Capitol Lifestyle Villas presents Lake Maggiore

Lake Maggiore is situated on the shores of Lombardy, Piemonte and The Canton of Ticono in Switzerland! The Lake also encompasses a vast territory of interest including the amazingly beautiful Borromean Islands and several additional wonderful lakes.

Convenienonly located only 1 hour drive from Milan, the fashion capitol of the world, with international airports, Orient Express and fast trains and 1 hour from Lake Como.

The first thing that global travelers will notice is that driving is chilled and easy. The temperatures peak in Summer into the 30’s but they’re comfortable, without the humidity seen further South in Italy. With the mild Mediterranean climate, Autumns and Winters are ideal for all-year round visits. The location is really a magical place and every season is packed with something special!

Cerro: A little hamlet with a lot of charisma!

Cerro sits on the lake, a ‘timeless’ little hamlet with a pebble beach, a small pier and a beautiful lake-front promenade. It has a calm atmosphere complete with a wealth of wildlife including swans, ducks, coots, goosanders and herons. Cerro has a local bar / pizzeria nestled at the foot of the lake front suitable for Italian breakfast, light lunches and of course delicious pizza. The hamlet also comprises a church, an ice-cream parlor, a little grocery store, a clothes shop (admittedly selling fashion from the 1960’s), a sailing club, a newsagents and a second bar offering breakfast, lunch and fantastic aperitifs. For those interested in ceramics a visit to the International Museum of Ceramic Design located in the center of Cerro is a must-see. This dedicated historical museum hosts thousands of ceramics, including some of international fame, is well worth seeing.

Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso.

The Santa Caterina Monastery is truly enchanting, offering scenic walks, trails and a restaurant. Situated only a 5-minute car journey from Cerro, combining your visit to Cerro with a visit to the monastery makes for a worthwhile day trip on Lake Maggiore! An ideal destination wedding setting and Capitol Lifestyle Villas offers a full Weddings and Events planning service complete with luxury accomodation and transportation.

Ispra Lungolago

This relatively unknown little town with its peaceful ‘lungolago’ lakeside walk, little piers and tiny harbors, is quite lovely. There is a bicycle hire shop in the town center and they often organize themed bike tours accompanied by an aperitivo!

The path of Fornaci in Ispra is a carefully signposted circular route approximately 5 km long, with steep slopes and passages almost flush with the water, offering beautiful views of the woods and lake. The path named the ‘Ring of the Furnaces’ is dotted with well-preserved examples of historic furnaces once used in the lime industry. Incidentally, as lime was widely used in the creation of ceramics, a visit to The International Museum of Ceramic Design in Cerro will nicely link the history of the industry to the two localities.

Enoteca Forni is a fabulous wine and spirits store located in the center of Ispra town. The owner is a wine connoisseur and really knows his stuff! This really is so much more than an ordinary wine shop. The Enoteca has regular wine tasting events generally held on Sundays. Check out the notices for events which are advertised on the door.

Ispra also has some truly excellent bakeries and cafés offering pastries and treats. Two worthy of a mention are the Cafè San Martino which is a few steps from the Enoteca or Pasticceria Dona’ Prod. Artigianale, a short 4 minute walk away.

Check out CLV Villa Serenity situated in Cardana, a stone’s throw away from the sights mentioned above. It is a true gem nestled hidden within amazing gardens, offering breath taking views amidst private settings, hosting a fabulous swimming pool, a tennis court, a large play-park for children all off ages and plenty of space for wellness & personal time. This villa is available for bespoke weddings and can host up to 100 people externally.

Or for family vacations visit Villa Rossa in Cerro a luxury  villa hosting spectacular views and it-s ideal for Autumn & Winter holidays with its fabulous focal fireplace lounge.

These are two of our luxury villas perfect for exploring the amazing sights and wonders around Lake Maggiore.

Caldè Castelveccana

Driving towards the town of Luino via the scenic coastal route you’ll pass beautiful towns and hamlets such as Caldè Castelveccana (from the direction of  Laveno Mombello). Look out for The Rocca di Caldè (Caldè fort) which remains the symbol of Castelveccana’s homonymous hamlet.  It is a short 15 minute walk to arrive at the summit and it’s a walk that is suitable for all ages. Access is from the hamlet of Caldè. Starting at San Pietro, simply follow the marked trail. The 13th-century Church of Santa Veronica is the first sight you pass from where you will enjoy charming views over the hamlets of Castello and Caldè are superb. The little church also has some recently restored, valuable frescoes.

When in Castelveccana, also look out for the Sunset bar – it’s a popular restaurant/bar nestled on the pretty lake-front. It is almost ‘always’ open offering a great variety of food and drinks.

And after refreshments, be sure to head to visit the Cascate Della Froda, a series of wonderful waterfalls. The entrance to the waterfalls are not so easy to find but the coordinates: 45.9432230, 8.6869763 will take you directly there!

Hiking trails around Lake Maggiore are plentiful. Some favourites include the Carmine Superiore Loop from Via Oddone Clerici, an easy hike of around 4 miles, the Ristoro – Monte della Colonna Loop from Porto Valtravaglia which is around 6.3 miles and, last but not least, a shorter but more difficult hike – the Oggiogno – Alpe Ronno Loop from Alpe Ronno which is only a couple of miles but takes around one and a half hours.

