Borromean Islands (Isola Bella)

From Stresa there is a very attractive boat trip to the Borromean Islands. The boat calls first at Isola Bella which owes its present appearance to Count Vitaliano Borromeo, who between 1650 and 1671 transformed what had been a barren rock, with a parish church and a few houses, by building up terraces of fertile soil and creating a splendid summer residence. The palace, left unfinished, contains magnificent state apartments, numerous pictures (including some good Lombard works of the 16th and 17th centuries) and a gallery of 17th century Flemish tapestries. The Italian-style garden (beautiful views), rises in ten terraces to a height of 32m/106ft and is covered with luxuriant southern vegetation - lemon and orange trees, cherry-laurels, cedars, magnolias, cork-oaks, sago-palms, carob-trees, camellias, oleanders, etc.