Lake Maggiore and Lake D'Orta lakelands

As a child, my family and I drove from Hamburg to Italy twice, with Lago Maggiore being our first stop after driving non-stop for 12 hours. The stunning scenery on the western side of the lake, near the Swiss border, left a lasting impression on me; not much else of those Italy trips did.

It took decades for me to return. Finally, some 40 years later, I stayed for a night in Dormelletto on the Southern shore. The next day I visited Arona, Stresa, and the Isola Bella, before heading to Basel by train. In comparison to my childhood memories, the lake felt more developed, with hotels, vacation homes, and campgrounds lining its shoreline. And heavy traffic running on the one road that runs along the western shore. It's not a pleasure to go walking as there is no trail or sidewalk running along the shoreline or the road.

The most notable structures around Lago Maggiore include the Isolas Borromeas, particularly the Isola Bella with its palace and garden (make sure to check out the basement), the city of Stresa and the Rocca di Angera castle on the Eastern shore. The boats to the islands go from Stresa and there are several providers. In Switzerland, Locarno/Ascona are also pretty. If my memory serves me well, as kid we felt the eastern shore was better as it had longer sun in the evening.

On a previous trip, I also had the chance to visit Lago d'Orta, and in …

Interesting to visit but do not offer that universal value. Otherwise Lake Garda and all lakes could be included in the list.