THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Paula Hardy Anthony Ham

The Italian Lakes

#̂Lake Garda& Around

p159

Bergamo, Brescia& Cremona

p132

Lake Maggiore& Around

p72

Milanp42

Lake Como& Around

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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Welcome to the Italian Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4The Italian Lakes Map . . . .6The Italian Lakes’ Top 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Need to Know . . . . . . . . . .16First Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . 20If You Like . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Month by Month . . . . . . . 23Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Eat & Drink Like a Local 29Outdoor Activities . . . . . 34Travel with Children . . . . .37Regions at a Glance . . . . 39

MILAN . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Sights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Courses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Tours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Festivals.&.Events . . . . . . . . 59Eating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Drinking.&.Nightlife. . . . . . . 61Entertainment .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 63Shopping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Pavia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Monza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

LAKE MAGGIORE & AROUND . . . . . . . . . . 72Lake Maggiore West Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Stresa.&.Around. . . . . . . . . . 76Arona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Borromean.Islands . . . . . . . 79Verbania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Ghiffa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Cannobio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Lake Maggiore East Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Vira. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Luino .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 85Laveno. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Casalzuigno. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Santa.Caterina.del.Sasso. . . 86Ranco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Angera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87Varese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87Around Varese . . . . . . . . . 89Santa.Maria.del.Monte. . . . 89Castiglione.Olona. . . . . . . . . 90Castelseprio.&.Torba. . . . . . 90Lake Orta . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90Orta.San.Giulio. . . . . . . . . . . 91Lake.Orta.West.Bank. . . . . . 93Locarno (Switzerland) . . 94Ascona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Ticino’s Western Valleys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Centovalli. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Valle.Maggia. . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Val.Verdasca. . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

LAKE COMO & AROUND . . . . . . . . . 100Como . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104Triangolo Lariano . . . . . 109Torno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Careno. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Bellagio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Abbazia di San Pietro al Monte . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112Lake Como West Bank . .113Cernobbio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

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Contents

Monte.Bisbino. . . . . . . . . . . 114Moltrasio.&.Laglio. . . . . . . 114Argegno.&.Pigra. . . . . . . . . 115Sala.&.Isola.Comacina . . . 115Sacro.Monte.di..Ossuccio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Lenno. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117Tremezzo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117Rezzonico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118Gravedona.&.Around. . . . . 118Lake Como East Bank . .119Valtellina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119Abbazia.di.Piona . . . . . . . . 120Corenno.Plinio . . . . . . . . . . 120Bellano. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Varenna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Vezio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122Lake Lugano . . . . . . . . . 122Lugano.(Switzerland) . . . . 123Around.Lake.Lugano. . . . . 127Bellinzona.(Switzerland). . . 129

BERGAMO, BRESCIA & CREMONA . . . . . . 132Bergamo . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Bergamo’s Valleys . . . . .141Bergamo.Hills.to..Taleggio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141San.Pellegrino.Terme . . . . 142Cornello.dei.Tasso. . . . . . . 144Northern.Valle..Brembana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144Valle.Seriana. . . . . . . . . . . . 144Lake Iseo & Around . . . 144Monte.Isola. . . . . . . . . . . . . 145Iseo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146Sarnico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146Lovere.&.Bossico. . . . . . . . 146Valle.Camonica. . . . . . . . . . 147Lake.Endine. . . . . . . . . . . . . 147Valle.del.Fredo.&..Esmate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

Franciacorta . . . . . . . . . . . . 148Brescia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148Cremona . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152Around Cremona . . . . . 155Pizzighettone . . . . . . . . . . . 156Lodi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156Crema. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157Soncino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

LAKE GARDA & AROUND . . . . . . . . . 159Lake Garda . . . . . . . . . . .161Verona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Around Verona . . . . . . . 185Valpolicella . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185Soave. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187Mantua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

ACCOMMODATION 194Milan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Lake Maggiore & Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196Lake Como & Around . . 199Bergamo, Brescia & Cremona . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201Lake Garda & Around . . 203

