Arona is positioned in a territorial and landscape context varied and qualified by exceptional natural and cultural resources that make it a highly valued touristic destination for both natural, sustainable tourism but also for traditions, art, eno-gastronomy and culture.

Here we want to provide you some suggestions coming from our knowledge of the zone and the love we have for the Lake!

Restaurants

Arona has a very varied proposal, fitting every taste and budget.

For local specialties, here is some name: restaurant pizzeria Da Aldo, restaurant la Piazzetta, the Taverna del Pittore, the Barcaiolo, Vecchio Porto, all of these are in Piazza del Popolo and guarantee outstanding quality.

On the lakeside walk you can find the Café De La Sera, with its innovative aperitifs, after dinner cocktails and classy restaurant. 

We encourage you to try ice creams, semi-cold and …. From Gelateria Marcella in corso Repubblica or corso Marconi. 

You will feel the French Riviera atmosphere at Nautica Beach, with its sunbeds by day and aperitifs with pied-dans-l’eau in the evenings, accompanied by ambient music.

In the cosy small streets of the walk-only area around corso Cavour, we can suggest la Ruga del Corso and the Osteria Da Dré.

Moving away from Arona, we can reach Meina Beach, with a unique position overlooking the lake, the Battipalo and the Rapanello in Lesa, Rampolina in Baveno and two exceptional restaurants such as Clandestino in Stresa and Belvedere on Pescatori island.

Must see

There so many places to see that its very difficult to choose: all of them off course! But time is normally limited, so we try here to give you some suggestions, reminding you that we’re always available to provide you advice.

Let’s start from Arona, whose history dates back to the bronze age, and is marked by strong growth in the roman times and later in 14th century when it became the centre of the commercial activities on the lake, leveraging the access to fast waterways to Milan.

One first note: right in piazza del Popolo, where we are, the oldest in Arona, until the end of 1800 there was the ancient harbour, core of the social and economic life of the town. Even now, walking around this lively and charming square, you can enjoy looking for the bronze profile that marks the old perimeter.

In piazza del Popolo you can find also the Church of Santa Marta, in baroque style, also known as the church of the Madonna di Loreto. In fact inside it you can find a reconstruction of the Holy House of Loreto (the house of Mary, Jesus’ mother), created from the will of Cardinal Federico Borromeo’s mother. On the altar there is a marble statue of the Virgin, sculpted by Marcantonio Prestinari (1613).

https://www.tripadvisor.it/Attractions-g616180-Activities-Arona_Lake_Maggiore_Piedmont.html

Amongst the most important sacred buildings we can introduce the Church of the Holy Martyrs (or of San Graziano), dating back to X century, with multiple later additions, where are in custody the relics of the patrons of the city.

Over the main altar, there is a painting depicting the Virgin on a throne with angels and saints, created by Ambrogio da Fossano, known as Bergognone (XV century). It’s worth noting also the Church of Mary Virgin Nativity, with a 1400 façade. In the interior there is a wonderful painting by Gaudenzio Ferrari: the Polyptych of Nativity (1511).

Then there is the lungolago (lakeshore) area, that in spring is dressed in the lilac of wisteria, a relaxing stroll watching the lake and Castello di Angera. Over a small wooden bridge, you can reach the pier where the steamers leave to navigate all the lake. All the historical centre of Arona is a blaze of palaces, churches, museums such as the Archaeological and Mineralogical Museum in piazza San Graziano.

Rocca di Arona: a must see in Arona is the Rocca Borromea, one of the most spectacular places, with a stunning view over Lake Maggiore, but also on the entire coast of Lombardy with Angera Castle that was its twin protecting the south part of the lake. Now its ruins, memory of its imposingness, are part of a park, a green oasis close to the city center, and a botanical garden.

