Local History/ Towns

LOCAL HISTORY/ TOWNS

Belgirate is a commune (municipality) in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about 110 km northeast of Turin and about 11 km south of Verbania. Belgirate borders the following municipalities: Besozzo, Brebbia, Ispra, Leggiuno, Lesa, Monvalle, Stresa. The small Romanesque church of St. Mary dates to the 11th century, and is preceded by a 16th century portico with some frescoes of Bernardino Luini school.

Stresa is a town and comune of about 5,000 inhabitants on the shores of the Lago (Lake) Maggiore in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy; it is situated on the road and rail routes to the Simplon pass, about 90 km north-west of Milan. Since the early 20th century, the main source of income has been the tourist trade. Like other locations on Lago Maggiore, it benefits from spectacular views as well as areas of historical and architectural interest. Regular boat services from the town's two docks provide access to the nearby Borromean Islands and a 20 minute cable car ride leads to the summit of Monte Mottarone, with the Giardino Botanico Alpinia en route.

(Paul and Ruth on Stresa) Parking in Stresa is a nightmare. The train station is free but spaces are limited. Catching the train to Milan is better from Stresa though, as there are a wider choice of trains than from Belgirate, and faster. There is a really nice shop in Stresa called Ferri Cristina in one of the back streets behind Bar Gigi area, selling a huge range of pottery as well as earings and glass, a v nice owner and her daughter run it. The best gelati in Stresa, and in the whole area we found, is Riva Est SNC on Principessa Margherita. Wonderful quality and amazing range, you will never want English ice cream again!!!

Arona in Western Lombard is a town and comune on Lake Maggiore, in the province of Novara (northern Italy). Sancarlone the giant statue of Saint Charles Borromeo overlooks Arona, at 35.10 m it was the largest bronze standing statue in the world, second only to the Statue of Liberty. The statue was intended as part of a complex of buildings and chapels celebrating the life of St. Charles, of which only three chapels were completed. Next to the statue are the 17th Century basilica and the former Archbishop's Palace. A smaller version of the statue, the Sancarlino, can be seen in Corso Cavour in the town. Arona is the southernmost port on Lake Maggiore, and transport by boat or hydrofoil is available to both sides of the lake up to the Swiss city of Locarno.

(Paul and Ruth on Arona) Arona has lots of character, and trendy shops, however all are quite expensive.

Lake Maggiore (Lago Maggiore) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps, it is 25 km north of Milan's Malpensa International Airport, actually closer than Milan. It is the second largest lake in Italy and largest lake of the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona. The climate is mild in both summer and winter, producing Mediterranean vegetation, with beautiful gardens growing rare and exotic plants. Well-known gardens include those of the Isola Madre, Isola Bella and the Isole di Brissago, that of the Villa Taranto in Verbania, and the Alpinia botanical garden above Stresa. Swimming in Lake Maggiore is recommended in the summer months, the water is clean and there are many beaches around the lake.

The Borromean Islands are a group of three small islands and two islets in the Italian part of Lago Maggiore, located in the western arm of the lake, between Verbania to the north and Stresa to the south. Together totalling just 50 acres (20 hectares) in area, they are a major local tourist attraction for their picturesque setting. Their name derives from the Borromeo family, which started acquiring them in the early 16th century (Isola Madre) and still owns the majority of them (Isola Madre, Isola Bella, Isola di San Giovanni) today.
1. Isola Bella, named for Isabella, countess Borromeo, was originally a largely barren rock; after first improvements and buildings, opened by count Carlo III between 1629 and 1652, his son Vitaliano the 6th built an attractive summer palace, bringing in vast quantities of soil in order to build up a system of ten terraces for the amazing gardens. The unfinished building displays paintings by Lombard artists and Flemish tapestries. It is also home to some rather beautiful albino peacocks.
2. Isola Madre, the largest of the three, is also noted for its gardens, which are maintained from about 1823 in an English style. Its palace, though uninhabited, is splendidly furnished with 16th to 19th century Italian masterpieces and paintings.
3. Isola dei Pescatori or Isola Superiore is now the only inhabited island in the archipelago. It has a fishing village, which in 1971 had a population of 208.
4. Isolino di San Giovanni is located just off Pallanza (today part of Verbania) to the north.
5. The tiny uninhabited rock of Malghera, with an area of only 200 square meters, lies between Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori and offers bushy vegetation and a small beach.

(Paul and Ruth on the first three islands). It's much cheaper to book to visit the 3 islands by boat via the official tourist office and not from one of the private companies selling on the street. Also 3 children go free with 2 adult tickets. Be aware though that you have to also pay to tour round the 2 main islands, and here children have to pay.

