A bit of history
Located approximately 400 metres off the coast of Stresa, with convenient lakefront boarding, is part of the beautiful Borromean Islands, along with Isola Madre and Isola Pescatori.
Until 1632 the lower island or “island of below” was a rocky cliff occupied by a tiny fishing village. Vitaliano I Borromeo was the first to conceive the project of an incredible palace on the island Bella, which however was built later, dating back to 1632. The work was interrupted in the mid-seventeenth century due to the severe plague epidemic in the Milan Duchy. The building began again when the island was passed to the children. The island was renovated to turn it into a fantastic ship, where the building part was the prow and the terraced gardens, the stern. The project then envisaged a long landing area, never fully finished, in front of the building in the western part. among the most illustrious visits to the island, we find Napoleon and his wife Giuseppina, the Princess of Wales, Carolina Amalia of Brunswick and Mussolini.
What to visit
The Palace, starting from the caves on the lower floor, continues upstairs, where we discover Queen’s throne room, the General Berthier Gallery, the Music Hall which also hosts some events of the Stresa Music Weeks, the Hall of Arms , the Hall of Medals, the Great Hall, and much more. The atmosphere breathed here is unique, The Lombard baroque style, the pink granites, the coats of arms belonging to important families, decorated woods, crystal chandeliers, splendid ceilings, precious stones, empire-style mirrors, mosaics … the atmosphere breathed here is unique!
The Italian-style garden
The Italian-style garden, built on ten terraces which are overlaid with a pyramid, embellished with statues, fountains, rare trees, exotic plants and flowers with delicate aromas such as magnolia and camellias. In the upper part of the gardens there is an “amphitheatre” where performances and shows took place.
