apartments: from €150 per night