The Italian Lakes Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210The Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220Villas & Gardens . . . . . . 228The Lakes Kitchen . . . . 233Fashion & Design . . . . . 239

Directory A–Z . . . . . . . . 244Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . .251Language . . . . . . . . . . . . 257Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265Map Legend . . . . . . . . . .271

UNDERSTAND

SPECIAL FEATURES

Eat & Drink Like a Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Outdoor Activities . . . . . 34Villas & Gardens . . . . . 228Fashion & Design . . . . . 239

Plan Your Trip

Lake Como Hit Gravedona for water sports, the western mountains for scenic drives, and the rugged Triangolo Lariano for scenic hikes between Como, Bellagio and Lecco.

Lake Garda A veritable outdoor playground with world-class windsurfing and sailing at Riva del Garda, Torbole and Gargnano; championship rock climbing in Arco; paragliding, biking, hiking and skiing on Monte Baldo; horse riding on the Tremonsine plateau and through Bardolino vineyards; and cycling through the olive groves of the Valtenesi.

Lake Iseo Bordering the region of Franciacorta, Lake Iseo is a perfect spot for easy cycling, either around Monte Isola or through Franciacorta’s vineyards.

Lake Ledro Off the mainstream tourist radar, pretty Lake Ledro offers scenic hiking and adrenaline-inducing canyoning.

Lake Maggiore Ascend Monte Mottarone for family-friendly biking, hiking and skiing, or escape northwest from Locarno to explore the Ticino valleys on foot.

Mantua Family-friendly walking, cycling and river cruising around Mantua’s three lakes and beside the Mincio and Po rivers.

Parco Nazionale Val Grande Get back to nature in one of Italy’s wildest parks with guided walks amid majestic chestnut forests and marble quarries.

Cycling Northern Italians are cycling fanatics. On weekends you can see whole gangs of cy-clists scooting up hill and down dale with frightening alacrity.

More relaxed cycling is possible on the Lombard plains, in Mantua, along the Mincio river and through the Franciacorta and Valtenesi wine territory. Tourist of-fices in Como, Lecco and Varese can supply maps with suggested cycle routes between Lake Maggiore and the east bank of Lake Como.

For more challenging trails head to Monte Mottarone on Lake Maggiore and Monte Baldo on Lake Garda, where numerous off-road trails snake down the mountainsides. Most famous of all, though, is the challenging climb from Bellagio to the Santuario della Madonna del Ghisallo.

Apart from being a classic Giro d’Italia stage, the chapel is an extraordinary shrine to cycling.

If you’re bringing your own bike, check with your airline if there’s a fee and how much, if any, disassembling is required. Bikes can be transported by train in Italy, either with you or to arrive within a couple of days. Bike hire or city cycle schemes are available in most towns and resorts.

Top Trails Dorsale Ideal for a day’s mountain-bike

exploration.

Monte Mottarone Rent a mountain bike for the 20km to 30km descent to Stresa.

Madonna del Ghisallo Feel like a champion on this classic climb from Bellagio.

Monte Isola Cycle round Lake Iseo’s island.

Rocca di Garda An 11km trail from Garda to Costermano and Albarè.

The Valtenesi A 38km circular route takes you from the Castle of Padenghe through the nature reserve of the Rocca di Manerba and the olive groves of Puegnago del Garda.

Horse Riding Riding is big region-wide, with plenty of agriturismi (farmstay accommodation) having horses for guests to ride. Several farms such as La Basia (p 167 ), Agriturismo Scuderia Castello (p 170 ) and Ranch Barlot (p 177 ) around Lake Garda specialise in equestrian holidays and offer treks of one or several days. Combining the intimacy of agriturismi and meals around a shared table with the formality of a riding school, these equestrian farms are the most atmospheric way of experiencing the lakes on horseback.

Walking At first glance one might think there is lit-tle in the line of walking to be done around Italy’s northern lakes except for the occa-sional shoreline promenade. Nothing could be further from the truth.

