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Hidden bays, rock monasteries in the morning light and still waters: how to experience Lake Maggiore privately, calmly and at your own pace.
Lake Maggiore lies between the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy and the Swiss canton of Ticino – just a few hours from Milan. Anyone who sees this lake from the water for the first time immediately understands why travellers have been returning for centuries: 65 kilometres of alpine scenery, subtropical gardens, rock monasteries and islands that look like something out of a painting. Yet most visitors only experience a fraction of it.
The typical Lake Maggiore visit consists of a crowded promenade in Stresa, a hectic ferry ticket and a quick photo stop on Isola Bella – among hundreds of other tourists. And yet the lake offers so much more:
If you really want to experience Lake Maggiore, you need a different perspective – the perspective from the water, calmly, at your own pace.
That is exactly what the Striga Constanze is for: private, skippered boat experiences on a traditional gaff cutter (9.20 m hull plus 3 m bowsprit), exclusively for you and your guests – up to 12 people, departing from Laveno-Mombello. No loudspeakers, no rigid timetables, no crowds. Instead: wind, water and the most beautiful places on the lake, told by a skipper who knows them like the back of his hand.
This article gives you concrete ideas, practical tips and inspiring examples for your very own Experience Lake Maggiore – not just a list of tours, but a real guide to unforgettable moments on the water.
Many visitors literally spend their Lake Maggiore holiday on the sidelines:
The true potential of this lake remains hidden.
The reasons are always the same:
Superficial sightseeing replaces what makes a real experience – immersing instead of ticking boxes.
An authentic Lake Maggiore experience means: experiencing the lake from the water, calmly and flexibly. Stopping where it's beautiful. Swimming in a sheltered bay no guidebook mentions. Hearing the story of a 600-year-old monastery as it slowly emerges from the rock. Or simply gliding silently over mirror-smooth water while the mountains glow in the evening light.
The Striga Constanze is the answer to everything missing from a conventional Lake Maggiore visit: a private charter on a ship with character, individual routes, a historic atmosphere instead of an anonymous ferry – and a skipper who doesn't just navigate, but tells stories, makes recommendations and responds to your wishes.
Matching tours
Bestseller€490
Private tour
Proposal€490
Private tour
Beginners€490
+ €20 p. p.Private tour
In 5 steps
The process is deliberately kept simple and relaxed – so you can focus on what matters: the lake, the light and the people you are with.
Simply send a WhatsApp message to +39 333 3802 383 or use the online contact form. The 2027 season is already open for booking – starting 1 March, with tours into late autumn. Enquiries are usually answered within 24 hours, including a first route proposal tailored to your interests: family, romance, adventure or meditation.
Based on your wishes, a tailor-made tour is put together. The Borromean Islands offer timeless charm – but perhaps you are drawn more to Santa Caterina del Sasso, the Cannero castles or a quiet swim stop in a hidden bay. Here are some examples:
A restaurant stop on land, cooking workshops that promote teamwork and communication, or longer meditation phases can also be planned – for example on a 7-hour private retreat.
In the port of Laveno-Mombello, the boat is just a few minutes' walk from the station or car park. After a welcome on board comes a short safety briefing and an introduction to the ship: shaded deck, cushions, toilet, cool box – everything you need for a relaxed day. Depending on wind and weather, you set off under sail or with a quiet engine. There are about 10 sailing boats between 8 and 12 metres on the lake – the Striga Constanze with her striking red gaff sail is one of the most eye-catching.
No rush: you decide whether the focus is on stories, photography, swimming or meditation.
The typical highlights are woven naturally into the day:
The way back in the evening glow or afternoon sun is deliberately unhurried. Sunsets with music are a relaxing activity – on the Striga Constanze you experience them with a view of the Alps. Last photos, last questions about the region and its history, and the feeling of having truly experienced Lake Maggiore. Many guests call this tour the highlight of their entire holiday in Italy.
Most alternatives on the lake rely on volume. We rely on moments.
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
Most viewed
Bestseller€490
Private tourBestseller€490
Private tour
Bestseller€490
Private tour
The following scenarios are not rigid packages but inspiration. Every tour is tailored individually – you decide what suits you.