Portovaltravaglia

A few minutes’ drive continuing around the lakeside road and you’ll come to the sweet lively town of Portovaltravaglia. It offers a very pretty lakeside promenade, a small pebble beach and some really delicious bars and restaurants. It’s wonderful to see the old public washhouses still with their original features intact in the hamlet. There’s no lack of churches, sanctuaries, scared places and paths to explore here, a few of which include the Baptistery of San Giovanni in the Church of San Michele al Monte and the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in the Church of Santo Stefano.

There’s also a really good range of bars and restaurants here. A special mention goes to The Pasticceria Dei Portici, situated on the left as you enter the town travelling from the direction of Caldè. The pastries and desserts are scrumptious and don’t forget to try a caffe affogato (Italian for ‘drowned coffee’) which consists of a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped or ‘drowned’ with a shot of hot espresso – deliciously refreshing on a hot summer day!

There’s also a fantastic biking trail here in the mountains of Pian Nave – Mesenzana.  On request CLV can arrange a week-long biking adventure around the many secret paths of the lakes ideal for Private & Corporate clients. info@capitol-lifestylevillas.com

Do note that it is one of the most demanding routes taking you through the shaded woods of Valcuvia and Valtravaglia, but it will reward you with the most incredible and breathtaking panoramic views over Lake Maggiore, the Alps and the alpine foothills, including the Monte Rosa mountain range, Mount Campo dei Fiori, and Monte Generoso. The route starts from Mesenzana, going up to the top of Pian Nave and then down to Pian di Cuvinic and on to San Michele, a very nice village with a great panorama. From there, you take the path for Fondista and it’s downhill back to Mesenzana. The duration is around 3 hours with a total distance of approximately 32 km.

CLV offers plenty of amazing and super liberty style properties situated in the middle of the town. Or for those seeking even more prestigious we have a very historic villa available in Laveno Mombello hidden within well seculed gardens. For information drop us an email at- info@capitol-lifestylevillas.com

Laveno Mombello

Laveno Mombello rests on the Eastern shores of Lake Maggiore and offers an excellent marina with foot and car ferry service connecting to Intra on the Piedmont shore. Ferries are punctual, running daily every 20 minutes.

Mount Sasso del Ferro rises above the town. Its unique position made it a strategic point historically for all the armies who came through the region, from the Romans to the Houses of Visconti, Sforza and Borromeo through to Garibaldi and the Austrians! Nowadays, it can be reached by cable car and is one of the most popular scenic viewpoints on Lake Maggiore, not only for tourists but also for hang-gliding and paragliding enthusiasts.

The town offers tourists a remarkable lakeside promenade with portico buildings and pedestrian precincts. The old town centre is home to beautiful Villa De Angeli Frua, whose renowned botanical garden is also worth visiting. However, the highlight in Laveno has to be the bucket ride to Monte Sasso del Ferro. From the top, its cool summer breeze or mild winter temperatures make it the ideal destination for sightseeing and memorable relaxing meals whilst gazing at the wonderful panorama. These bucket rides rise gently up the mountainside with a system of comfortable (but not always relaxing!) open and closed two-seater gondola lifts, giving a moment to admire, in the peaceful silence  amidst nature, the grandiose and enchanting panorama of Lake Maggiore, the Alps, the Lombard lakes and the Po valley. The ride takes about 10 minutes. The bar and restaurant at the top are perfect for relaxing drinks, lunches and dinners. Dishes are varied and the menu features local specialities.

Thanks to the comfortable funicular railway bringing access to the summit of Sasso del Ferro, Laveno’s heavens are also the perfect take-off point for paragliding and hang-gliding enthusiasts. The skies are always speckled with multi-colour sails. More details can be found at the Parapendio Club Laveno or The Delta Club Laveno. On request CLV can arrange your vacation itinerary and transform your vacation into an amazing Italian experience! info@capitol-lifestylevillas.com

The Ferrovie Nord railway, sitting conveniently a few metres from the lakeside and very close to the town centre, connects Laveno Mombello with Varese and Milan. The Ferrovie dello Stato national railway connects to Switzerland. Neither train stations have cashiers, although there is an automatic ticket machine in both. Tickets can be purchased in advance online.

Annual events in the town include the Fiera Labiena, a street market offering crafts, gastronomic and artistic products, which is held every second Sunday of the month (with the exception of January and February).

Laveno is also very proud of its illuminated Presepe Sommerso (an underwater nativity crèche) which can be admired from early December until the end of the Christmas season and is positioned in the lake in front of the heart of Laveno.

As well as the many things to do and see in Laveno, there’s the added bonus of being able to enjoy the town’s plentiful supply of amazing ice-cream parlours, bars and restaurants. Then end the perfect day by watching the golden glow as the sun dips slowly over the Piemonte mountains –  a truly harmonious experience!

Just a few minutes’ drive from Laveno. We offer an amazing secret villa for those looking for extra privacy and luxury and several other villas all within close proximity!

CLV extends a warm welcome and introduces a number of amazing properties around the stunning waters of Lake Maggiore.

Capitol Lifestyle Villas News & Press.

Annette has lived in Italy for 25 years and is now settled in Lake Maggiore she believes its an untapped jewel, and a pinnacle location for easy travel to Milan & Switzerland. Inspired by Lake Maggiore and the wealth of activities and wonders around the area.

CLV welcome you into a new and unmeasurable journey of magical villas, castles, venues, botanical gardens and lifestyle services. We believe in Luxury Mindful Vacations, Tailored Destination Weddings & Events. With our personalised services you can find a new way to live your dream!