To the tourist, who for the
first time arrives in Stresa, is offered a breathless
sight. At the beginning a superb window of the lake
front, delineated with lines of palm trees, with
flourishing gardens and facades of majestic hotels.
Then, turning to look at the lake, enchanted, as
if emerged from the same waters the spectacular
Borromean Islands (Isola Bella, Isola Madre and
Isola dei Pescatori). It is enough the splendour
of these visions to make one understand how Stresa
has been able to become one of the maximum meetings
of international tourism. The town, already at the
middle half of the 19th century was the most elegant
place to stay, the most visited by the international
upper middle class.
Others again
are the reasons of so much fame and prestige.
Here art and nature are mixed together in
a way that one respects the other, here the
hospitality is to boast to generation and
the cultural initiative, that happens in the
course of the year, they are the necessary
corollary of it. Symbol of the vitality of
Stresa is the animated Plaza of the wharf,
the vast and tree lined Piazza Marconi.
Here the neo-classic parish of Sant'Ambrogio faces the square.
To the right
of the church there is the famous Villa Ducale
of the year 1770, also this is in neo-classic
style. The notoriety derives from it having
been the residence of the philosopher Antonio
Rosmini, whom here also entertained Alessandro
Manzoni. Now the villa is an active Centre
of "Studi Rosminiani". Nearby, famous
to the international congressmen, one can
find the modern and well equipped Palace of
Congresses. Another destination of notable
tourist flow is Villa Pallavicino of the 19th
century. The interest for which is completely
naturalistic, in that the large blooming park
is rich in secular trees and has been transformed
in an original zoological garden, where various species of animals live, including exotic animals like ostriches and
kangaroos.
In the outskirts of Stresa, at Gignese, that
offers the panoramic view of the central basin
of Lago Maggiore, one can visit the Alpinia
Garden, rich in mountains and officinal plants,
and the curious Umbrella Museum , that collects
parasols and umbrellas of every epoch. Finally,
it serves to remember that to the modern funicular
connects Stresa to the ski slopes of Mottarone,
another balcony on the Verbano.
Between the recurrent manifestations, signalled
to a prestigious level is: the Competition
of music for young people "Premio Franco
Verganti", in April; the Cattedra Rosmini,
at the end of August; the Musical Weeks International
Festival, in August and September; the European
Philatelist Show, in the first ten days of
September.
