What to see and what to do in Verbania

The town of Verbania is located in the upper Verbano and overlooks the Borromean Gulf: it includes medieval buildings, Baroque palaces and 18th-19th century villas with beautiful parks.

From the shore of the lake you can see the Isle of S. Giovanni, where stands the Borromeo Palace of the seventeenth century, until the middle of the twentieth century the summer residence of Arturo Toscanini. At the promontory of Castagnola there are magnificent villas surrounded by big gardens.

Formed by the union of 4 different municipalities (Intra, Pallanza, Fondotoce and Suna) and other smaller hamlets (Antoliva, Biganzolo, Cavandone, Possaccio, Torchiedo, Trobaso, Unchio and Zoverallo) it is both a town and a typical lake village.

What should be seen and visited in Verbania

The historic center of Verbania

In the old town is the Romanesque church Madonna di Campagna, which houses works by Camillo Procaccini, Bernardino Lanino, Carlo Urbino and Aurelio Luini. The Palazzo di Dugnani is an example of Baroque architecture. Today the building houses the Historical and Artistic Museum of Verbano and Landscape (which collects various 19th-20th century works by Piedmontese and Lombard artists), the plaster cast gallery of the sculptor Paolo Troubetzkoy, sculptures by Arturo Martini and an archaeological collection.

Intra

Verbania grew out of the merger of the cities of Intra and Pallanza into a single city. The union took place in the 1930s and there was an immediate boom in tourism. Intra is so called because it was born between two streams between which it arose (intra duo flumina). This is the largest commercial port on Lake Maggiore, but also one of the nicest shores of Lake Maggiore.

In Intra, just beyond the San Bernardino stream, in the direction of Pallanza, stands Villa Majoni from the early 20th century, designed by the architect Baroggi, surrounded by a beautiful park open to the public and home to the library. A few steps from here, directly on the coast of Lake Maggiore, stands the “Il Maggiore” Theater designed by a team of architects under the guidance of Salvador Perez Arroyo: an event center, theater and venue for important concerts.

In the city center of Intra, an unmistakable silhouette for those arriving from the lake, the basilica of San Vittore, a national monument, is a place of art and an important religious building. Dating back to the eighteenth century, it was built in an area where there was a much older building, presumably proto-Christian.

Oratory and Villa of S. Remigio

Worth seeing is the oratory of S. Remigio, an example of a medieval building dating back to the twelfth century with the remains of frescoes from the same period and paintings from the fifteenth century inside. Next to the oratory lies Villa S. Remigio, with its characteristic balconies on the façade, and its park, where the history of the gardens is represented: from the medieval vegetable garden to the orchard, from the garden of Letizia to that of Sighs.

Palazzo Dugnani

The Palazzo Dugnani, now home to the Historic and Artistic Museum of Verbano and the Landscape, is an example of Baroque architecture. Today it brings together various works by Piedmontese and Lombard artists from the 19th-20th century, the plaster gallery by the sculptor Paolo Troubetzkoy, sculptures by Arturo Martini and an archaeological collection.