Founded around the year 1000, during the Longobard domination it became a strategic defensive point – together with the Rocca di Angera, to control Lake Maggiore. Stendhal described it like this: “Impenetrable fortress surrounded by five walls that make it impossible to access, with a tall and slender tower surmounted by a waving flag”. The Rocca became a possession of the Borromeo family and in 1538 gave birth to San Carlo Borromeo, future archbishop of Milan. Now its a park open to the public, with the ruins of the fortress still visible after it was destroyed by Napoleon in 1800. 

San Carlone: this statue is the symbol of Arona, it’s dedicated to San Carlo Borromeo, 33 meters tall, it was built in the 1600s in copper and granite, with a lovely view over Arona.

It is a touristic and religious destination, easily reachable from piazza del Popolo, in a few minutes by car, or a bit more with a lovely walk. Two steel ladders allow going up inside the statue to the head, that can fit up to six persons.

Parco dei Lagoni: in the Aronese hinterland there is the Lagoni di Mercurago Natural Park, 473 hectares, on a moraine terrace, where there are meadows-pastures where race horses, woods, heaths and rich wetland of marshes and ponds. Here there is also a village of stilts, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A multitude of paths allows you to visit every corner, to be surprised in all seasons of its natural spectacles, from the winter ice that sometimes even allows skating on the lagoon, to the lush greenery in summer, to the soft hues of spring, to the thousand shades of Autumn.

Shopping

What's better after a relaxing ride on the lakefront, than going along Corso Repubblica and slipping into the streets of the old part of Arona: Corso Cavour and the neighbouring streets are the heart of the city, where next to the pleasure of strolling among buildings with an antique flavour, accompanied by the song of the swallows that nest among these roofs, there is really an interesting mix of proposals, including traditional craft shops and prestigious shops.

Sightseeing

The lake can be easily visited by car, train, bike, but above all thanks to Navigazione Lago Maggiore, https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/ , which connects all the coastal towns also with fast hydrofoils.

Among the main attractions we can mention:

Stresa, Isole Borromee and Villa Pallavicino: Stresa in the Borromeo Gulf is one of the most characteristic places in the entire territory of Lake Maggiore due to its history and beauty. This small gulf is known all over the world for its historic hotels of the early 1900s - mentioned by Hemingway in Farewell to Arms, for the villas and for the numerous palaces and monuments that overlook the lake. The tour of the islands is the most famous itinerary of Lake Maggiore, immerse yourself in art, history and natural beauty. The departure takes place from Stresa, the pearl of the lake and you can visit Isola Madre, famous for its botanical garden, the picturesque Isola Pescatori and the most famous Isola Bella, together they represent a natural beauty enhanced by man's artifice. Isola Bella is the most famous of the three and hosts the princely Borromeo Palace surrounded by an Italian garden, consisting of ten terraces. The Baroque Palace contains a real museum where it is possible to admire original furnishings, Flemish tapestries in gold and silk, historical weapons, sculptures, paintings and frescoes dated between the 16th and 19th centuries.

Villa Taranto https://www.villataranto.it/: it is one of the most fascinating botanical gardens in the world, today's aspect of the garden of Villa Taranto is not a spontaneous fruit of nature, but the result, shaped over time by a laborious elaboration undertaken by Captain Mc Eacharn in 1931.

Entering the gardens of Villa Taranto is like taking a trip through distant countries. Today the botanical heritage of the Gardens of Villa Taranto is vast: it includes about 1,000 non-native plants and about 20,000 varieties and species of particular botanical value. The Villa cannot be visited, as it is used as the seat of the Prefecture of the Province of Verbano - Cusio - Ossola. Visiting the Gardens, you will find intimate scenarios and fantasy figures hidden in the transparency of water, or in the expanses of the mysterious flowers, sacred to Egyptian mythology. From the romantic Valletta to the expanse of the Eriche, from the greenhouses with the "Victoria cruziana" to the avenues of Azaleas, Maples, Rhododendrons and Camellias, from the Dalie gardens, with over 300 varieties, to the thousand colors of the autumn blooms, against the backdrop of the Italian, or in the golden autumn curtain.

