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If your itinerary includes an Isola Bella Excursion (MTM) reconfirm departure with the boat company.
FACTS AND FREE TIME SUGGESTIONS
The resort is small enough to get around on foot. You do not need to conduct a walking tour although you could orientate the group by showing them the lakefront and how to get to Piazza Cadorna.
Tourist Office – Located at Piazza Marconi (Porto Turistico) (or at Via Cavour – www.stresaturismo.it) . This is where the public ferry services and tourist boats leave from.
Post office and pharmacy – located near Piazza Cadorna. This is the main square, surrounded by streets where the group can shop or visit cafes and gelaterias. Here you will also find ATMs and money exchange places.
Walk along lakefront and admire views of the lake and islands.
Boats to the Borromean Islands. If not included in the program you can either organize an excursion by private launch (boat captains will most likely approach you as soon as you get off the bus at the Pzza Marconi) or tell the participants to use the official Lago Maggiore boats to visit Isola Bella, Isola Madre and/or Isola dei Pescatori.
Monte Mottarone. If you have time you can take a cable car from Piazzale Lido (20 minute walk or short drive from the centre of Stresa) to the top of Monte Mottarone to visit the botanical garden and enjoy views of the lake. This is open during daytime.
San Carlone colossal statue. In the adjacent town of Arona, a short drive from Stresa. Combined entrances to the gardens and the inside of the colossus.
Villa Pallavicino Stately home with zoo, 20 minutes walk in the other direction.
Minigolf there is a café with minigolf garden (floodlit) on the lakefront on the way to Pallavicino: you could visit if your group want a planned activity in the evening.
Summer concerts
In June and July there is likely to be an evening concert either in the main square, in the Palazzo dei Congressi or in the Hotel Regina Palace
ISOLA BELLA (included excursion)
Locate your captain by the bus park at the Porto Turistico (Piazza Marconi) left of the official landing stage. He will take you to the pier of the private launches. Depending on the size of the group you will be in one or two boats. The crossing to Isola Bella takes 10 mins. On arrival at Isola Bella make a
rendezvous with the group and the captain(s) for departure. The ticket office is up the steps in a little square. Get tickets and pick up brochures for group. They visit the Palace and gardens on their own. However, with a little extra to be paid on the spot a guide can also be hired to lead the visit of the palace. There is a tiny village squeezed in between the gardens and the lake (souvenir stands, restaurants, ice cream and an art gallery and shop). Toilets in the gardens and by the church.
If a guided tour is included, meet the guide at the ticket office.
If your boat his hired for more than 2 ½ hours you could continue to the Isola dei Pescatori for a 15 mins. exploration. Check on the voucher and with the boat company.