Lake Orta (Lago d’Orta, Cusio) is a lake in northern Italy west of Lake Maggiore. It has been so named since the 16th century, but was previously called the Lago di San Giulio, after Saint Julius (4th century), the patron saint of the region. Cusio is a merely poetical name. Its southern end is about 35 km by rail NW of Novara on the main Turin-Milan line, while its north end is about 6 km by rail south of the Gravellona-Toce railway station, half-way between Ornavasso and Omegna. Its scenery is characteristically Italian, while the San Giulio island has some very picturesque buildings, and takes its name from the local saint, Julius of Novara, who lived in the 4th century. Located around the lake are Orta San Giulio, built on a peninsula projecting from the east shore of the lake, Omegna at its northern extremity, Pettenasco to the east, and Pella to the west. It is supposed that the lake is the remnant of a much larger sheet of water by which originally the waters of the Toce flowed south towards Novara. As the glaciers retreated the waters flowing from them sank, and were gradually diverted into Lake Maggiore.
(Paul and Ruth on Lago d'Orta). Lake Orta is a must, Orta San Giulio is also worth seeing. We didn't take a boat to the island but the village itself is lovely. A very good beach is right down at the southern tip of the lake- 6 euros for adults but worth it for safe access to swimming/diving/changing rooms and shower.
A different way to get there and a lovely drive to the south of Lake Orta is through Meina then cutting across, though we got lost a couple of times due to inconsistent road signs, which seem a common feature! A sat nav would be very useful, otherwise through Baveno and bypassing Omegna is fine but there is slow traffic all the way up to the turning for Gravellona Toce.

Mottarone is a mountain in the Western Alps of north-western Italy, with an elevation of 1,492 m. The peak is in the communal territory of Stresa, between the Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore. The source of the Agogna river is located in the mountain. Mottarone area is known for the production of cheese, the most renowned of which is the Toma del Mottarone. The peak of Mottarone can be reached by a cablecar from Carciano, a frazione of Stresa. This has replaced a rack and pinion railroad from Stresa in 1963. It overlooks the city of Verbania on the Lake Maggiore; the Monviso in the Maritime Alps, as well as the Monte Rosa, can be seen in clear sky days. A ski resort with 21 km of downhill skiing slopes is located on Mottarone.

The Giardino Botanico Alpinia (4 hectares) is a botanical garden specializing in alpine plants, located at 800 m altitude above Stresa on Lake Maggiore, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont, Italy. It can be reached via the Lido di Carciano - Alpino - Mottarone cable car, and is open daily in the warmer months. The garden was established in 1934 with the name Duxia on a site with very fine views of the lake and mountains. Today it contains about 1,000 species, focusing mainly on the Alps and foothills, with additional specimens from the Caucasus, China, and Japan.

Baveno is a town and comune in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, part of Piedmont, northern Italy. It is on the west shore of Lago Maggiore, 21 kilometres (13 miles) northwest of Arona by rail. To the north-west are the famous red granite quarries, which have supplied the columns for the Cathedral of Milan (Duomo di Milano), the church of San Paolo fuori le Mura at Rome, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele at Milan and other important buildings. One of the main attractions is a historic reach of villas and castles, built in the 19th century. Baveno was occupied in the pre-Roman Iron Age by the Lepontii, a tribe of the Ligures.

(Paul and Ruth on Baveno) The Baveno adventure park is very good for the climbing and rope harness activities, the pool is quite small though. Signposting there is strangely non existent. Go straight on at the Conad shopping centre roundabout on the other side of Baveno, but after 200m take the ramp up following the Milano signs. Turn left, through a short tunnel, then first right and it's signposted.

Angera (Latin: Angleria) is a town and comune located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. In Roman times, it was an important lake port and road station. Formerly known as Anghiera, Angera received the title of city from Duke Ludovico il Moro in 1497. The town is situated on the eastern shore of Lago Maggiore. The earliest known inhabitants of the area were hunter gatherers who made use of the cave known as the Wolf's Den (Tana del Lupo), at the foot of the cliffs. By the Roman era, Angera (then known as Statio, a place for changing horses) was an important lakeside port on a trading route, but by the fourth century it was in decline, and in 411 was destroyed, along with Milan, by the Visigoths. By the eleventh century, the area had passed into the ownership of the Archbishops of Milan, and the first castle was built on a strategic site above the town. The district came under the rule of the House of Visconti in the thirteenth century, and in 1449, it was sold to the Borromeo family. It received the title of city from Duke Ludovico il Moro in 1497. Later the town was under Spanish rule for two centuries, followed by Austrian rule which lasted until 1861. One of the main buildings in the town is the Rocca Borromeo di Angera (Borromeo Castle), a castle overlooking Lake Maggiore at the top of a 200 metres (660 ft) limestone hill, on the side opposite to the town of Arona. It houses the Museum of Dolls, including a collection of more than a thousand exhibits from the whole of Europe. The castle was founded in the early Middle Ages (before the 10th century) and was later owned by the Della Torre, Visconti (after the Battle of Desio in 1277) and Borromeo families. There are two parish churches, Saint Maria Assunta and Saint Alessandro, and the town also houses an archaeological museum. The Sanctuary of Madonna della Riva is an octagonal building designed by Gerolamo Quadrio. It is built on the site where a fresco of the Madonna, dating from 1443, was seen to sweat blood on 27 June 1657. Peter Martyr d'Anghiera (1457–1526), the historian of Spain, was born in Angera, as was Cristoforo Solari, called il Gobbo (c.1460–1527), sculptor and architect. The Italian footballer Francesco Russo also comes from here.

