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Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori privately from the water: how it works, the islands, prices, tips and guest reviews for a crowd-free island cruise.
Experiencing the Borromean Islands from the water, without crowds, without a fixed timetable, without changing boats – that's exactly what this boat tour to the Borromean Islands offers you: an exclusive, private sailing cruise from Laveno-Mombello on Lake Maggiore, on which you and your group can flexibly discover Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori.
Whether as a couple, a family with children, a group of friends, a photo or nature trip, a company outing or a relaxed option for cruise passengers: this is about a peaceful island experience without the crowds. You'll find out how the tour works, what makes the three islands special, how it differs from classic scheduled boats, what prices to expect and which practical tips and guest reviews will make your decision easier.
Precisely because the Borromean Islands are among the most popular destinations on Lake Maggiore, a private tour makes the difference: more predictability, more freedom and a much more stress-free visit.
Anyone who has ever stood at the landing stage in Stresa or Baveno knows the scene: long queues, overcrowded scheduled boats, loudspeaker announcements and the feeling of being processed in bulk. The hop-on-hop-off boat tours run every 30 minutes between the islands – practical, but anything but relaxing. You rush from island to island, always with one eye on the clock and the next timetable.
The Borromean Islands boat tour on board the Striga Constanze is the opposite. On our 9.20 m gaff cutter you travel as a private group – a maximum of 12 people – from Laveno-Mombello straight into the Borromean Gulf. Isola Bella, Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori: you choose which islands to visit, how long to stay and whether to include a swim stop or an aperitivo on board along the way. The tour can be booked flexibly from 3 to 7 hours.
We are now taking reservations for the 2027 season – the start is 1 March 2027. Message us on WhatsApp (+39 333 3802 383) or use the online enquiry. Reply usually within 24 hours, without obligation.
Matching tours
Bestseller€490
Private tour
Proposal€490
Private tour
Beginners€490
+ €20 p. p.Private tour
Most excursions to the Borromean Islands follow the same pattern: motorboats or ferries from Stresa, fixed timetables, full decks and little room for individual wishes. It can be done differently – with an exclusive boat service.
In 4 steps
From the first contact to the return to the harbour – this is how simple it is.
Message us on WhatsApp (+39 333 3802 383) or via the online form. We usually reply within 24 hours. Together we clarify your preferred date between 1 March and late autumn 2027, the time of day (morning, afternoon or sunset) and the occasion – whether sightseeing, a family outing, a marriage proposal or a birthday.
Depending on the booking length, we recommend the right route: with 3 hours, Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori are realistic. With 4 hours, a short swim stop or aperitivo is added. With 7 hours, you visit all three main islands, take time for an extended swim stop and enjoy an aperitivo on board. Visitors should allow about 5 to 6 hours for all three islands – with our 7-hour tour that's easily possible.
The meeting point is the harbour of Laveno-Mombello on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore – easy to reach by train from Milan or by car via the A8/A26. There the skipper welcomes you, gives a short safety briefing and shows you the boat: deck with cushions and shaded seating, toilet, cool box for your drinks.
Then we cast off. The trip towards the Borromean Gulf already offers the first photo motifs: Santa Caterina del Sasso in the distance, the coastline of Verbania and Pallanza, the mountains above the lake. The view from the water is a completely different way to experience the beauty of Lake Maggiore.
The Borromean Islands consist of five small islands with a total area of only 0.18 square kilometres – and are nevertheless one of the most popular destinations in the Italian part of Lake Maggiore. The boat tours offer access to three main islands: Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori. These three islands are precisely the most important attractions of the archipelago. You decide flexibly how long you stay on which island.
Isola Bella deserves at least 1.5 to 2 hours: Palazzo Borromeo with its magnificent halls and grottoes, plus the famous ten-tier terraced gardens. Isola Madre is the quieter, greener sister – perfect for 1 to 1.5 hours among exotic plants and free-roaming peacocks. Isola dei Pescatori is the ideal stop for lunch or a coffee by the water – 30 to 90 minutes in the narrow lanes of the archipelago's only permanently inhabited fishing village.