What to do in and around Verbania

• visit the Borromean Islands: a boat trip is certainly the best way to turn your trip on Lake Maggiore into a unique and memorable experience. The main attraction of the Gulf, however, consists of the famous Borromeo Islands; Isola Bella, with the noble Palazzo Borromeo and the Italian gardens, created with an exuberant baroque fantasy; Isola Madre, beloved for its lush greenery, rare plants, exotic flowers, peacocks, and parrots in nature; Isola dei Pescatori, where you can find a picturesque village and finally, the island of San Giovanni, the only island that cannot be visited
• jump into the void with the Lake Maggiore zip line: an emotion that runs along the thread in a beautiful landscape. A steel cable of 1850 meters long, one and a half minutes of pure fun, 350 meters of ground and more than 120 km/h, which offers unique sensations. Convenient and easy to access You leave from Pian d'Arla and arrive at Alpe Segletta, in the magnificent Intrasca valley that crowns the Piedmontese shore of Lake Maggiore, above Verbania
• visit Stresa: Stresa overlooks Lake Maggiore near the gulf where the picturesque Borromean islands (Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori) are located, in a very evocative position. This peculiarity, combined with the mildness of the climate and the scenic and architectural beauties, attracts thousands of tourists every year and makes the town one of the most popular Italian tourist destinations since the second half of the nineteenth century. Its lakeside is perfect for relaxing walks and to admire historic houses and luxury Art Nouveau hotels surrounded by greenery
• visit Baveno: Baveno is another of the ports located in front of the Borromean islands. It is also an old seaside resort that has welcomed tourists since the eighteenth century. The villas are wonderful. There are some villas from 1900, 1800 and 1500. Villa Brandolini d'Adda, built in the 16th century, has a park divided into 4 parts: the English garden, the Italian, French and Japanese garden
• visit the Villa Pallavicino Park: the Villa Pallavicino Zoo Park has an area of about 20 hectares and is populated by over 40 species of animals including mammals and tropical birds: fallow deer, llamas, Tibetan goats, hares and macaques live in freedom in a area called Lombardina. The Antica Cascina hosts zebras, kangaroos and ferrets. Next to the bar is a pond with turtles and beavers. The secular trees of the park are famous (we remember the imposing Liriodendron and the ancient Ginkgo biloba) and the botanical garden, visited each year by thousands of people
• visit the “Natura Speciale” Reserve: in Fondotoce there is the “Natura Speciale” Reserve, an important wetland area, established in 1990, located between the lake and the area of the Toce mouth. Easily accessible on foot and by bicycle, it is rich in spontaneous vegetation in which reeds prevail and is very rich in fauna: reptiles, amphibians, mammals as well as numerous insects. The reserve is a perfect environment for the reproduction of fish and birds (some stay there all year and others use it in their migration route)
• visit Val Vigezzo, the Anzasca Valley, the Formazza Valley and the Val Grande National Park: The Val Vigezzo, also called the "Valley of the Painters", both for its landscapes and for the seven painting schools it housed in the 19th century, is one of the valleys surrounding Verbania. In Craveggia, in Val Vigezzo, there are stone houses and roofs, lofty chimneys, but also elegant mansions. The Anzasca Valley, in the shadow of Monte Rosa, is the valley that hosts Macugnaga, the most popular ski resort in Piedmont, which is also one of the most beautiful villages in the region. Val Formazza is also charming with the beautiful waterfall Toce, 143 meters in height, rented by Richard Wagner and Gabriele D'Annunzio. We are also in the vicinity of the Val Grande National Park, which is the largest wilderness area in Italy and one of the largest in Europe
• spend a day on Lake Mergozzo: another unmissable destination in the immediate surroundings is the small Lake Mergozzo with the enchanting village from which it takes its name, full of charm and a treasure trove of art. The mountains surrounding the lake, once one with Lake Maggiore, are also renowned for the possibilities of beautiful walks such as the Montorfano ring route and the ascent to Alpe Vercio
• take an excursion to Mottarone: from Piazzale Lido, in the hamlet of Carciano di Stresa, on the shore of the lake in front of Isola Bella, the Stresa-Alpino-Mottarone cable car departs which, with a journey lasting 20 minutes, reaches the summit of Mottarone at 1,491 meters high Located between Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta, it is considered one of the most beautiful natural balconies in Italy! The mountains are visited all year by nature lovers: countless trails and trails, on foot, by bike, on horseback, offer possibilities for all tastes, ages and levels of training. In winter, it becomes an important ski center, benefiting from 15 km of well-equipped slopes that also provide a location. From the top of Mottarone begins the "Alpyland" Mottarone Slittovia, 1.2 km of track, pure pleasure for children and adults. Mottarone is the ideal place for a day trip outdoors, but also for the typical flavors of the mountain to enjoy

Tips about where to sleep in Verbania

These are just some of the accommodation facilities in Verbania. You can find all the hotels, B & Bs and campsites where you can spend a stay or a holiday in Verbania on Lake Maggiore here.

How to get to Verbania

It is possible to reach Verbania:

• by car: the A26 Genova - Gravellona Toce motorway ends about 10 km from the city and runs through the whole of Piedmont from North to South intersecting with the A4 Milano - Torino and the A21 Torino Piacenza
• by train: the railway station, served by the Simplon line, is located in the hamlet of Fondotoce, connected to the city by frequent public transport services about ten minutes from Verbania