Beaches, accommodation, trips for every age, rainy days and boat tours – the practical family guide to Lake Maggiore.
Family holiday
Overcrowded beaches in high summer, hectic day trips with whining kids in the car, a to-do list longer than Verbania's lakeside promenade: that's how many families imagine Lake Maggiore. Reality looks different. Lake Maggiore is a fantastic destination for families because it brings together, in a small area, everything children and parents need: shallow shores for splashing, short distances between towns, a mild climate from May and plenty of nature without the crowds.
This article gives you concrete tips for a family holiday on Lake Maggiore: child-friendly beaches, activities for hot and rainy days, destinations for every age and information on boat tours on the lake. As a provider of private boat tours with the Striga Constanze, we know the lake from daily experience and know what really helps families.
This is what makes the region a reliable family destination:
Matching tours
Bestseller€490
Private tour
Proposal€490
Private tour
Beginners€490
+ €20 p. p.Private tourIn 3 steps
Whether you're travelling with a baby, a toddler, a school child or a teenager: the following steps help you plan the trip so that it fits your everyday life rather than replacing it.
When you go determines more than the weather. It affects prices, waiting times at ferries and whether you'll find space on the beach.
Protection from mosquitoes and sun: Tiger mosquitoes are active from late spring, especially in the afternoon and evening. Pack mosquito spray, dress the kids in light long clothing in the evening and check whether your accommodation has mosquito nets. By the water: UV clothing, sun hat, high-SPF sunscreen.
Most travellers come to Lake Maggiore by car. Travelling by car allows flexible breaks, which is worth its weight in gold with children.
By car: The main route from Germany is via Zurich and the Gotthard. The route via Zurich requires an annual vignette (approx. CHF 40). A vignette is also required to use the motorways in Austria. Expect long queues before the Alpine tunnels, especially at the start of school holidays. Tip: set off early in the morning or in the evening, when the kids are asleep.
By train and hire car: Destination stations Locarno, Domodossola or Verbania-Pallanza, then onward by hire car, bus or ferry. More relaxed than driving, but luggage with a pram and suitcases is a logistical challenge.
By plane: Milan Malpensa is about 30 to 60 minutes from the lake. Worth it for long journeys or if you want to avoid crossing the Alps.
By motorhome or caravan: Many campsites on the lake accept motorhomes and offer electricity and water hook-ups. Book early in the holidays; popular sites like Camping Village Lago Maggiore (with a newly renovated playground) or Lago Camp fill up quickly.
What works for a family with a baby rarely suits teenagers. Here are the three main options:
Camping and glamping suit families who want to be close to nature and stay flexible. Typical facilities: pool, playground, kids' club, gentle beach access. Camping Isolino has a sandy beach and a pool area. Lago Camp has a particularly child-friendly beach, two new playgrounds and a playroom. Campofelice Camping Village in Tenero offers 400 m of private beach, several pools and a kids' club; children under 4 stay free. Camping on Lake Maggiore does have downsides, though: in high season it can get noisy and privacy is limited.
Holiday flats or houses offer your own kitchen, separate bedrooms and often a washing machine. Look for: proximity to the lake, balcony or garden, parking, cot and high chair, mosquito screens on the windows.
Family hotels are worthwhile for short stays or if you don't fancy self-catering. Albergo Losone offers a petting zoo and heated pools. La Campagnola has a new Wild West playground and three pools. Typical services: kids' pool, playroom, babysitter, kids' buffet.
Checklist for choosing accommodation:
By the lake
The swimming season on Lake Maggiore runs from Whitsun into October. Water quality is excellent in many places. Cannero Riviera has an excellent beach with a Blue Flag, the international seal for water quality and safety. Ascona offers a 600-metre child-friendly beach. Verbania has small, clean sandy beaches. The Lido Locarno offers extensive pebble areas with shallow shore zones.
If you're travelling with small children, you should know Lake Mergozzo: calm water, no motorboats, gentle entry.
Practical notes: some pools require swimming caps. Water shoes protect children's feet on the pebble beaches. UV clothing makes more sense than constant reapplying of sunscreen.