The skipper waits during your shore visit or moors with you and picks you up again later. No need to change to other boats, no waiting at the landing stage.
On the way back we take our time: a slow cruise around the archipelago, photo stops with postcard views of palaces and shores. Between May and September a swim stop in a sheltered bay is particularly popular – the water of Lake Maggiore surprises many guests with its clarity.
Optionally you can add an aperitivo on board: prosecco or non-alcoholic drinks and small snacks while you return to Laveno in the evening atmosphere. On a sunset tour you experience the illuminated islands and towns along the coast in a light that makes photos superfluous – and yet invites you to take them.
The Borromean Islands lie in the Borromean Gulf between Stresa and Baveno, in the Italian part of Lake Maggiore. The Borromean Islands are named after the Borromeo family, who have owned the palaces, gardens and principal lands since the 15th century and whose rule still shapes the islands today. The islands are a popular tourist destination on Lake Maggiore – and each of the three main islands has its own style.
Isola Bella is famous for the Palazzo Borromeo and its garden – a baroque Gesamtkunstwerk that Carlo III Borromeo had built from the 1630s onwards. The palazzo impresses with richly decorated halls, a shell grotto in the basement and a view over the lake that is second to none. Ernest Hemingway and Guglielmo Marconi were also fascinated by this island; their names are still associated with Isola Bella today.
The ten terraces of the gardens rise from the water like an inverted stack of pyramids – statues, little orange trees, peacocks and a panorama that makes every camera glow. Allow at least 60 minutes for the park and viewpoints.
From on board the Striga Constanze there's a special view: the island looks like a stone galley – a photo stop you shouldn't miss.
Isola Madre is the largest of the Borromean Islands and at the same time the second-biggest attraction after Isola Bella. It is home to one of Italy's oldest botanical gardens – eight hectares of English-style landscape garden with exotic plants, old cedars and free-roaming peacocks. The villa (the palazzo) is now a museum with historic furniture, puppet theatres and exhibitions.
The atmosphere on Isola Madre is quieter, less touristy – perfect for guests seeking to slow down and let the beauty of nature sink in.
Isola dei Pescatori is the only inhabited island of the Borromean Islands – and at the same time the smallest of the three main islands. For centuries fishermen have lived here in a village with narrow lanes, low houses and a small piazza by the water. The contrast with the splendid Borromeo palaces could hardly be greater.
The restaurants and trattorias on Fishermen's Island serve fish dishes straight from Lake Maggiore. Our skipper is happy to help with choosing and booking. Ideal as a stop at lunchtime or in the early evening for an uncomplicated meal with a lake view.
Traditional gaff cutter, red sails, just your group. 3, 4 or 7 hours.
from €490
for up to 8 guests at a fixed price, up to 12 on request
Boat tours to the Borromean Islands classically start in Stresa and Baveno. The islands can also be reached from Verbania. Hop-on/hop-off tickets offer flexibility when exploring the islands – but on full boats with a fixed timetable. Here are the differences from our private boat service at a glance:
The best time for a boat tour is early in the day to avoid the crowds – and that's exactly what we do: we start whenever you want.
Most viewed
Bestseller€490
Private tourBestseller€490
Private tour
Team event€490
Private tour
The tour is deliberately kept small and private. It suits various occasions and groups – here are some examples:
A sunset tour along the islands, the ideal setting for a marriage proposal, honeymoon or anniversary. Optionally with prosecco on board and a sea of lights on the shore.
A relaxed island cruise with a swim stop, child-friendly stories about pirates, the hermit of Santa Caterina and peacocks on Isola Madre. Plenty of space on deck to play and explore.
Birthday parties, hen parties or a shared holiday day away from the crowds. Up to 12 people fit on board.
