There is still time to stroll among the Lake Maggiore’s most famous gardens. This year the season does not end with autumn’s arrival, but continues for several weeks: the Villa Taranto Botanical Gardens, in Verbania, will remain open until December 8, while Isola Bella will welcome visitors until November 22.
The two extensions are part of a broader effort to lengthen the tourist season in the area, with the aim of distributing visits beyond the summer months. For those who love traveling off-season it’s also an opportunity to see these places with fewer crowds and with the autumn colors typical of the season. When the blooms fade, the leaves color the gardens and this year, thanks to the temperatures, the foliage could last until November.
Villa Taranto, the botanical gardens open until December 8
The Villa Taranto Botanical Gardens Foundation announced that the Verbania park will stay open every day, holidays included, until November 22. After that date it will still be visitable on some days, until December 8.
The gardens were created in the 1930s at the behest of the Scottish captain Neil McEacharn and today represent one of Italy’s most renowned botanical parks, with thousands of species from all over the world. In autumn, maples, sweetgum (liquidambar) and other ornamental plants turn red, orange and yellow, while in summer the blooms take center stage.
Hours change as the season progresses. Until November 1 entry is from 9:00 to 17:00, with the last admission at 16:00. From November 2 to November 22 the opening hours are 10:00 to 16:00, with the last entry at 15:00. After November 22 there are extraordinary openings on November 23, 27, 28, 29 and 30, and then every day from December 4 to 8, coinciding with the Immaculate Conception long weekend.
From November the rates also change. From November 9 the visit will run along selected routes to ensure visitors’ safety, and the ticket will cost less. The full ticket will be €11.50, the reduced price for young people between 12 and 26 years old will be €7.50, and the price for children aged 6 to 11 years will be €2.50. During this period tickets can be purchased only at the gardens’ ticket office.
Isola Bella open until November 22
Isola Bella will also stay open longer than usual. Thanks to Terre Borromeo’s initiative, the island will welcome visitors until November 22, offering more time to discover Palazzo Borromeo and its Baroque terrace gardens, among the most dramatic on the lake.
The extension is also linked to a major sporting event. Thanks to a five-year agreement between Kaleon Spa-Terre Borromeo, the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation and the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, from November 7 to 10 the ATP Finals Trophy will be on display in the Salone Nuovo of Palazzo Borromeo. For Lake Maggiore it is a way to attract international attention during the same weeks when the world tennis finals are played in Turin.
Until October 24 entry is every day from 10:00 to 17:00 (last entry), with the palaces closing at 17:30 and the gardens at 18:00. From October 25 to November 22, hours are shortened: entry from 10:00 to 16:00 (last entry), palaces close at 16:30 and gardens at 17:00. The visit ticket costs €25.
For those planning an autumn weekend on the lake, these dates are a good reference: a day among the gardens of Villa Taranto and a boat ride to Isola Bella, to experience Lake Maggiore in a season different from the usual.