(Paul and Ruth on Angera) Visiting Angera is a very nice half day out. By boat from Arona takes only 5 minutes and saves driving all the way round the lake. You can walk from the boat terminal to the castle, it's uphill but not too far. Angera also has a nice childrens playground.

The Giardini Botanici Villa Taranto (16 hectares) are botanical gardens located on the western shore of Lake Maggiore in Pallanza, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Italy. They are open daily; an admission fee is charged. The gardens were established 1931-1940 by Scotsman Neil McEacharn who bought an existing villa and its neighboring estates, cut down more than 2000 trees, and undertook substantial changes to the landscape, including the addition of major water features employing 8 km of pipes. He set the name "Villa Taranto" (Taranto House) in honour of his ancestor Étienne Jacques Joseph Alexandre MacDonald, named Duke of Taranto by Napoleon. They opened to the public in 1952, and after McEacharn's death in 1964 have been run by a non-profit organization. The Villa Taranto itself is not open to the public; it is used by the government. Captain Neil Boyd Watson McEacharn was born in 1884 in Hanover Square, London, England. His father was the Scotsman Sir Malcolm Donald McEacharn and his mother Mary Ann Watson, a daughter of Australian mining millionaire John Boyd Watson. He was commissioned into the Kings Own Scottish Borderers of the British Army in 1911 and served throughout the First World War, being appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). Today the gardens contain nearly 20,000 plant varieties, representing more than 3,000 species, set among 7 km of paths. Among its collections are azalea, cornus, greenhouses of Victoria amazonica, and 300 types of dahlias. It also contains a small herbarium and the founder's mausoleum.

(Paul and Ruth on Giardini Botanici Villa Taranto) The Villa Taranto Botanical gardens are really beautiful; you could spend a whole day there if you wanted. Eating there is not particularly good though, and relatively expensive (eg, salads).

Milan (English /mᵻˈlæn/ or US /mᵻˈlɑːn/; Italian: Milano [miˈlaːno]; Lombard, Milanese variant: Milan [miˈlã]), is the capital of the Lombardy region, and the most populous metropolitan area and the second most populous comune in Italy. The population of the city proper is 1.3 million, while its urban area (that stretches beyond the boundaries of its metropolitan province), with a population estimated to be about 5.5 million, is the 5th-largest in the EU. The wider Milan metropolitan area, known as Greater Milan, is a polycentric metropolitan region of 7 to 10 million people. Milan is the main industrial and financial centre of Italy and one of global significance. In terms of GDP, it has the 3rd-largest economy among EU cities after London and Paris, and the largest among European non-capital cities. Milan is considered part of the Blue Banana and lies at the heart of one of the Four Motors for Europe. Milan is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, design, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, services, research, tourism. Its business district hosts Italy's Stock Exchange and the headquarters of the largest national and international banks and companies. The city is a major world fashion and design capital, well known for several international events and fairs, including Milan Fashion Week and the Milan Furniture Fair. The city hosts numerous cultural institutions, academies and universities, with 11% of the national total enrolled students. Milan's museums, theatres and landmarks (including the Milan Cathedral, Sforza Castle and Leonardo da Vinci paintings such as The Last Supper, a UNESCO World Heritage Site) attract over 9 million visitors annually. Milan is the second Italian city with the highest number of accredited stars from the Michelin Guide. The city hosted the Universal Exposition in 1906 and 2015. Milan is home to two of Europe's major football teams, AC Milan and FC Internazionale.

(Paul and Ruth on Milan) Catching the train to Milan is better from Stresa though, as there is wider choice of trains than from Belgirate, and faster. Rather than catching the metro to Il Duomo it's quite easily walkable, going through the main public park on the way, and you obviously see a lot more.