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A mind-blowing historical legacy, impeccable cultural credentials, fabulous food, and a fashion retail scene that’s next level are just some of the reasons visitors flock to Italy.
It’s also an incredibly beautiful country, with a wide range of distinctive natural landscapes to explore — including some of the most stunning lakes in the world. From famous bodies of water like Como and Garda, to less-well-known-but-no-less-amazing options such as Orta and Scanno, you’re spoilt for choice for a lakeside linger.
With direct flights from Australia now in operation and many fabulous escorted tours of Italy on offer, what are you waiting for? Let’s do a figurative swan-dive into six of Italy’s most beautiful lakes.
Lake Como
The country’s famous northern glacial lakes sit betwixt the fingers of the Italian Alps and enjoy a gorgeous climate for most of the year. Lake Como is the best known and if you’re looking to immerse yourself in some serious glitz and glamour, this is the lake for you. But all the hype (including the fact that George Clooney has a home here) does not detract from the beauty of this spellbinding waterway. Picturesque towns and the gardened terraces of elegant mansions spill down hillsides towards the water. And it’s all just an hour by train from Milan.
Lake Maggiore
Lake Como attracts most of the misty-eyed tourists, but Lake Maggiore — the second-largest lake in the country — is also popular and easily accessible from Milan. It’s size affords spectacular, unobstructed views of the Alps, and a lake cruise at sunset is well worth doing if you want some truly epic photos. You can also opt to visit the gorgeous Isole Borromee — three small islands off the lake’s western shore, which are clad with villas and verdant gardens. Ferries and tour boats depart from the town of Stresa. Drop into the uber glam Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees afterwards for a cocktail.
Lake Orta
While it’s situated just a stone’s throw from Maggiore, Lake Orta (known to the Milanese fondly as la Cenerentola — Cinderella — you’ll soon work out why) somehow flies under the tourist radar. It’s possibly one of Italy’s best-kept holiday secrets, and those in the know would probably like to keep it that way — as crowd numbers here are considerably lower than what you’ll encounter around its high-profile, society loving sisters Como and Maggiore (hence the Cinderella analogy). Base yourself in San Guilio: a quaint medieval-era town with a distinct literary aura. Explore the town’s quiet, cobbled streets on foot, hike in the nearby hills, or do a food and wine tour.
Lake Lugano
Italy shares a significant portion of its border with Switzerland, along with parts of various lakes. One of those is Lake Lugano, which is sandwiched between Maggiore to the west and Como to the east. Dominated by the historic Swiss city of the same name, Lugano has a really charming feel. The soaring alpine peaks in the background will steal your breath away, while taking nothing away from the beauty of the water itself. There are a number of public lidos/beaches, so bring your swimmers. Spend some time exploring Lugano city and take the funicular up to the peak of Mount San Salvatore to get a sensational view of the entire region.
Lake Scanno
Midway down the boot-shaped Italian peninsula is the mountainous Abruzzo region and winsome Lake Scanno. It’s a two-hour drive from Rome, so doable as a day trip, but why rush? You’ll want to tarry around this heart-shaped bright blue beauty, which has inspired many a myth and legend (the one about how it was formed is a cracker!). Go swimming, birdwatching, paddle boating, or just spend your time snapping endless pics of the lake for Insta. It’s molto photogenic!
Lake Bracciano
Just a short drive north of Rome, the circular-shaped Lake Bracciano (a volcanic caldera) was formed some 600,000 years ago and is another delightful day trip destination from the capital. Many visitors come to see imposing Castello (castle) Orsini-Odescalchi, which sits on the lake’s south-western shoreline and dates back to the 15th century. However, there’s plenty more to do in the area. There are four medieval-era towns to explore, and you may like to lose yourself in the cool embrace of Bracciano-Martignano Natural Park. Lake Bracciano is also a hot spot for water sports; swimming, canoeing, windsurfing, and fishing are all on offer here.
This post was published thanks to Firebird Tours.
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Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of Italy’s most beautiful lakes? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
Additional images: Envato
About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
