In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Take the train to Stresa: 59 minutes from Milano Centrale by EuroCity (from €20.00) or 1 hour 11 minutes by regional (from €8.60). Boats to Isola Bella are €4.00 one way; the palace and garden are €27, Isola Madre €23, both islands €40. A day on Isola Bella costs about €52 with the regional train. The palaces and gardens close for the year on 8 November 2026, and from 25 October the last entrance is 16:00. Do not buy a return with stops: it is not allowed, and the day ticket is €19.50. Or book a boat: the Stresa hop-on hop-off boatad is from €12, and the three Borromean Islands boat tourad from €15 (GetYourGuide).
Getting there
59 minutes to 1 hour 11 minutes · Stresa · from €8.60
| Route | Times | Journey | Fare from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milano Centrale to Stresa, EuroCity | 08:10 | 59 minutes | €20.00 |
| Milano Centrale to Stresa, Trenord regional | 08:25 | 1 hour 11 minutes | €8.60 |
The regional continues to Domodossola. Stresa’s landing is a short walk from the station. A regional ticket needs no seat reservation, and the EuroCity fare includes any reservation. Rail strikes are announced at short notice, and Milan public transport has the dated days.
Tours
Lake Maggiore is a train-and-boat day, and the boat listings from Stresa are the useful ones. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” price for one adult.
| Boat | From | Rating | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stresa: 3 Borromean Islands Hop-On Hop-Off Boat Tourad | €12 | 4.4 from 4,797 | A hop-on ticket for the three islands |
| Stresa: 3 Borromean Islands Boat Tourad | €15 | 4.5 from 1,008 | A boat tour of the three islands |
| From Milan: Stresa, Alps & Lake Maggiore Full-Day Tourad | €109 | 4.8 from 20 | A 10-hour tour from Milan |
The boat tickets do not cover the palaces: those are the Borromeo family’s own tickets, below.
The boats
Navigazione Laghi runs the public boats on Lake Maggiore; the autumn timetable runs 5 October to 8 November 2026. The fares below are the adult one-way full fares from 1 April 2026 (Navigazione Laghi).
| Route, direct sailing | Stretch | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Stresa to Isola Bella | 2 | €4.00 (child €2.00) |
| Stresa to Isola Superiore (dei Pescatori) | 3 | €4.50 |
| Stresa to Isola Madre | 5 | €6.00 |
- With intermediate stops the one-way fares are €5.50, about €8.00 and €10.00, and a return with intermediate stops is not allowed. Buy the one-day free-circulation ticket instead: €19.50 for stretch 5 (child €9.80) and €10.50 for stretch 2.
- Water taxis: the Consorzio Motoscafisti Isole Borromee runs from Stresa Lido to Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre from 09:00 to 18:00 about every half hour. Its fares are sold online (isoleborromee.com).
- Children aged 4 to 11 and older passengers pay a reduced fare.
What to see
Two islands have palaces: Isola Bella and Isola Madre. Isola dei Pescatori is the third island, and its fare is on the boat table. One island is a half day and two is a full one.
The waterfront of Isola dei Pescatori, with the church tower above the houses. Photo: Gianni Careddu, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Terre Borromeo, the Borromeo family’s operating company, runs both palaces. The 2026 season runs 12 March to 8 November. Until 24 October the last entrance is 17:00, the palace closes at 17:30 and the garden at 18:00; from 25 October to 8 November the last entrance is 16:00, the palace closes at 16:30 and the garden at 17:00. The operator adds that prices may vary by date, ticket type and channel.
Isola Bella
Palace and garden €27 · €18 for ages 6 to 15 · open daily to 8 November
The Baroque palace and garden of the Borromeo family, with the grottoes visited on a guided tour. Children aged 0 to 5 are free.
The terraced garden of Isola Bella, with the unicorn statue at the top. Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Isola Madre
Palace and botanical garden €23 · €15 for ages 6 to 15
The palace and botanical garden. The operator lists camellias from March, azaleas and proteas in April, and rhododendrons, roses and water lilies in May and June.
Azaleas and rhododendrons in the garden of Isola Madre. Photo: Daderot, Wikimedia Commons.
Both islands
€40 · €23 for ages 6 to 15
A combined ticket for Isola Bella and Isola Madre, €40 against €50 for the two separately. With the Parco Pallavicino or the Rocca di Angera the ticket is €55 and €28, and Isola Bella with the Parco Pallavicino is €37 and €22.
What a day costs
| Day | Train | Boat | Palaces | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isola Bella | €17.20 | €8.00 | €27 | €52.20 |
| Both islands | €17.20 | €19.50 (day ticket) | €40 | €76.70 |
| Hop-on boat only | €17.20 | From €12 | Not included | €29.20 |
Train fares are the regional return, doubled from €8.60. The hop-on and boat-tour tickets cover the boat, and each palace ticket is bought separately.
Before you go
- The thing that ruins a day: the date. The palaces close on 8 November 2026, and from 25 October the last entrance is 16:00, which leaves little after a 59-minute train and the first boat.
- Buying a return: a return with stops between the islands is not allowed. Choose the day ticket.
- Which to take: the regional for the lowest fare; the EuroCity to save 12 minutes.
Day trips from Milan compares every trip. Lake Como is the next lake east and Bergamo the short train. Milan public transport covers the way to Centrale, 3 days in Milan fits a day away into the week, and where to stay in Milan compares the areas. What to book before you go to Milan lists the closed days in the city.
Common questions
How do I get from Milan to the Borromean Islands?
Take the train from Milano Centrale to Stresa, 59 minutes by EuroCity from €20.00 or 1 hour 11 minutes by Trenord regional from €8.60, then a boat from the Stresa landing. Isola Bella is €4.00 one way on a direct sailing.
How much does it cost to visit Isola Bella and Isola Madre?
The palace and garden on Isola Bella are €27 for an adult and €18 for ages 6 to 15, Isola Madre is €23 and €15, and both islands together are €40 and €23. Ages 0 to 5 are free. The boat is extra: €4.00 from Stresa to Isola Bella, €6.00 to Isola Madre.
When do the Borromean Islands close?
The 2026 season ends on 8 November. Until 24 October the last entrance is 17:00; from 25 October to 8 November it is 16:00, with the palace closing at 16:30 and the garden at 17:00.
Is there a day ticket for the boats?
Yes. A return with stops between the islands is not allowed, so buy Navigazione Laghi's day ticket instead: €19.50 for stretch 5 (Stresa, the three islands) and €10.50 for stretch 2 (Isola Bella). Children's fares are lower.
Is a tour from Milan to Lake Maggiore worth it?
On your own, train, boat and palace come to about €52 for Isola Bella. The full-day tour from Milan on GetYourGuide is €109 for 10 hours, rated 4.8 from 20 reviews.
Is there a hop-on hop-off boat at Stresa?
Yes. GetYourGuide sells a Stresa hop-on hop-off boat to the three Borromean Islands from €12, rated 4.4 from 4,797 reviews, and a three-island boat tour from €15.
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