The promenades on Lake Maggiore are flat and wide, ideal for buggies, balance bikes or scooters. In Cannobio you can combine a walk with the Sunday market. The lakeside promenade in Verbania/Suna passes ice-cream parlours and small parks. In Ascona and Locarno you can stroll along the promenade while the kids scoot ahead.
Playgrounds are typically found near the lidos, in parks and at harbours. For small children they're a reliable anchor in the day. A simple evening ritual: get an ice cream, a quick visit to the playground, sunset by the lake.
On the lake
Children love boat trips to the Borromean Islands. The change of perspective from shore to water, the breeze, the waves, herons on the shore: a boat tour can be the most relaxed day of the whole holiday, because the kids keep busy on board and parents can unwind.
Using public ferries with kids
Navigazione Lago Maggiore connects the towns around the lake. For families, a day ticket that lets you hop on and off as you like is worthwhile. A classic family route: Stresa – Isola Bella (visit Isola Bella with its large palace and terraced gardens) – Isola dei Pescatori – Isola Madre – Verbania.
Practical tips: prams fit on board, look for shady seats on the upper deck, bring snacks and water. Check the last return trip in advance, especially in the low season. More in our timetable article.
Striga Constanze
This section presents our own tours with the Striga Constanze. Not as an advert, but as a concrete option for families who want to experience the lake away from the ferry routes.
The Striga Constanze is a traditional gaff cutter, built in 1979, 9.20 m hull length plus 3 m bowsprit. What makes it child-friendly: lots of deck space for bags, changing bag and buggy; a low cruising speed of approx. 6 knots; a calm GRP/wooden hull; life jackets on board; personal attention from the skipper.
Typical family tours:
All tours are at a fixed price for the whole group: from €490 for up to 8 guests, up to 12 on request. No per-person costs, all children included. The home port is Laveno-Mombello; departures from Brebbia, Feriolo, Cannero or Cannobio are also possible on request. In bad weather you rebook free of charge.
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
Exit game
"The Treasure of the Mazzarditi" is an exit game on the water that combines sightseeing with puzzle fun. As castle ruins, islands and hermitages drift past on the shore, the family solves puzzles together. The game is led by Beppe, the cheeky parrot of the Mazzarditi pirate brothers. At the end the group opens the treasure chest.
The exit game is especially suited to school-age children but also engages teenagers who like tricky challenges. Younger siblings help search and discover. Surcharge: €20 per person for materials and a souvenir. Bookable for all three tour durations (3, 4 or 7 hours). For the little ones there's also the family pirate tour.
Not every day needs a full programme. One highlight a day is enough; spend the rest by the water, at the campsite or eating ice cream. Here are the best destinations by category.
Families can enjoy animals and botanical gardens at Parco Pallavicino. The park is near Stresa and has old trees, play areas and picnic spots. Children watch llamas, zebras and flamingos up close.
Isola Madre has a botanical garden with free-roaming peacocks, white pheasants and exotic parrots. The atmosphere is quieter than on Isola Bella; a good choice for small children.
Safari Park Pombia is an animal park you can partly drive through by car. There's also an amusement area with rides. Allow half a day to a full day; book tickets in advance in high season.
Wonderwood on Monte Carza offers adventure and climbing trails for children from 3 years. The courses run through the treetops with views over the lake.
The Alpyland summer toboggan run on Monte Mottarone lets kids control their own speed. The Alpine Coaster at Alpyland is 1,200 metres long. Adrenaline for older kids, fun for the whole family. Mottarone also offers great viewpoints.
The Monte Tamaro adventure park has a high-ropes course and is easily reached from southern Switzerland. Gottard Park has 30,000 square metres of park area with attractions for different age groups.
Pay attention to age and height restrictions on ziplines and toboggan runs. And: check the weather before setting off. Have a backup activity ready in case of a thunderstorm warning.
Even hike-averse kids can be motivated when a panoramic view and then an ice-cream break await at the end.