When to Go Spring and autumn, with their abundance of wildflowers and forest fruits, are the prettiest times to be outdoors. Autumn, when the harvests start in the vineyards and olive groves, has a mellow appeal.

Best Times April–June Pleasantly warm days and valleys

drenched in poppies and wildflowers – perfect for cyclists, walkers and climbers.

July Water-sports enthusiasts flock to Lake Garda. Hiking in the higher mountains is best this month.

September–October Still warm enough for water sports, but cooler days mean mellow hikes and cycle rides through vineyards and mountain forests.

December–February The best ski months for atmosphere (Christmas), snow and value.

Where to Go Orobie Alps Rising to the northeast of Lake

Como with valleys funnelling down to Bergamo, the Orobie Alps peak at 3000m and are covered in forests and pastures.

Best Outdoors Best Short Walks Up the wooded Valle delle Cartiere, around Lake Ledro, between Valle Maggia villages and down from the funicular stations of Monte Brè or Monte San Salvatore and Cimetta.

Best Easy Bike Rides Around the vineyards of Franciacorta and the Valtenesi, as well as around Lake Orta and beside the lakes in Lugano, Verbania Pallanza and Mantua.

Best for Water Sports Make the best of the Pelèr and Ora winds to windsurf, kitesurf and sail on Lake Garda.

Best Spa Towns The Roman’s favourite was lakeside Sirmione, but Bardolino’s state-of-the-art Aqualux Hotel Spa is now equally as popular.

Best Scenic Drives Through the Brasa Gorge and up the Val Canno-bino; from Como to the peak of Cima Sighignola; and from Cernobbio to Monte Bisbino.

Outdoor Activities

Northern Italy’s stunning Alpine landscape off ers outdoor enthusiasts a plethora of activities, some of which off er the best opportunities for escaping the crowds. Blessed with rolling hills, riverine deltas, glacial lakes and soaring mountains, you can take your pick of hiking, biking, climbing, skiing, horse riding, sailing and sur ng, or you can simply sit back and enjoy the view.

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SURVIVAL GUIDE

On the Road

#̂Lake Garda& Around

p159

Bergamo, Brescia& Cremona

p132

Lake Maggiore& Around

p72

Milanp42

Lake Como& Around

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Paula HardyCoordinating Author, Milan, Lake Garda & Around Paula has been contribut-ing to Lonely Planet’s Italian guides for over a decade. She has worked on six editions of the Italy guide, wrote the first editions of Pocket Milan and Puglia & Basilicata, and has written several editions of Sicily and Sardinia. Slowly working her way up Lo Stivalo (The Boot), Paula’s first experience of Milan and the lakes was Furniture Fair madness and a suitcase full of impractical shoes. These days

she knows better and focuses on the dynamic modern-art scene, ferreting out those hard-to-find heritage designers, and Heidi-like mountain walking. An erstwhile editor and producer, she also contributes to and edits a variety of websites and travel publications. You can find her tweeting @paula6hardy. Paula also wrote the Planning section, Accommodation chapter and the Understand features.

Anthony HamLake Maggiore & Around; Lake Como & Around; and Bergamo, Brescia & Cremona Anthony has been writing for Lonely Planet for more than a decade, particularly covering regions in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. His love for Italy began as a teenager when his family travelled through Switzerland and the lakes of northern Italy. He has returned many times since, each time deepening his love for, and connection with, one of Europe’s most beautiful corners. When

he’s not travelling for Lonely Planet, he lives in Melbourne and writes and photographs for maga-zines and newspapers around the world. Anthony also wrote the Accommodation chapter and the Survival Guide.

Read more about Anthony at: lonelyplanet .com/members/anthonyham

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

OUR WRITERS

Although.the.authors.and.Lonely.Planet.have.taken.all.reason-able.care. in.preparing. this.book,.we.make.no.warranty.about.the.accuracy.or.completeness.of.its.content.and,.to.the.maxi-mum.extent.permitted,.disclaim.all.liability.arising.from.its.use .

