Just message us on WhatsApp – we'll reserve your date for 2027.
Instead of a crowded ferry: a private gaff cutter just for your group – with skipper, individual route and fixed price from €490.
Lake Maggiore boat
A private boat tour on Lake Maggiore begins where scheduled ferries and noisy motorboats end: with you. Instead of sharing a seat on a crowded excursion steamer, you board a traditional gaff cutter in Laveno-Mombello – the Striga Constanze – and have the whole boat with skipper for your group. No strangers on board, no rigid timetable, no loudspeaker announcements.
Lake Maggiore covers about 212 square kilometres and is 65 km long. Experiencing this lake from the water is fundamentally different from seeing it from the shore. You choose the route – to the Borromean Islands with their historic palaces and gardens, to the hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso, a spectacular sight, or to a hidden bay for swimming. Every trip becomes a consciously shaped experience that belongs to you – not to a ferry company's schedule.
You may know the feeling: your holiday on Lake Maggiore is booked, the anticipation is high – and then you're standing at the harbour in Stresa or Verbania among hundreds of other tourists, waiting for a ferry and hoping for a seat with a view. The ferries connect the larger towns and islands on Lake Maggiore, but they don't offer privacy, flexibility or calm.
This is where the Striga Constanze comes in. The traditional gaff cutter with red gaff sails and a quiet inboard diesel is the opposite of an anonymous excursion boat. Whether couples looking for a romantic sunset cruise, families with children, friends on a shared holiday day or companies team building – every tour belongs exclusively to one group. The skipper navigates, plans and advises. You enjoy the lake, the light, the atmosphere.
The promise: more relaxed, more personal, quieter and more atmospheric than any standard motorboat tour. Private boat tours offer flexibility and exclusive experiences – and that's exactly the difference between "just heading out" and a day you'll remember.
Matching tours
Bestseller€490
Private tour
Proposal€490
Private tour
Beginners€490
+ €20 p. p.Private tourMost offers on the lake are made for the masses. The Striga Constanze solves the typical problems – rigid routes, noise, lack of privacy – with a clear concept:
The gaff cutter departs exclusively from Laveno-Mombello, no strangers on board. Up to 8 guests at a fixed price, up to 12 on request.
Built in 1979 at the Baumgartner yard as a replica of a Northern European working boat. Red gaff sails, 55.7 m² of sail area, lots of wood and maritime character. We sail throughout the season from 1 March. More on sailing on Lake Maggiore.
Clear prices from €490 for the whole group on a 3-hour tour. No small print, no hidden costs.
Popular destinations include the Borromean Islands and the monastery of Santa Caterina del Sasso. But the Castelli di Cannero, Stresa, Pallanza or Cerro can also be combined as you wish.
An experienced skipper handles navigation, mooring and safety. Guests need no licence, no nautical experience, no preparation.
Free rebooking in bad weather. A spontaneous swim stop or photo break is possible at any time. Strong winds can occur on Lake Maggiore – the skipper decides when to use the sails and when the quiet diesel.
In 3 steps
From the first enquiry to the return to harbour – three steps to your day on the lake.
Signing up is easy: send a message via the contact form or WhatsApp to +39 333 3802 383. Simply give your preferred date (from 1 March 2027), the desired duration (3, 4 or 7 hours), number of people and any special wishes – for example a marriage proposal, family outing or meditation.
The enquiry is non-binding. You'll usually receive a reply within 24 hours with all information about availability and the process. Only after your confirmation is the date firmly reserved.
Laveno-Mombello lies on the east shore of the lake and is easy to reach: by train from Milan, by car or via the car ferry between Intra and Laveno, which runs regularly. Airports such as Malpensa are also well connected to Lake Maggiore.
The skipper welcomes you personally at the harbour. A short briefing follows: safety on board, storage, WC, seating and lounging areas, how to behave when swimming. Route and stops are agreed together once more – Santa Caterina del Sasso, the Borromean Islands or a quiet bay for swimming. Then off you go: the red sails are set, the engine hums quietly, and the shores of Laveno slowly glide past.
As soon as the Striga Constanze leaves the harbour, your day begins. Lakeside towns like Stresa, Pallanza or Cannero drift by. You pass the Borromean Islands – Isola Bella with its palace and famous gardens, Isola dei Pescatori as a charming fishing village. Off Santa Caterina del Sasso, the hermitage in the rock face, the skipper stops for a shore visit on request.
In between: swimming from the boat, aperitivo on board, a photo break with views of mountains and lake. On a 7-hour tour there's time for a restaurant visit ashore – in the lanes of Cannobio or on the promenade of Stresa. On request the skipper tells stories about the lake, the villas on the shore and the history of the region.
At the end of the day you return relaxed to the harbour. If you like, you can discuss your next tour or a multi-day cruise right there.
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
Lake Maggiore offers various ways to explore from the water – from public ferries to boat rental to private charters. The Striga Constanze stands out not through more features but through a different way of experiencing the lake:
Instead of talking abstractly about "possibilities", here are three concrete scenarios – each bookable as described:
Most viewed
Bestseller€490
Private tourBestseller€490
Private tour
Bestseller€490
Private tour
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
Not "for everyone". But for people with a concrete interest in a special day on the water:
A proposal on the lake, a honeymoon highlight, an intimate wedding celebration on board. For everyone who doesn't want to experience romance from a tourist boat.
Family pirate tour, family trip to Santa Caterina with swim stop, a safe environment on the stable gaff cutter.
A shared holiday day, an aperitivo tour, a day tour with a restaurant stop on the shore at one of the restaurants along the coasts.
Team building on the boat, a small offsite meeting, an incentive trip on Lake Maggiore. Italy, Switzerland or Germany as the country of departure – the lake lies at the heart of Europe.
Guided meditation, tea ceremony, digital detox day. Paradise for everyone who wants to find calm outdoors.
An individual boat tour from the lake port as a personal shore programme instead of large excursion packages.
Transparency instead of surprises: every price is a fixed price for the entire group, skipper included. No per-person calculation.
3-hour tour – compact highlights from €490
4-hour tour – popular standard from €690
7-hour tour – a whole day on the lake from €990
Note on extras: The exit game "The Treasure of the Mazzarditi" and meditation tours each cost a €20 surcharge per person (materials & souvenir or guidance & tea). Wedding celebration on board from €690.
No-obligation enquiry, reply within 24 hours. Weekends in the 2027 season go fast.
Season, weather, licence, children, capacity and booking – answered briefly.
Season 2027
The 2027 season starts on 1 March. Popular dates – especially summer weekends and sunset tours – go early. Secure your preferred date now.
Once more at a glance:
The enquiry is non-binding and is usually answered within 24 hours. No shopping cart needed – just write, name your preferred date, done.
Skipper of the Striga Constanze
Ciao! Questions about the route, departure harbour or date? Just message me – I reply personally.