Pack good shoes, water, snacks and mosquito repellent. Start early in the day before the heat sets in.
Most viewed
Bestseller€490
Private tourBestseller€490
Private tour
Team event€490
Private tourShort walks along the shore, playground in the morning, a shallow beach early in the day, a short market visit. A 3-hour tour with the Striga Constanze (e.g. the Santa Caterina family tour) works well because there's no tight schedule and the skipper responds flexibly.
Daily structure: plan a midday rest (choose accommodation near the lake), look for shady spots on the shore in the afternoon, early dinner. Equipment: buggy or carrier, sun protection, first-aid kit, mosquito repellent.
The right mix: adventure park in the morning, lake and ice cream in the afternoon, a promenade stroll in the evening. Easy hikes, animal parks, the exit game on the boat, snorkelling in quiet bays or a town tour of Stresa easily fill a week.
Let the kids choose 2 to 3 dream destinations and deliberately keep the rest of the holiday free. The Centovalli railway is a popular train ride through valleys and over bridges; for school children an experience they'll remember for a long time.
Water activities on Lake Maggiore include stand-up paddling and swimming pools. Add more demanding hikes, bike rides and adrenaline activities like the zipline near Aurano. A city trip to Milan or Locarno adds variety.
A private boat tour appeals to teenagers when they can jump from the deck into the water, there's music on board and cool photos get taken. The Aquadventure Park in Baveno offers three different pools, slides and attractions that also appeal to older kids.
Tip: plan enough Wi-Fi time and involve teenagers in choosing restaurants and activities.
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
Rainy days
Rain and thunderstorms are part of Lake Maggiore, especially on summer afternoons. The holiday carries on regardless.
Indoor ideas:
During thunderstorms: secure awnings and tents well. If you've booked a boat tour and the weather doesn't cooperate: with the Striga Constanze, rebooking is free.
Idea for a stay-in day: play games, cook Italian together (kids love kneading pizza dough), use a break in the rain for a short walk in wellies.
The contrast to overcrowded ferries and noisy motorboat cruises is noticeable as soon as you're on board.
The whole boat belongs only to your family or group. Kids can be loud, take breaks, ask questions, marvel. No strangers watching, no time pressure.
Approx. 6 knots cruising speed under the red gaff sails. No engine noise, no shaking. Kids observe, parents switch off.
Route and pace adapt to how everyone is feeling that day. A longer swim stop, a shorter island visit, a spontaneous ice-cream break on land: everything is possible.
Skipper on board, life jackets, a sturdy GRP/wooden hull, room for the changing bag and buggy.
Santa Caterina family tour, family pirate tour, family dream journey, family exit game and meditation for families and children.
Book via the contact form or WhatsApp (+39 333 3802 383). Replies usually within 24 hours. Enquiries are without obligation.
Transparent prices help with budgeting. All tours are private tours at a fixed price for the whole group, including skipper.
Up to 8 guests at a fixed price, up to 12 on request.
Which duration suits which age? With babies and toddlers: 3 hours. With school children: 4 hours. With teenagers: the 7-hour tour too, if swim stops and shore visits are planned.
No-obligation enquiry, reply within 24 hours. Weekends in the 2027 season go fast.
Here are the most common questions families ask us before and after booking.
Yes. Shallow beaches like Cannero Riviera (Blue Flag), playgrounds on almost every promenade, weekly markets with tastings, animal parks like Parco Pallavicino and short distances between towns make the area one of the most family-friendly destinations in northern Italy.
Next step
Lake Maggiore gives families what many other destinations promise but don't deliver: nature, water and relaxed days without programme pressure. Choose 2 to 3 anchor experiences (islands, safari park, a day on the boat) and deliberately leave free days in between. It's exactly this balance of experiences and relaxation that makes the difference between a holiday and stress.
If you'd like a special day on the water for your family, you can enquire without obligation via WhatsApp or the contact form about a private gaff cutter tour for the 2027 season. Authentic. Unforgettable.
Skipper of the Striga Constanze
Ciao! Questions about the route, departure harbour or date? Just message me – I reply personally.
