VERBANIA

Verbania, now the provincial town of Piedmont's part of Lake Maggiore, was established in 1939 by combining several small villages and thus became the largest city with about 35,000 inhabitants. The districts Pallanza and Intra are separated from another by the extensive gardens of Villa Taranto. Pallanza with its chic villas and hotels has retained its cosmopolitan air of past times while Intra is the vibrant centre of commerce and business. In the hills above Verbania are picturesque mountain villages and settlements with fantastic views over the lake. This makes this area one of the most popular and most beautiful residential areas on Lake Maggiore. The acid soil is great for growing azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons and in April and May the area is a sea of flowers.

ASCONA

Ascona was originally an artists' village, it still houses numerous galleries today. The heart of Ascona is car-free and thus peacefully calm. A stroll along the attractive promenade is a must. One of Ascona’s attractions is the Monte Verita, on which the museums Casa Anatta and Casa Selma are located. In the first two decades of the 20th Century there was a life-reforming artists' colony, which is considered to be the founder of the alternative movement.

LOCARNO

Like Ascona, Locarno lies on the Swiss side of Lake Maggiore. The town is known for its annual film festival which takes place at the beautiful Piazza Grande in the centre of Locarno. Worth seeing is the Castello Visconteo which was built in the 14th century by the Duke of Milan Visconti. In the tower is an archaeological museum of the region where mainly Roman glasses and vases can be viewed. The Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso, which is located above Locarno in Orselina, is reached by a cable car directly from the lake. From there you can see the whole length of the lake.

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