The terraced garden of Isola Bella

What it is

Isola Bella is one of the Borromean Islands, a few minutes by boat from Stresa on Lake Maggiore. In the seventeenth century the Borromeo family turned a rocky fishing island into a palace and a garden, which rises in ten stacked terraces topped by statues and a unicorn, the family emblem. The lake keeps winters mild, so camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons flower from March to May, followed by roses, then hibiscus and oleander in summer, with citrus trained along the walls. White peacocks walk the lawns. The same family still owns it. The neighbouring Isola Madre has a looser, botanical garden.

Before you go

• April and May are best for camellias and azaleas.
• Take an early boat from Stresa. The island is small and fills by midday.
• A combined visit with Isola Madre makes a full day.

The flowers you will see

CamelliaEvergreen shrubs and trees with showy blooms, best known for tea and garden flowersAzaleaShade-loving flowering shrubs with spring blooms and thousands of cultivated formsRhododendronA vast group of shrubs and trees with showy blooms in many coloursRoseWoody perennial plants with showy, often fragrant flowers in many coloursHibiscusA tropical genus with large, colourful trumpet-shaped flowers

More in Italy

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