Santa Caterina del Sasso - http://www.santacaterinadelsasso.com/: perched on an overhang of a rocky wall overlooking the lake, the Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso is undoubtedly one of the most evocative scenarios of Lake Maggiore. Tradition has it that the hermitage was founded by Alberto Besozzi, a wealthy local merchant who, having escaped a storm during the crossing of the lake, decided to retire on that stretch of coast and lead life as a hermit.

There, Blessed Alberto built a chapel dedicated to Saint Catherine of Egypt, currently visible on the back of the church. The chapel, which dates back to the 12th century, was soon flanked by two other churches, that of San Nicola and Santa Maria Nova, whose existence is certain starting from the 14th century.

Castello di Angera: Five minutes by boat from Arona, you reach the Rocca di Angera, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the southern shore of Lake Maggiore, still owned by the Borromeo family. Inside, the historic rooms, including that of the majolicas with a collection of three hundred very rare pieces. And there is also the Doll and Toy Museum, the largest in Europe, all in the beautiful setting of a medieval garden. The Rocca is open from March to Sunday. 

Parco Nazionale della Val Grande - http://www.parcovalgrande.it/: the park represents the largest wilderness area in all of Europe. Harmony, natural balances and undisputed silences.

With the term wilderness, thought generally turns to boundless spaces, wild places untouched by the presence of man. But Val Grande is not only this. Here the traces of human presence are evident: mule tracks, mountain pastures, terraces, vestiges of cableways, testify how man has intensely frequented the valley in past centuries.

Wilderness in Val Grande is identified with a now abandoned place, without roads, without permanent or even seasonal settlements, where nature is slowly recovering its spaces. In this valley, wilderness means harmony, natural balance and uncontested silence. A silence that is physically experienced, the silence of abandoned places that offers the opportunity to stop and prepare to listen.

Lago Maggiore Express, valle Vigezzo e Centovalli: It is one of the most popular tourist proposals to visit Lake Maggiore with a ticket for the Navigazione del Lago Maggiore valid on the entire lake (from Arona to Locarno), ticket for the famous and very characteristic narrow gauge Vigezzina / Centovallina railway that connects Locarno to Domodossola and train ticket for the return from Domodossola to Arona; it is a way to combine the visit of Lake Maggiore with the discovery of its beautiful valleys, for more information and details you can visit the official website of Lake Maggiore Express http://www.lagomaggioreexpress.com/ .

Sport 

Lake Maggiore is full of sports facilities for all seasons, a few meters from Arona Prestige Apartments you can find the equipped beach and the tennis courts of Nautica Beach to enjoy a day of sport and relaxation. Other beaches are both in Dormelletto and going north, to Lido di Meina - where there is a well-equipped sailing club and Lesa to Erno Beach. Still in Lesa and Stresa, it is possible to rent motorboats for a day in total freedom on the water, observing the charming villas that dot the lake shore from a privileged position.

In Arona it is possible to rent street bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes. There are numerous cycle paths along the lake and nature trails.

Lake Maggiore is also a privileged destination for golf enthusiasts: we are one of the areas with the highest density of golf courses, with courses that have hosted international competitions. We are able to assist you in booking and creating ad-hoc packages, you can see some of the best courses at the address www.lagomaggiore.golf 

Sports destination in all seasons is also the Mottarone https://www.mottarone.it/ , reachable in half an hour both by car and by cable car from Stresa. In winter it offers the opportunity to ski observing a unique panorama that spans 5 lakes and with the possibility on clear days to see the skyline of Milan, while in summer it is a destination for walking, hiking, mountain biking, without neglecting an attraction like Alpyland http://www.alpyland.com/  

We hope to have given you useful suggestions, if you want to add your reports, write to us at aronaprestigeapartments@gmail.com. 

We are at your disposal to give you further suggestions and to help you book your experiences