Lake Maggiore Garden Guide

Lake Maggiore is one of the essential garden destinations of northern Italy. Shared by Italy and Switzerland, it has a distinctive atmosphere: wide water, mountain views, islands, historic villas and a mild climate that has long encouraged botanical experimentation.

For garden travellers, Lake Maggiore is especially important because it combines two different garden experiences. First, there are the island gardens of the Borromean Islands, where garden theatre, architecture and water come together in spectacular fashion. Secondly, there are botanical collections such as Villa Taranto and the Brissago Islands, where plants from around the world have been cultivated in sheltered lakeside settings.

The lake’s gardens are shaped by climate. The water moderates temperature, while the surrounding mountains create shelter. This makes it possible to grow plants from the Mediterranean, Asia, the Americas, Australasia and subtropical regions. Camellias, magnolias, palms, hydrangeas, azaleas, rhododendrons and rare trees all form part of the lake’s garden character.

Why Lake Maggiore matters for garden travellers

Lake Maggiore is a meeting place of Italian garden history and botanical collecting. The Borromean Islands show the power of aristocratic garden-making: terraces, statues, grottoes and formal planting designed for display. Villa Taranto and the Brissago Islands show the later passion for plant collecting and botanical richness.

This combination makes Lake Maggiore one of the most rewarding garden regions in Europe. It is beautiful, but also deeply instructive: a place where garden design, plant collecting and geography come together.

What to look for

• island gardens reached by boat
• terraced Baroque garden design
• subtropical and exotic plant collections
• camellias, magnolias, azaleas and rhododendrons in spring
• lakeside microclimates
• views across the water to the surrounding mountains
• the contrast between formal garden theatre and botanical collection

Key gardens

Important garden visits around Lake Maggiore include Villa Taranto; the Borromean Islands — Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori; and the Brissago Islands in the Swiss part of the lake.

Visiting Lake Maggiore with GardenTours.com

A GardenTours.com Italian Lakes tour usually places Lake Maggiore alongside Lake Como. Lake Maggiore gives the journey its island gardens and major botanical collections, while Lake Como brings the great lakeside villa gardens. Together they form one of the finest garden itineraries in Italy.