Unobstructed perspectives of islands, mountains and historic villas. The best light in the early morning or at sunset – photos that look different every time.
Small offsites, incentives or team events where organisation, time and space for conversation matter more than a conveyor-belt programme. Our clients appreciate the calm, inspiring atmosphere on board.
A shore excursion from the harbour that is clearly different from the large tour groups. An exclusive destination instead of mass sightseeing.
Other providers
Striga Constanze
Mass experience
just your group
Engine noise
sound of wind and water
To-do-list holiday
holiday at your own pace
Transparent fixed prices per private tour – up to 8 guests at a fixed price, up to 12 guests on request. Including skipper and all highlights.
Perfect for guests with limited time, weekend visitors or cruise passengers.
Ideal for holidaymakers who want to spend half a day on Lake Maggiore.
For groups who want to experience all three islands intensively and spend the whole day on the lake.
Admission tickets for palaces and gardens are generally not included in the boat ticket. Tickets for Isola Bella (approx. €27 adults) and Isola Madre (approx. €23 adults) or as a combined ticket for €40 can be bought on site or online. A small landing tax of approx. €0.50 is also charged for each island visited.
Many of our guests describe the tour as the highlight of their Lake Maggiore holiday.
«My husband proposed to me on the sunset tour along Isola Bella. The atmosphere was indescribable – the evening light on the terraces, not a single stranger on board, just us and the skipper, who discreetly stepped aside at exactly the right moment. Then prosecco with a view of the sea of lights of Stresa. Unforgettable.»
– Elena & Thomas R., sunset tour 2025
«Three children on a boat? We were sceptical. But the Striga Constanze has so much space that the children could move around freely. On Isola Madre they counted peacocks, on Fishermen's Island they ate ice cream, and in between there was a swim stop in a quiet bay. The skipper's pirate stories were the highlight for our 7-year-old.»
– The Berger family, family tour 2026
«We booked the 7-hour tour as a team outing for our agency. The best conversations didn't happen in the meeting room, but on deck between Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori. Flexible route, zero rush, top service – exactly the kind of offsite that actually makes a difference.»
– Markus L., company charter 2026
The season runs from March to November. April and May are good for the blossoms in the gardens, July and August for swim stops, September for mild light, a pleasant pace and far fewer visitors. The Borromean Islands are a popular tourist attraction on Lake Maggiore – you notice that in high season.
Morning for calm light and less wind on the lake, afternoon for swim stops, evening for sunset and illuminated shores. Photographers benefit from the early morning or the golden hour before sunset.
Layers, sun hat, sunscreen, a light jacket for the wind. Don't forget swimwear and a towel for the swim stop. Non-slip shoes are a good idea – on the wooden deck and when sightseeing on the islands.
Admission to Isola Bella and Isola Madre is paid separately and is not part of our tour. Recommendation: check prices and opening times online in advance. Tickets can be booked online. Children up to 5 are free, youth rates apply from 6 to 15.
A cool box is available on board, and you're welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks. Aperitivo packages with prosecco and antipasti can optionally be added.
By train from Milan (Milano–Laveno line), by car via the A8/A26. At the harbour of Laveno-Mombello there is parking within walking distance of our meeting point.
No-obligation enquiry, reply within 24 hours. Weekends in the 2027 season go fast.
The most important questions people ask before booking – and our answers.
Season 2027
The 2027 season starts on 1 March – and the most popular dates are snapped up quickly.
Secure your place on the Striga Constanze now: via WhatsApp (+39 333 3802 383) or via the online enquiry. Reply usually within 24 hours, without obligation.
No hidden costs. Free rebooking in bad weather. Fixed prices from €490 for the whole group.
Your private boat tour to the Borromean Islands – without crowds, without rush, just lasting memories on Lake Maggiore.
Skipper of the Striga Constanze
Ciao! Questions about the route, departure harbour or date? Just message me – I reply personally.