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN.36.005.607.9832nd.edition.–.Jan.2014ISBN.978.1.74179.849.4©.Lonely.Planet.2014....Photographs.©.as.indicated.201410..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1Printed.in.ChinaAll.rights.reserved ..No.part.of.this.publication.may.be.copied,.stored.in.a.retrieval.system,.or.transmitted.in.any.form.by.any.means,.electronic,.mechanical,.recording.or.otherwise,.except.brief.extracts.for.the.purpose.of.review,.and.no.part.of.this.publication.may.be.sold.or.hired,.without.the.written.permission.of.the.publisher ..Lonely.Planet.and.the.Lonely.Planet.logo.are.trademarks.of.Lonely.Planet.and.are.registered.in.the.US.Patent.and.Trademark.Office.and.in.other.countries ..Lonely.Planet.does.not.allow.its.name.or.logo.to.be.appropriated.by.commercial.establishments,.such.as.retailers,.restaurants.or.hotels ..Please.let.us.know.of.any.misuses:.lonelyplanet .com/ip .

Modernist Milan gets this whirlwind tour off to a spectacular start with big city treats like Leonardo da Vinci’s Il Cenacolo, a tour of La Scala’s costume department and world-class art collections in the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Museo Poldi Pezzoli and Museo del Novecento. Give yourself at least three days to eat, drink, shop and sight-see, and pos-sibly take in a concert or opera. Then head for belle époque Stresa. Base yourself here or on Isola Superiore and ferry-hop to the extravagant Borromean palaces, the pleasure playground of Monte Mottarone and the voluptuous gardens of Villa Taranto. On day six, take a day trip to Lake Orta, before heading north by ferry or train to Locarno, where you should spend another few days soaking up this swanky Swiss town. Make your way back via quiet Cannobio. Then skip across the lake to Luino on the eastern shore and onto Como, via Varese. Amble the flower-laden lakeside to impressive Villa Olmo before taking a fast boat to Bellagio. Return to Milan, via Bergamo, and catch the extraordi-nary Carrara art collection amid some of the finest Lombard Renaissance architecture in the region.

Milan, Lake Maggiore & Lake Como

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Verona & Lake Garda

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Combine culture and the great outdoors by flying into Verona, then striking out for the wine country and touring Garda’s activity laden shoreline. Spend three or four days in Verona, visiting its museums and frescoed churches, playing tag with Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, drinking coffee and spritz in its magnificent piazze and enjoying theatre and opera in its Roman Arena and hillside amphitheatre. Then pick up a car from the train station and head out for the nearby hills of Valpolicella. You could whiz around two or three wineries in a day, but instead take things slow and hunker down in Agriturismo San Mattia and get to know your Amarones from your Reciotos. Then push on through the hills of Bardolino at week’s end and treat yourself to a day at the plush Aqualux Hotal Spa or at night the romantic Locanda San Vigilio. Then, in the morn-ing, head to Riva del Garda for three days of nonstop activity. Plan ahead for sailing, windsurfing or climbing classes, or get down to the waterfront early to hire some gear. Spend at least half a day hiking the old Ponale Road and another half day cycling up the Sarco river to Drò. For families, a trip to the Varone waterfall will be a hit, or ferry-hop to Malcesine and take the funicular up Monte Baldo. Alternatively, its easy to while away the hours playing, swimming or cycling along the landscaped lakefront. On day 12 begin the drive south – a thrilling highlight in itself through mountain-blasted tunnels along a twisting road that overhangs the lake. Take the high road over the Tremosine plateau, before spending a night or two in idyllic Gargnano and heading on to patrician Salò. Base yourself here or just back from the lakeside in the vineyards of the Valtenesi and spend a further three days day-tripping to the extraordinary house-museum, Il Vittori-ale, the private island of Isola del Garda and cruising vineyards and olive groves for tast-ings. Make sure you spend a full day hiking in the natural reserve of Rocca di Manerba and take a late boat to Sirmione to watch the sunset from lakeside thermal pools once the crowds have dispersed.

