Isola Bella was conceived in 1650 by Count Vitaliano VI Borromeo who decided to transform a rock outcropping from the lake into a place of delight. It took four centuries to complete this magnificent work that includes the Borromeo Palace and the spectacular gardens. The site is divided between the palace and the Italian Baroque garden.

The palace

Enjoy a fascinating itinerary inside the princely residence through over 20 historic rooms including the Throne Room, Salone Nuovo, Music Room, Napoleon Room, Ballroom and Tapestry Room. A rare example of a fully preserved Baroque collection in Northern Italy is the Gallery of Paintings or of General Berthier, which houses a collection of 130 works, among which are authors such as Boltraffio, Gianpietrino, Daniele Crespi. On the lower floor, almost at lake level, are the six caves covered with pebbles, tuff, stucco and marble originally built to amaze and give refreshment to the guests of the palace.

The gardens

Famous all over the world, the gardens of Isola Bella are an important example of an Italian Baroque garden with a perfect combination of art, nature, and architecture. In the center stands the Teatro Massimo: a striking architectural construction consisting of ten terraces that form a plan adorned with fountains, obelisks and statues. It is possible to climb up to the top of the theatre on a large terrace, which, with its 37 meters of height above the lake level, is a privileged place to enjoy the panorama of the Borromeo Gulf. Since 2002, the garden of Isola Bella is part of the prestigious English circuit of the Royal Horticultural Society.