Rock monastery, castle, viewpoints and quiet bays between Laveno and Sesto Calende – with admission prices, opening times and insider tips from the water.
The east shore of Lake Maggiore belongs to Lombardy and is more unspoilt and quieter than the west shore. Between Laveno-Mombello in the north and Sesto Calende in the south, rock monasteries, medieval castles, quiet bays and viewpoint summits line up one after another. If you're looking for the top sights on this side of the lake, you'll find everything bundled here: places, admission prices, visiting times and insider tips from the water.
We at Striga Constanze are out on the lake with our gaff cutter every day and know the most beautiful corners from the water. This page replaces planning chaos with a clear, tried-and-tested overview.
The Lombard side of Lake Maggiore has a different mood from the Piedmontese west shore with its villa promenades and grand hotels. Here small villages, Romanesque chapels, nature and open stretches of shore dominate. The region offers a mix of spectacular nature and cultural-historical treasures.
The problem: most guidebooks focus on Stresa, Baveno and the Borromean Islands. Information about the east shore is often scattered across Italian-language local sites. What's really worth it? Where are the quiet swimming bays? Which sights can be combined in one day?
This article sorts the most important destinations by place and type of experience: views, culture, family, water. Each section contains practical details and notes on what is especially easy to reach by boat. The east shore runs from Sesto Calende in the south to the Swiss border at Zenna in the north; this article focuses on the stretch with the highest density of destinations.
Whether day-tripper, family with children, couple or active holidaymaker: everyone will find the right experiences here.
Matching tours
Bestseller€490
Private tour
Proposal€490
Private tour
Beginners€490
+ €20 p. p.Private tourThe east shore of Lake Maggiore has less mass tourism than the west shore. Where coach groups fill the promenade over in Stresa, here in Cerro or Reno di Leggiuno you often sit alone on the pebble beach. This side of the lake offers lively promenades and quiet shore paths side by side.
Places like Laveno-Mombello, Cerro, Reno di Leggiuno and Arolo welcome visitors without queues or souvenir-shop chains. Even in high season, the east shore offers narrow shore paths, small harbours and cafés without crowds. Maccagno further north is ideal for those seeking peace and nature lovers.
From the water, even better-known sights such as the Eremo di Santa Caterina del Sasso are more stress-free than by land: no parking problems, no climbing stairs through groups.
On the east shore, mountains and lake lie close together. Sasso del Ferro offers a 360-degree panorama over Lake Maggiore, the Alps as far as the Monte Rosa massif and, on clear days, the silhouette of the Po Plain. The cable car takes visitors up to around 1,062 metres in 18 minutes.
The contrast is the appeal: in the morning the mountain panorama from above, in the afternoon the perspective from the water with a view of the Borromean Islands and the west-shore villas.
The Eremo di Santa Caterina del Sasso is a historic rock monastery that clings to a cliff 16 metres above the lakeshore. The complex consists of three chapels built between the late 12th and the 19th century. In 1914 it was declared a national monument.
Further Romanesque churches and oratories are scattered along the shore and fit perfectly into a boat tour: a short shore visit, sightseeing, a photo stop, on to the next place.
The east shore appeals to families, couples and travellers who prefer to be spontaneous and flexible rather than part of an organised crowd. Short distances between places, a good mix of swimming, hiking and strolling; plus the option of linking several sights by boat in one day, without hunting for parking or driving stress.
From north to south
The following structure leads from Laveno-Mombello in the north via the monasteries and bays of the middle lake to Sesto Calende at the southern end. That makes it easy to plan a trip along the east shore as a route.
Laveno-Mombello is an important transport hub on the east shore: a railway station with connections towards Milan and Luino, and a ferry port with Lake Maggiore's only car ferry to Verbania-Intra. The promenade offers cafés, passenger ferries and an open view of Verbania Pallanza and the Alps.
The main attraction: the Funivia Laveno up Sasso del Ferro. The cabins are two-seaters, open or closed depending on the weather. A single ride costs approx. €8.50, a return approx. €12.00. In the main season (30 May to 14 September) the cable car runs on weekdays from 11:00 to 21:00, at weekends from 10:00. At the top await a panorama terrace, hiking trails and paragliding launch sites.
