The largest town on the shores of Lake Maggiore, Verbania is strung out along the waterfront and looks across the Borromean Gulf toward glamorous Stresa. The setting is impressive with panoramic views of the Borromean Islands and mountains beyond, and the grand villas lining the shore.
In the old town, streets wind around stone houses and a cluster of small restaurants, bars and shops. Verbania is also home to one of Europe's finest botanical gardens at Villa Taranto, known for its extensive collection of rhododendrons and azaleas.
Hiking trails and bicycle paths offer the chance to explore the lake and its surroundings independently.
Verbania is divided into three sections, the most interesting of which is central Verbania Pallanza. It has an old-world core of winding streets and pastel-painted houses, and a waterfront lined by elegant villas. One of the finest of these is Villa Taranto, a grand Normandy-style mansion now the seat of the provincial prefecture.
Scottish captain Neil McEacharn bought the villa in 1931. Over the next 30 years, he imported more than 20,000 plant species from all over the world and lovingly cultivated his dream garden. The elaborate scheme encompasses grand boulevards, terraced water features, and a winter garden, bog garden and dahlia maze. Many of the rare species aren’t found anywhere else in Europe.
You can reach the gardens (the villa isn’t open to the public) on the extensive jogging and cycling path that lines Verbania's waterfront. This traffic-free route offers panoramic views of the lake and lends itself to an evening stroll along the shoreline. When you get to the little port, you can see the nearby islet, Isolino San Giovanni, which was home to the conductor Arturo Toscanini for 25 years.
You can see a sculpture of Toscanini in the Museo del Paesaggio, which is set in a 17th-century palazzo in the heart of town. The museum includes works by sculptor Paolo Troubetzkoy, world-renowned in his heyday, including busts of Tolstoy and George Bernard Shaw. Along with the sculpture galleries, there are many paintings of the region from the 16th and 17th centuries, while further sculptures by Troubetzkoy are displayed on the lakeside.
Another attraction worth seeking out is Villa Giulia with its bright-yellow façade and colonnaded balconies overlooking the waterfront. The villa was built by Bernardino Branca, inventor of Italian liqueur Fernet. It hosts regular exhibitions and has a restaurant and bar with waterfront seating.
You can visit Stresa for the day or lunch on fish from the lake on Isola dei Pescatori (Fishermen's Island). If you prefer to walk, many hiking trails lead up into the hills that surround the town.
who's been there
-
617-223-4521617-223-4395
- Make an inquiry
Places near Verbania
- Stresa less than 5 miles away
- Lake Maggiore 9 miles away
- Como 27 miles away
- Blevio 28 miles away
- Torno 28 miles away
- Laglio 29 miles away
- Tremezzo 31 miles away
- Lezzeno 31 miles away
- Bellagio 35 miles away
- Lake Como 36 miles away
- Milan 45 miles away
- Turin 73 miles away
- Piedmont 75 miles away
- Barbaresco 87 miles away
- Alba 89 miles away
- Barolo 96 miles away
- Gardone Riviera 100 miles away
- Lake Garda 103 miles away
- Sirmione 105 miles away
- Genoa 108 miles away
- Madonna di Campiglio 111 miles away
- Parma 117 miles away
- Portofino and Santa Margherita 117 miles away
- Verona 123 miles away
- Cinque Terre 138 miles away
- Porto Venere 145 miles away
- Modena 146 miles away
- Forte dei Marmi 158 miles away
- Dolomites 161 miles away
- Alta Badia 167 miles away
- Bologna 169 miles away
- Pisa 178 miles away
- Venice 186 miles away
- Florence 200 miles away
- Ravenna 207 miles away
- San Gimignano 210 miles away
- Siena 227 miles away
- Perugia 272 miles away
- Assisi 282 miles away
- Umbria 284 miles away
- Orvieto 284 miles away