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City Line-Up

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City Line-upBergamo’s Mountain Valleys

7 DAYS

For an architectural and artistic tour of northern Italy’s glittering medieval and Renaissance heyday, look no further than the elegant cities of the Po valley. Milan, with its huge crenellated castle and glit-tering Duomo, was the medieval muscle in the west. Just check out the collection in Castello Sforzesco and the rich legacy of art in its four basilicas. But Milan didn’t have the medieval monopoly on culture. A half-day trip to nearby Pavia will give you time to enjoy Giangaleazzo’s enor-mous Certosa monastery, and you’ll need another day to browse the violin shops in Cremona, where Stradivarius started a musical tradition that resonates around the world even today. Then head onto Ber-gamo for Lombardy’s finest Renaissance architecture and to Brescia and Verona for Roman ruins and fine dining. Finally, finish up in lake-bound Mantua, with Mantegna’s frescoes, a Renaissance pleas-ure palace and some fine Renaissance-style dining at Il Cigno.

Bergamo’s Mountain Valleys

4 DAYS

Join the proud and prosperous Bergamas-chi in Bergamo’s Città Alta (Upper Town) for a sedate passeggiata around its elegant Renaissance piazze, admiring its medieval towers and the magnificent Lombard Romanesque mausoleum of mercenary commander Bartolomeo Colleoni. Take in Renaissance masters at the Palazzo Ragione, stroll the ramparts of La Rocca and eat in as many of the town’s excellent restaurants as you can manage. Then head north through art nouveau San Pellegri-no Terme to the Val Taleggio, where you can stock up on one of Lombardy’s signa-ture cheeses from local farmers and coop-eratives. Afterwards, return to the SS470 and head north through the medieval hamlet of Cornello dei Tasso to the Valle Brembana in the foothills of the Orobie Alps. Hikers will want to push deep into the mountains for trails at Branzi and Carona, which lead to glassy glacial lakes. But for those touring the country by a car, double-back south through Oltre il Colle into the Valle Seriana, for more fabulous forest vistas and Europe’s tallest waterfall, the Cascate del Serio.

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Into SwitzerlandA Wine Meander

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Start in Lugano, an elegant lakeside town on the Swiss side of the border that’s worth a busy day of your time. Spend a morn-ing in its old town and museums, and the afternoon whizzing up the funiculars of Monte Brè and Monte San Salvatore. Also use Lugano as a base for visiting lakeside towns, among them charming Morcote and museums devoted to Herman Hesse in Montagnola and some extraordinary fossils in Meride. Then head northwest to Bellinzona and tour its three Unesco World Heritage Site–listed castles. As you head further west, detour into wonder-fully quiet and pretty Val Verdasca and Valle Maggia en route to Locarno with its picturesque waterfront and engaging old town. With just a day or two left, and to make the most of your time, take the Lake Maggiore Express that includes the gorgeous Centovalli train from Locarno to Domodossola and another train down to Stresa. Then return to Locarno aboard a ferry that traces the lake shore back with the best of Maggiore lake views along the way.

A Wine Meander5 DAYS

Kick off this whirlwind wine tour with a day in Como before taking the fast boat to Albergo Silvio in Bellagio, where you’re booked for lunch on the terrace. Then hop across to pretty Varenna and tour the botanical gardens of the Villa Monastero before heading north up the east bank to the wine valley of the Valtellina. Tour some of the sunny hillside wineries and stock up on rare regional varietals such as the punchy Sforzato. On day three, emerge from the valley at Edolo and turn south-wards down the Valle Camonica, lined with Bronze Age rock carvings, which you can tour in the 30-hectare Parco Nazion-ale della Incisioni Rupestri near Capo di Ponte. Then head for pretty Sarnico at the southern end of Lake Iseo and enjoy a laid-back day wandering its medieval lanes. You’ll then want another two days: one to dine in style at Gualtiero Marchesi’s extraordinary restaurant at the five-star, rust-red hotel L’Albereta in Erbusco and another to cycle off the indulgence with a tailor-made tour of in the vineyards of the Franciacorta wine region.

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