Departure at 8:00 from Laveno, when the lake is often still mirror-smooth and the light is soft and golden. The 3–4-hour tour heads towards Leggiuno, where the rock monastery of Santa Caterina del Sasso slowly emerges from the rock – founded by Alberto Besozzi, a wealthy merchant who lived as a hermit after a storm. From the water you can see the frescoes that accumulated over the centuries from the 13th to the 17th century. In 1914 the monastery was declared a national monument.
Optional: a short meditation or mindfulness exercise on board, coffee, tea and a light breakfast. The perfect start to a day on Lake Maggiore.
3–4 hours from the golden hour until after sunset – the most romantic way to experience the lake. The route runs along the Borromean Islands, past Stresa and Baveno, whose illuminated promenades look like a sea of lights at dusk. Prosecco, champagne or a non-alcoholic aperitivo on board, with soft music on request.
Perfect for a marriage proposal: the skipper discreetly helps with the staging – from hiding the ring on board to the agreed moment under the stars.
An approx. 3-hour adventure tour for children aged about 4–10. At its heart: the story of the pirate brothers Mazzarditi, who built the Cannero castles around 1403 and terrorised northern Lake Maggiore until Duke Filippo Maria Visconti had them destroyed in 1414. The children search for clues with binoculars and a treasure map while hearing legends of hermits and castles.
Plus a safe swim stop with life jackets for the little ones – and anecdotes that entertain adults too, without being cheesy.
3–7 hours for teams of up to 12 people from VB, Switzerland or all over Italy. The first exit game on the water on Lake Maggiore: eight runes, a logbook and "Beppe", the cheeky parrot of the pirate brothers, guide you through puzzles, sightseeing and aperitivo. A team-building experience that combines scenery with puzzle fun.
Optional stop at a lakeside restaurant or in the charming lakeside town of Cannobio, known for its car-free promenade and traditional market.
3–7-hour retreats with a clear phone break. Guided breathing exercises, body scan, fantasy journeys and a mindfully designed tea ceremony on board. Wellness experiences are available on Lake Maggiore – but nowhere as immediate as on a sailing ship in the middle of the lake. Focus on silence, sounds of nature, wide views of mountains and water. Ideal for individuals, couples or small groups looking for a different kind of activity.
The Striga Constanze is for everyone who wants not just to see the lake, but to feel it:
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
Our prices are transparent and fair: a fixed price per tour for your entire private group – not per person. That way you know exactly what to expect.
Results speak louder than promises.
"A magical morning. The lake was mirror-smooth, the light was dreamlike – and when the monastery suddenly appeared out of the rock, we were simply speechless. We are happy to recommend it! Thank you!"
Julia & Marc W., May 2025
"The children are still talking about the pirates and the treasure hunt weeks later. We all had the greatest fun together – and on a beautiful boat. The highlight of our holiday on Lake Maggiore."
The B. family, summer 2025
"The best team event we have ever had. The exit game on the water thrilled everyone – from the puzzles to the aperitivo. Our colleagues are still raving about it."
Marketing team of a Swiss company, September 2025
Private · Skipper included · Free rebooking in bad weather
No-obligation enquiry, reply within 24 hours. Weekends in the 2027 season go fast.
The season typically runs from March to October. In spring you experience blooming gardens – the botanical garden of Villa Taranto covers 16 hectares and is home to more than 20,000 plant species. Summer brings swimming weather, and in autumn you enjoy a calmer atmosphere and warm light. Particularly recommended: May, June and September – fewer crowds, pleasant temperatures and ideal conditions for relaxed activities on the water.
Season 2027
If you want not just to see Lake Maggiore but truly experience it – with the wind in your hair, stories in your ears and a panorama no photo can capture – then the next step is very simple.
Send us a WhatsApp message to +39 333 3802 383 or make a no-obligation enquiry via the contact form. We usually get back to you within 24 hours with a route proposal that suits you perfectly.
Dates for the 2027 season are already open – and the most popular slots for sunsets, weekends and special occasions are usually snapped up quickly. Booking early pays off.
No hidden costs. No obligation. Just an experience that lasts.
Skipper of the Striga Constanze
Ciao! Questions about the route, departure harbour or date? Just message me – I reply personally.
