From December 4 2026 to January 10 2027, the landscapes of Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta are set to transform into an open-air spectacle, where light meets history and the beauty of the villages. Islands of Light returns, the project now in its fourth edition, guiding the public along a suggestive itinerary among islands, historic architectures and squares, with luminous installations and video mapping inspired by nature and the message of Saint Francis of Assisi.
The theme chosen for this year is “A Canticle of Water and Light”, a contemporary reinterpretation of the Canticle of the Creatures on the occasion of the eighth centenary of the saint’s death.
Islands of Light 2026-2027
The route begins in Stresa, an elegant town facing the Borromean Gulf, famous for its historic palaces and gardens that characterize Lake Maggiore. Here, the luminous experience will involve two of the archipelago’s most fascinating islands.
On Isola Bella, Palazzo Borromeo and its scenographic terraced botanical gardens will be the protagonists of the installation “The Sun, the Moon and the Harmony of the Cosmos”. The projections will accompany the Baroque architecture in a play of colors that will pass from the warm hues of amber and gold to the deeper tones of night, creating a compelling dialogue between human works and the universe.
On the nearby Isola dei Pescatori, however, the theme will be “Sister Water.” Pedestrian alleys and the characteristic fishermen’s houses will frame a delicate lighting, inspired by the movement of waves on stone and on the vegetation. The village will thus seem suspended over the water, transforming into a small enchanted world.
The edition 2026-2027 will also widen its itinerary to the mainland, involving towns overlooking the two lakes. In Baveno, the complex of Saints Gervaso and Protaso will host “Mother Earth, the Generating Force”: the Romanesque façade will come alive with a videomapping that evokes the Greccio Nativity, then transforming into a representation of living stone, the crystals of Baveno and the blooming of nature.
In Verbania, on the façade of the Pallanza Town Hall, the work “Brother Wind” will bring to life a dynamic architecture, capable of evoking the invisible breath of the natural elements through luminous shapes and suggestions.
Among the most evocative stops there will also be Orta San Giulio, one of the most fascinating villages on Lake Orta. The project “Villages of Light” will involve Piazza Motta, where the façade of the former Orta Hotel will be enriched with Franciscan references, while the buildings on the east side will host the Nativity representation. To complete the scene will contribute a five-meter-tall living tree, placed in front of the Palazzotto, and the illumination of the Island of San Giulio, which will render the lake panorama even more evocative.
The show between nature, art and spirituality
The installations will be visible every evening, from 5:00 PM to 12:30 AM, from December 4, 2026 to January 10, 2027. The guiding thread will be the Canticle of the Creatures, reinterpreted through its fundamental elements: sun, moon, water, wind, earth and stone. The luminous color palettes and references to the Giotto painting cycle will build a widespread narrative, capable of linking different places in a single visual story.
The initiative, promoted by the Tourist District of the Lakes, Mountains and Valleys of Ossola, has received the patronage of the National Committee for the Celebrations of the Eighth Centenary of the Death of Saint Francis of Assisi. The project thus blends cultural valorization and tourism promotion, with the aim of turning the Verbano and Cusio territories into a destination to discover even in winter, through strolls in the villages, lake panoramas and illuminated scenographies.
