Giardini Botanici dell'Isola Madre

The Botanical Gardens of Isola Madre is a sprawling garden on an island in Lake Maggiore, arranged across seven terraces. The collection includes camellias, cypresses, palms, and rare plant species from different climates around the world.

The garden was founded in the early 1500s under Count Lancillotto Borromeo, initially serving as a citrus orchard. In the late 1700s, it was redesigned in the English style and transformed into a romantic garden devoted to collecting exotic plants.

The garden reflects 19th-century European interest in collecting exotic plants from around the world. Walking through the terraces, you can see how wealthy families of that era shaped their private spaces to showcase botanical treasures.

The garden is reachable by ferry from Stresa, which runs regularly throughout the day. The best time to visit is during the warmer months, when the plants are in full bloom and all areas of the property are open to visitors.

The garden holds a collection of palms, some over 125 years old, including the rare Jubaea spectabilis from Chile. This South American species was brought to the island in 1858 and shows how botanical networks connected Europe with distant continents in the 19th century.