Laveno-Mombello is also the home port of the Striga Constanze. The combination is obvious: a boat tour in the morning, the cable car in the afternoon, or vice versa.
Cerro is a small fishing village on a headland, a few minutes' walk from Laveno. It has a narrow promenade, small beach sections and colourful houses. The historic link to the ceramics industry goes back to the former Società Ceramica Italiana; today the village hosts design exhibitions and crafts.
The view from the jetty at sunset over Verbania and Isola Madre is one of the most beautiful on the whole lake. Cerro is a bay we like to head for on our tours: a swim break, an aperitivo stop, then onwards.
The hermitage sits on a rock near Leggiuno overlooking the Borromean Gulf and the Borromean Islands. In the late 12th century the merchant Alberto Besozzi survived a storm on the lake and then had a chapel built. Over the centuries the site grew into a complex of three chapels with frescoes from several eras.
Practical details: admission costs €5.00, reduced €3.00. Between 16 March and 14 October it is open daily from 9:30 to 19:30. A lift covers about 51 metres of height difference from the car park (lift: €1.00; free for visitors with reduced mobility).
Recommendation: come early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid coach groups. The approach by boat is especially atmospheric; you see the whole complex from below before you moor.
South of Santa Caterina lie these tranquil places with pebble beaches and shallow water. Ideal for families with children: manageable, shady spots under trees, a combination of sightseeing and swimming in one day.
From the boat you reach small bays that are barely accessible from land. On our 4- and 7-hour tours, Reno and Arolo are popular anchorages for swim stops.
The Rocca di Angera is a medieval landmark on a rock on the southern shore. The castle dates back to the 11th century; since 1449 it has belonged to the Borromeo family. Inside are historic halls with Visconti frescoes, the Sala della Giustizia, and the Doll and Toy Museum with over 1,400 dolls of wax, wood and porcelain, founded in 1988 by Princess Bona Borromeo Arese.
The gardens cover around 2,000 m² with vineyards and defensive walls above the lake. The view from the walls stretches across southern Lake Maggiore to Arona.
Angera itself is worth a stroll: old-town lanes, lakeside cafés, and the Museo Diffuso with over 50 open-air sites, including chapels, viewpoints and paths through the Capronno and Barzola districts. In the bay off Angera lies the Isolino Partegora, a tiny island that makes a good photo stop from the boat.
Sesto Calende is the southernmost important town on Lake Maggiore, where the Ticino flows out of the lake. The town has a river promenade, churches and archaeological traces: the local museum displays finds from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages, including artefacts of the Golasecca culture.
Cycle paths along the Ticino lead into the Parco del Ticino. For travellers from Switzerland or Germany, Sesto Calende is close to the A8/A26 motorway junction, not far from Castelletto sopra Ticino.
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
If you're short on time, here are the five sights that make a visit to the east shore.
The most spectacular view on the east shore. A ride in open two-seater cabins up to 1,062 metres, with a mountain restaurant at the top and the start of easy hikes. The Giro de Sole circular trail is 4.8 kilometres long. Suitable for couples, photographers and families.
An iconic photo spot: a rock monastery above the lake, a mix of natural drama and spirituality. A monastery visit with a view of the west shore and the Borromean Islands. By boat: an unobstructed view of the whole complex, no hunting for parking.
Harbour flair, promenade, ceramics history, an authentic everyday town. Market, gelato at the harbour, a short walk to Cerro. Combo tip: promenade in the morning, boat tour or cable car in the afternoon.
Medieval atmosphere on the southern shore. Interiors with frescoes, gardens, doll museum. Children experience the castle and the collection of 1,400 dolls as a journey through time. In clear weather the view from the walls is a panorama reaching the hills above Arona.
Swimming spots with pebble bottoms, picnic areas, less bustle than in big resorts. Swimming, paddling, sunbathing. By boat you reach bays that are hard to access from land.
Three ways lead to the sights on the east shore: car, public transport and boat. The choice depends on how many places you want to see in a day and how flexible you want to stay.
The Strada Statale 394 and the shore roads are winding but well built. Car parks at hotspots like Laveno, Santa Caterina and Angera exist but are limited in high season. Arriving early or combining with a boat tour reduces parking stress.
