Paradise Gardens in Isola Bella

There is a unique Baroque garden on the tiny Italian island. It is the treasure of Isola Bella, a place where white peacocks walk, and the air is filled with the aromas of oranges and lemons.

The greatest works arise from inspiration or as an expression of a feeling that overwhelms the artist. An example is the figure of Count Carlo III Borromeo, who founded fabulous gardens and built a residence for his beloved Isabella d'Adda. He did it so that she would no longer have to endure the heat and noise of Milan. Beautiful gardens can be admired on Isola Bella, the most wonderful of the Borromean Islands.

Isola Bella used to be barren and rocky in the past, and today it is fully deservedly called the Beautiful Island . In love with his wife, the count created a real paradise here. At his command, tons of land were brought to the island and terraced gardens planted with lemons and oranges were created. White peacocks strolled between the merrily humming fountains and statues - it was beautiful, and there was baroque love in the air.

Three sisters on the lake

Isola Bella, along with its lesser-known sisters, Isola Madre and Isola Pescatori, is located on Lago Maggiore in Lombardy. The Borromeo family has been in their possession for hundreds of years, as well as a large number of other priceless monuments in the region. Today, many of the former seats of the family have turned into tourist attractions available to visitors for a fee. Gardens made of love are one of them, and they are visited by thousands of people each year. In the season, the ships sailing on the lake carry real crowds of people willing to see the rich buildings and the sea of flowers.

If we come to Isola Bella from Verbania, our eyes will first see the magnificent castle standing on the headland. If we choose the course from Stresa, we will be welcomed by a vast green garden, resembling a stepped pyramid. On the highest terrace (37 meters high) there is a statue of Cupid on a unicorn . This animal is also in the coat of arms of the Borromeo family and is one of the favorite symbols of the family.

Proof of love

The gardens were founded by the father, but they had to wait for the sons to continue the work. They had completed the project, interrupted 40 years earlier by the plague epidemic. The northern part waited even longer and took its final shape only in the middle of the 20th century. Today you can admire the four-story palace built with a great sense of taste. Its interiors are decorated in a sophisticated, but not exaggerated taste. Particularly noteworthy is the huge honorary lounge with large windows and stucco. It is also worth seeing the collection of 18th-century puppets.

Only part of the representative rooms and grottoes, i.e. chambers located almost at the level of the lake surface, can be visited. Even in summer, they are pleasantly cool, and the richness of the interior delights onlookers. The walls of the chambers are covered with a mosaic of volcanic tuff, mother of pearl and shells. They are crowned with figurines of Greek deities and Baroque cherubim, there is also a unicorn.

In turn, the gardens attract not only with ten terraces, but also with the wealth of varieties of flowers growing in them. We can find here not only typical Italian species, but also many exotic plants, transferred to the greenhouse in winter. From the highest terrace there is a beautiful view of the garden and the lake, while slightly lower there is an amphitheater with a fountain.

Overnight at the lake

There are a lot of guesthouses and campsites located by the lake waiting for guests. You can spend the night, among others on Camping Village Parisi , located approx. 2 km from the island. For renting a parking space for a motorhome, we will pay from 9 to 14 euros, and for an overnight stay - from 5.5 to 8 euros. The campsite is pet-friendly and costs 3 euros a day for a dog.

The island is not only a palace and gardens. From the side of the marina there is a baroque church, and in its vicinity there are several souvenir shops and cozy eateries. Tame white peacocks stroll fearlessly in search of crumbs. This is a place that lovers of beauty will love.