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Latest Stresa hotel reviews
Pro
A beautiful little Italian town on a glorious lake
Con
Can really fill up with hordes of tourists
In a nutshell
This was a part of Italy I would like to see more of.
SarahHardy Says: Basically, this is a train and ferry round trip to Locarno (a town at the Swiss end of the lake). You take the train from Stresa to Domodossola then swap to the Centovalli train. The Centovalli train takes you on a scenic journey through the 100 valleys which is absolutely...
edwis Says: We were “touristed" only once. As we approached the docks where the taxi boats leave for the Borremeo Islands, 7 or 8 men in white naval shirts, black trousers and captain hats were lingering. One hustled us into buying tickets from him, saying his boat was leaving for the...
edwis Says: A funivia in nearby Carciano took us up Monte Mottarone via another gondola cable car. The gondola went half-way up the mountain, and then all the passengers transferred onto 2-person chairlifts that gently rocked to the top. Reaching the highest point in the area was...
miniman2804 Says: Hard to beat a combination of a boat trip on the lake in the sunshine, with a mountain backdrop, and arrive on islands containing palaces with stunning gardens. It is not surprising that this is the most popular activity when you stay in Stresa or other towns in this bit of...
miniman2804 Says: The cable car station is at the northern end of Stresa. Take the scary ride to the top of Mottarone. The path down the mountain is well marked. To descend 1200m in 12 km is probably easier than going up, but it still hurt the next day. Unless you are a serious walker, I'd...
Follow in Hemingway’s footsteps
Manara Says: The Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees is the place where Ernest Hemingway used to stay during his many visits to Stresa. More precisely, he always occupied the suite 106. When he signed in the hotel’s Golden Book he described himself as "an old client". In fact, long before he...
Manara Says: In my opinion the presence of the three small islands (the Isole Borromee) is a great addition to the lake view from Stresa. These islands are still the private property of the Borromeo family, but they are open to visitors and the boats of the public service make regular...
Manara Says: The lake front with its promenade and hotels is certainly the most prominent part of Stresa, but there is also an old centre of town that is difinitely worth exploring, with narrow streets and picturesque little houses. Here you will find also shops, little restaurants and...
Have a view from the mountain top
Manara Says: The Mottarone mountain, right at the back of Stresa, is 1491 metres high. The view from its top is outstanding. Not only you can see the Lake Maggiore from there, but also other lakes such as Orta and Monate. I went there by car (about 25 km from the town) but there is also...
4 Reviews and 217 Opinions We stayed at the Bristol in Stresa for 8 nights and hated to leave. The hotel is very clean, great...
Hotel Residence La Luna Nel Porto
1 Review and 128 Opinions This is a "hotel residence" overlooking Lake Maggiore. It is at the southern end of the town, but...
L'idrovolante: Best value in Stresa
miniman2804 Says: Sound, unpretentious cafe/restaurant. Cheapest coffee we found. Competent lunch at a reasonable price with decent service. Filet of trota which purported to come from the lake - grilled and sprinkled in coriander - delicious!
Loco Beach Club Stresa: Incredible view and tasty food!
Ales77 Says: The Loco Beach Club in Stresa is a restaurant with terraces in front of the Lake...from where you have a full and beautiful view of the Isole Borromee.There is a beach with a small patio where is also possible to have dinner...very romantic and cosy!The interior are very...
Café L'Idrovolante: Restaurant with a view
Manara Says: There are many restaurants, cafes and pizzeria in Stresa, but if you want one with a great view of the lake and of the Borromeo islands, it is hard to find a better choice than L'Idrovolante.It has a nice terrasse on the lake front, but even if you sit inside you are likely...
Manara Says: Direct buses from Malpensa airport (Terminal 1) to Stresa are operated by a private company: SAF. Its website provides timetable and all details.The buses are comfortable and a very efficient way to get to destination, but even if they operate on a schedule it is necessary...
miniman2804 Says: The Alibus, on this website and others - offers a good service from Malpensa to Stresa. There are, however, only a few buses per day, which would have required us to hang around Malpensa for 3 hours going and coming back - or arrive 20 mins before the easyjet check in...
Acqua di Stresa: The scents of the lakeside gardens
Manara Says: Acqua di Stresa (Stresa water) is the name of the perfumery shop, but also of a line of perfumes sold here. Contrary to what it my seem, this is not an old traditional product. In fact it all started in 2002 with a scent based on osmanthus flower. Afterwards it was followed...
Enoteca La Cambusa: Wines and much more
Manara Says: This is supposed to be a wine shop, and in fact you will find a wide choice of wines and spirits there, but even from outside you will realise it has much more to offer. In fact you can find there spices, herbs, balsamic vinegars and foods. By the way, the owners are fluent...
Manara Says: The origins of Stresa are very old. For many centuries it was just a fishermen's village, but at Napoleon's time there were already several villas in this area, all belonging to aristocrats.More villas were built in the second half of the 19th century, by tycoons of the...
Manara Says: Italian laws state that civil weddings can be celebrated only in the town hall, or another building chosen by the municipality specifically for the celebration of weddings. In Stresa, the Town Hall is not a very interesting or romantinc building, as you can see from the...
Manara Says: One of the fascinating things about this lake is its climate, which is very mild for an area that is at the foot of the Alps. Due to this fact, it is possible to enjoy the view of the Alps with their snow caps while basking in the sun amid palm trees.
ealgisi Says: The most common European emergency number 112 (following Directive 2002/22/EC: Universal Service Directive) and also standard on GSM mobile phones. 112 is used in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,...
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Plan a Stresa vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Stresa locals
The garden is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, serves as a backdrop to Borromeo palace dating back to 1590. It is considered to be one of the oldest...
4 members live in Stresa
Q: The best way to travel from The hotel Galileo Milan to Stresa
A: Train. See www.trenitalia.it. Be aware that schedules several months in the future might not be online yet, so to get an idea of the schedule look up times for sometime...
Read 3 Replies
2
I wasn't impressed by Stresa, except for the magnifcent villas which can be seen all around, especially up on the hills. Stresa is also known as the "pearl of the Lake" but to me, just to mentioned,...
3
There is something old-style in holidays by a lake. It reminds of novels by Edth Wharton and Henry James. It is especially true in this town, with its palatial hotels from the late 19th century or the...
4
A week spent in a place that gave beautiful lakes, mist-shrouded mountains and luscious gardens. A place of quiet contemplation and great beauty.
5
Lake Maggiore , The Beauty Of The Italian Lakes
Our late afternoon arrival to Stresa was very wet and overcast, the dark rain clouds over the lake looked as though they would remain for some time. A little downcast we checked into our hotel and...
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