It was a feat of engineering that put the Italian lakes on the tourist map.
The Simplon tunnel, 12½ miles long, and eight years in the digging, opened
in 1905, negating the need for hardy travellers to negotiate the high (and
often closed) pass of the same name. With this new rail link from
Switzerland to Italy came an influx of new visitors, and virtually their
first heart-stopping experience of the country would have been the
magnificent Lake Maggiore.
One such traveller, Hilaire Belloc, thought Maggiore so beautiful it must be
the work of the devil. I prefer to think that after God had practised
elsewhere, he finally got the confluence of soaring pavlova-like peaks and
cool, still bodies of water just right. And for once man didn’t spoil it —
the white, ochre and terracotta villas that line the lake add to, rather
than detract from, the vista.
Then there is the microclimate. Now, I know “microclimate” is one of those
phrases the traveller should treat with suspicion, but one of the glories of
the lakes is (and, trust me, I never thought I would hear myself utter these
words) the gardens, and these could only flourish if the weather was
something other than Alpine.
On Maggiore, the best example is probably the over-the-top mansions and
grounds of the Borromean islands (named after the family that have had the
fishing rights on the lakes since medieval times), especially Isola Bella,
with its cascading terraces and grottoes and palace containing priceless
art. On Isola Madre the same family created a luxuriant riot of cypresses
and camelias and 2,000 species of rare plants. Every lake has such an
example.
If gardens don’t mulch your roots, Maggiore also offers easy access to some of
Europe’s grandest mountain scenery. You can catch a switchback narrow gauge
railway into Switzerland (from Domodossola), have lunch on the waterfront at
Locarno, and take a slow boat back south to Italy. Or there are the more
rugged pleasures of hiking the high meadows of the Val Grande — a national
park that is one of the few wild areas left in the country.
Heading east, you might now be ready for the pleasures of wishbone-shaped
Como, a lake even more beautiful than Maggiore, with famously romantic (and
expensive) hotels/villas such as Villa d’Este and Serbollini, more gardens,
interesting towns, and the odd surprise. For instance, the Moto Guzzi
factory is on the western shores of the lake at Mandello del Lario. Whereas
we built our motorbikes in the black country, the Italians have a factory
with one of the best views in Europe.
(Petrolheads can get tours most days from 3pm-4pm.) South of Bellagio is a
church called Madonna del Ghisallo, dedicated to champion cyclists. There
are even bikes of the great and the good hanging on the wall of the chapel.
Nearby is a statue of Fausto Coppi, the so-called king of the mountain, who
won many post-war championships. Aptly enough, his likeness has a regal view
over the Alps.
Como offers an excellent demonstration of the other joy of the lakes — their
pace — or lack of it. The roads that surround it are narrow, twisting and,
at weekends, a little too crowded. Which means the sensible way to get
around is by steamer.
The result is that your vacation speed, so often set to 11 on a scale of 10,
is forced to match the timetable of the boats. It is a programme of forced
relaxation that really works.
Lake Garda, the largest of the lakes, is also the most varied and
cosmopolitan. It might lack the grandeur of the others, but it has water
sports galore, a surprisingly good theme park (Gardaland, well signposted on
the southern shore) and is within easy striking distance of Verona, for
opera in the ancient arena. There are even bars that stay open after 11 at
Desenzano, which is the nearest to a party town you are going to find up
here. There is one sight you shouldn’t miss: Sirmione, a dramatic medieval
castle and church jutting out on a peninsula into the south of the lake. Go
late in the day, after the crowds have gone, and you’ll see why they flock
there in the first place.
Of course Garda has gardens — it too has a microclimate — and the area is
famous for its lemons (hence the town Limone sul Garda). However, it is also
surrounded by decent wine-growing regions. Try some fresh lake fish,
preferably on the terrace of the Villa Feltrinelli at Gargano, with a bottle
of Lugana Doc, or a glass of the hotel’s home-made limoncella and watch the
waves lap at the shore, while the boats run between the towns, against the
dramatic backdrop of the mountains tumbling down to the water. You might
just decide that, if Belloc was right and the lakes are the work of the
devil, not only has he got all the best tunes, he’s got the best views as
well.
Getting there: British Airways (0870 850 9850, www.ba.com)
flies from Edinburgh to Milan Malpensa, the best airport for Maggiore, from
£150. There are connecting flights through Heathrow to both Malpensa and
Linate (for Como) from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. For the east side of
Como and Garda, Ryanair (0871 246 0000, www.ryanair.com) flies to Milan
Bergamo from Glasgow-Prestwick from £50.
Where to stay: On Maggiore, the family-run Hotel Cannero (00
39 0323 78 80 46, www.hotelcannero.com) in Cannero Riviera is one of my
favourites, with doubles from £50pp including breakfast. In Bellagio, Como,
the super-luxe Villa Feltrinelli (00 39 0365 79 80 00,
www.villafeltrinelli.com) costs from £450 a night, including breakfast, wine
and drinks in your room, midnight snacks and personal laundry. For Desenzano
on Garda, try the Tripoli (00 39 0309 14 13 05,
www.gardalake.it/hotel-tripoli) from £35pp, including breakfast.
