Lake Maggiore is about 1.5 hours’ drive from Turin, close enough for a day trip, and we did it in early January 2019, on the last full day of a Christmas holiday at my sister’s in Turin. The plan had been dog sledding in the mountains with the whole family. That fell through, so my sister and her husband offered to take my husband and me to the lake instead, and the grandparents kept all three kids at home. So this was a trip for four adults, in winter.
I’ll tell you exactly how our day went, what was closed, and what it costs in 2026. I’ve also added a section on doing it with children, because if you’re reading a family blog, that’s probably your plan.
Quick answers
- Turin to Lake Maggiore: about 150 km, 1.5 hours by car to Stresa. By train it’s 1.5–2.5 hours with at least one change.
- Best base: Stresa, where boats leave for the Borromean Islands.
- Which islands in one day: Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Bella. That’s what the boat kiosk told us, and they were right.
- Boats: the official two-island return ticket is €11 for adults and €5.50 for children aged 4–12, and under-4s go free (2026, from late March to early October).
- In winter: Isola Bella’s palace and gardens are closed. The 2026 season runs from 12 March to 8 November.
How to get from Turin to Lake Maggiore
By car (what we did): about 150 km and 1.5 hours to Stresa. We left Turin early and were in Stresa by 8:00, an hour and a half before the first boat.
By train: there’s no direct train. You change at least once (usually in Novara or Milan). When we checked in 2019 it looked like 3 hours. Today the fastest connections take about 1.5 hours and most take around 2, with advance fares from about €8. With kids, the car is still easier: no change, and you control the timing.
Parking in Stresa
The most convenient car park is Piazza Marconi, on the lakefront by the boat piers: €1.80 an hour or €14 a day, paid daily from 1 March to 31 October (9:30–22:00). In winter it’s free on weekdays and paid at weekends and on holidays, and Porto Nuovo and Via Giacomo Borromeo are free all winter (2026 rules, from Stresa’s local guide).
Our day: Stresa and two islands in January
8:00 – Coffee in Stresa
Stresa is the posh town on the lake, and you feel it in the prices: coffee and a croissant came to more than €5 each. The first boat to the islands left at 9:30, so we walked the promenade and went from bar to bar until we found one with a view of the bay for our coffee. In the photos you can’t see it properly. In person it was spectacular.
9:30 – The boat to the Borromean Islands
There are three Borromean Islands off Stresa: Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre. At the kiosk, the person at the ticket kiosk told us what each one had, and advised us to do only two, Pescatori and Bella, in a day. We took his advice. Our ticket was a hop-on hop-off boat from Stresa, so we could stay on each island as long as we wanted. Honestly, the best part of the day was the boat itself: from the water you see all the islands and Stresa together.
Isola dei Pescatori (1.5 hours)
The fishermen’s island has no palace and no gardens, just one narrow village of houses built close together, with their doors facing inward. We were the first visitors of the day. Most houses and shops were closed, and walking its lanes with nobody else around felt almost private. In summer it must be a completely different place. An hour and a half was enough to see all of it.
Isola Bella (and why winter isn’t its season)
Isola Bella is the famous one, for its palace and terraced baroque gardens, which I’d seen online for years. Both were closed: it was winter. Without them there isn’t much to do on Isola Bella: we walked around it in a few minutes and waited for the boat back. If the palace and gardens are your reason to go, go between mid-March and early November.
Both islands are spectacular, and with a very Italian style in terms of houses, and the way people live. But, the best time I think we enjoyed while we stayed in the boat. From the water, open the magnificent views to all the Borromean islands, and to the city of Stresa.
Lunch in Stresa, and hot chocolate on the way home
Back in Stresa we had pizza, which after a cold morning on the water was the best food in the world. On the way back to Turin, my sister took us for coffee and hot chocolate at a cosy place outside the city. It was the perfect end to the day.
Lake Maggiore in winter: what’s closed
- Isola Bella’s palace and gardens: 2026 season from 12 March to 8 November.
- Villa Taranto and Villa Pallavicino: closed in winter on our visit. They open in the warmer months, so check their sites for dates.
- The official island tours (Navigazione Lago Maggiore) run from late March to early October. In January we used a private hop-on hop-off boat from Stresa’s waterfront. Ask for the price and the last return time before you board.
- The islands themselves: many shops and restaurants close, which is lovely if you want quiet, and not if you want lunch on Isola Bella.
Borromean Islands from Stresa: 2026 prices
| Ticket (Navigazione Lago Maggiore, 2026) | Adult | Child 4–12 |
|---|---|---|
| Two islands: Stresa – Isola dei Pescatori – Isola Bella and back | €11.00 | €5.50 |
| Three islands: adds Isola Madre | €19.50 | €9.80 (4–11) |
| Landing tax, per island (over 6) | €0.50 | €0.50 |
| Isola Bella palace + garden | €27 | €18 (6–15) |
Children under 4 travel free on the boats, and under-6s go free into Isola Bella. The tours run from 29 March to 4 October 2026, and tickets are sold at the Stresa pier.
Lake Maggiore day trip from Turin with kids: how I’d plan it
We didn’t take the kids that day, but this is how I’d do it with them:
- Go between April and early October, when the boats run as tours and Isola Bella’s gardens are open. In winter, Isola Bella alone won’t hold small kids’ attention.
- Two islands is the limit with under-8s. Isola dei Pescatori is flat, car-free and safe to walk with a toddler. Isola Bella’s gardens are the “wow” part for older kids.
- Budget it. Two adults and kids aged 8 and 5, with the two-island boat ticket and Isola Bella’s palace and gardens, comes to about €108 (€33 boats, €3 landing tax, €72 entry), before lunch and parking.
- Eat in Stresa. Restaurants on the islands are more expensive, and with kids the crossing is half the fun anyway.
- Bring layers. It’s colder on the water than on the promenade, even in spring.
- Stay a night if your kids are small. Two hours of driving plus a morning on the boats is a long day for a 3-year-old.
Staying the night on Lake Maggiore? Our top 3 in Stresa
Cavour 30Tre – Hotel Moderno – in the pedestrian centre, a short walk from the boat pier.
Hotel La Palma – on the lakefront road, with views towards the islands.
Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées – Stresa’s historic five-star on the lake, with a spa and gardens.
We did Stresa as a day trip, so we haven’t stayed in these. I picked them on location, from my years working with hotels.
More day trips from Turin
For snow, take the direct train to Bardonecchia. For a city day, Milan is about an hour by fast train. Everything we’ve done in the city itself is in Turin with kids: 15 things to do, and the winter version is in Turin at Christmas & New Year.
Lake Maggiore from Turin: FAQ
How far is Lake Maggiore from Turin?
Stresa, on Lake Maggiore, is about 150 km from Turin, around 1.5 hours by car. By train it takes about 1.5–2.5 hours with at least one change, usually in Novara or Milan.
Can you do Lake Maggiore as a day trip from Turin?
Yes. We left Turin early, were in Stresa by 8:00, visited Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Bella by boat, had lunch in Stresa and drove back to Turin the same day.
Which Borromean Islands should you visit in one day?
Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Bella. They’re the closest to Stresa, and the two-island return ticket costs €11 for adults and €5.50 for children aged 4–12 (2026).
Is Isola Bella open in winter?
No. Isola Bella’s palace and gardens close for the winter. In 2026 they’re open from 12 March to 8 November. You can still land on the island, but there’s little else to see when they’re closed.
Is Lake Maggiore good for kids?
Yes, especially between April and October. The boat rides are a highlight in themselves, Isola dei Pescatori is car-free and easy with a toddler, and children under 4 ride the boats free.
