Palazzo Borromeo
About This Museum
You'd never guess this entire island was man-made, a fantastical creation of the Borromeo family who transformed a barren rock into a floating paradise. Stepping inside is like walking into a living novel, where every frescoed ceiling and gilded corridor whispers secrets of aristocratic life across the centuries. It feels less like a museum and more like the family just stepped out for a stroll in the gardens. The sheer audacity of its creation still takes my breath away.
Collection Highlights
Don't miss the grottoes, incredible rooms lined with shells and pebbles designed for escape from the summer heat, and the throne room where Napoleon once slept. The collection of Lombard paintings and those intricate Flemish tapestries that somehow survived centuries of lake air are real treasures.
Visitor Information
The palace is right there on Isola Bella, just a short boat ride from Stresa. Do check the seasonal opening times before you go, as they change, and for goodness' sake leave time to get lost in those ten terraced gardens—they're the real star of the show.
Architecture & Building
It's a magnificent barque of Baroque architecture, all dramatic white stone against the deep blue of the lake, crowned with a unicorn-topped dome that you can see for miles.
Contact & Location
Address: Bella Vista Apartments, 1, Strada Vecchia Someraro Levo, Someraro, Stresa, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piemonte, 28838, Italia
Phone: +39 0323 933478
Website: Visit Website
