Stresa Off The Beaten Path

When we walked from the train station to the lakeside, we came across a small church hidden at a little street. Apparently it is not used as a church anymore, but was converted to a family home. I was quite astounded because I had never seen this before - I have often seen churches converted into restaurants, bars or museums, but never into homes!
I thought that the church looked very pretty in the sunshine, it was very well cared for. I think for children it must be fun to live there!

Address: Via del Crocifisso
Directions: On the way from the train station to the lakeside, after you have walked down the stairs

2 more images

There are several statues and memorials along the lakefront, but this one caught my interest because it includes a horse. I am always interested in memorials including animals, so I had a closer look and discovered that it is dedicated to the Alpini, the mountain soldiers. Unfortunately I cannot find out more because I don't understand much Italian, but it seems that there was (and maybe is?) a unit of Alpini stationed in the area of Stresa.

I liked the memorial a lot, it moved me very much. The man and the horse (or it might be a mule?) look so weary!

Directions: On the western side of the lakefront

This is the picture I took zooming it from the terrace of an cafe-bar on Isola dei Pescatori. There is a fine, probably 19th century, villa situated on the hill right opposite to the island. Many such a attractive villas can be seen al over the area of Lago Maggiore.

While I was sitting on the promenade, just enjoying being where I was and basking in all the Italian-ness of it all, I watched a giantic moving effort. A crew was attempting to load this palm tree onto a barge to drag over to one of the Borremeo Islands. In true Italian fashion, it required the "consultation" and "advice" of many of the locals.

On the main promenade (I think it is near the Grand Hotel of A Farewell to Arms fame) there is a plaque in memory of the victims of 9/11.