Laveno-Mombello can be reached by train from the direction of Milan and Luino. The Laveno–Verbania-Intra car ferry is the only car ferry on Lake Maggiore. Scheduled boats of Navigazione Lago Maggiore serve several east-shore stops and are a sensible option for trips without a car. The Lago Maggiore Express combines train and boat travel into a round trip. More: Lake Maggiore ferries & timetable.
All the important east-shore sights can be combined in 3 to 7 hours: no parking, no changing, no timetable. The Striga Constanze is a traditional gaff cutter with its home port in Laveno-Mombello. Every tour is a private tour with skipper for your own group.
Three examples:
Up to 8 guests at a fixed price, up to 12 on request. On that day the boat belongs exclusively to your group.
Instead of only looking at the sights from the promenade, you experience them from the perspective they were built for: from the lake.
Santa Caterina del Sasso shows its most impressive side when you lie right in front of it on the water. The gaff cutter becomes a photo platform below the monastery walls. Rock and shore sections near Reno and Arolo can be experienced up close without overcrowding public swimming areas. No barriers, no crowded viewing balconies; a clear line of sight to monastery, Alps and sunset.
No fixed timetables, no crowding on deck. The skipper responds to guests' wishes: staying longer at Santa Caterina, a spontaneous swim stop in a quiet bay, a detour to a stretch of shore invisible from land. The contrast with mass boats is concrete: 8 guests instead of 200, an individual route instead of a fixed circuit.
The Striga Constanze was built in 1979 at the Baumgartner yard as a faithful replica of a northern European working boat. 9.20 metres hull length, 55.7 m² of red gaff sails, a quiet inboard diesel as backup. The sound of wind and water suits the historic backdrop of monasteries and castles better than any outboard engine. Mooring in front of Santa Caterina or in a quiet bay near Arolo feels like a journey through time.
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
Most viewed
Bestseller€490
Private tourBestseller€490
Private tour
Popular€490
+ €20 p. p.Private tourThe east shore can meet many expectations if you choose the right route.
Recommended spots: evening atmosphere at Laveno harbour, the sunset view from Sasso del Ferro, Santa Caterina in golden light. Striga Constanze offers sunset marriage-proposal tours and honeymoon highlights. A candlelight meditation on the lake combines the landscape with slowing down.
Small beaches at Reno and Arolo, the promenade in Cerro and the castle experience of the Rocca di Angera with its doll collection are great for kids. The family pirate tour on the Striga Constanze combines sightseeing with the exit game "The Treasure of the Mazzarditi": solving puzzles while castle ruins and islands drift by.
There are more family activities nearby: the Alpine Coaster is 1,200 metres long, and children from age four can ride. Aquadventure Park has three different pools. The Space leisure centre offers a trampoline park. The Gottard Park open-air museum shows mechanical marvels. In Stresa, the little tourist train tour takes 25 to 30 minutes. More tips: Lake Maggiore with kids.
Hiking options: Sasso del Ferro, high trails above Laveno, river paths near Sesto Calende. Valcuvia and Valtravaglia are quiet valleys behind the east shore, ideal for day trips into the mountains. Luino is known for its large Wednesday market. Lake Maggiore has subtropical gardens and historic places that combine well with relaxed breaks on the promenade.
Striga Constanze offers digital detox day tours (7 hours, from €990 + €20 per person), meditation cruises and multi-day cruises focusing on the east shore.
No-obligation enquiry, reply within 24 hours. Weekends in the 2027 season go fast.
One day is enough for the core experiences: Laveno, the cable car, a short boat tour or Santa Caterina. For the main highlights including Angera, beaches and a full boat day, plan 2 to 3 days. With a private boat you can combine 3 to 5 sights in a single day that would each require a separate drive by car.
Season 2027
The east shore of Lake Maggiore combines a rock monastery, viewpoint summits, quiet bays and authentic places along a manageable stretch. The Borromean Islands are popular destinations on Lake Maggiore, but the east shore offers the quieter, more personal version of a lake holiday.
A good plan for the first day:
Want to plan an individual route along the east-shore sights? Write to us without obligation via the contact form or on WhatsApp. Reply usually within 24 hours.
Skipper of the Striga Constanze
Ciao! Questions about the route, departure harbour or date? Just message me – I reply personally.
