Region in Piedmont, Italy
Lake Maggiore for solo travelers
Is Lake Maggiore good for solo travel?
Italy's elegant lake of villas, gardens and the Borromean Islands, easy by train from Milan. Beautiful and very safe, but pricey in summer; boat and bus links are slower than the map suggests.
Solo travel at a glance
| Solo travel | 3/5 · Good, with some effort |
|---|---|
| Locals | Friendly |
| English | Common in tourist areas |
| Safety | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Solo women | Very comfortable for solo women. Late buses are rare, so book a taxi back from restaurants, and take care on empty lakefront paths. |
How to meet people in Lake Maggiore
Hostels in Stresa and Verbania, boat day-trips, cooking and wine classes, walking groups on the Lago Maggiore trails, and nearby Milan for nightlife.
Good things to do alone
- Take a boat to Isola Bella and Isola Madre
- Visit the Villa Taranto botanical gardens
- Walk the lakeside path from Stresa to Baveno
- Day trip to Locarno or the Santa Caterina del Sasso hermitage
Where to stay in Lake Maggiore
| Area | Good for |
|---|---|
| Stresa | Main base: train station and boats to the Borromean Islands |
| Baveno | Quieter, cheaper lakefront a short bus or walk from Stresa |
| Verbania (Pallanza and Intra) | Real town life, gardens, ferries and hospital |
| Cannobio | Pretty harbour town near the Swiss border; good for hiking |
Solo travel across Italy
| Place | Solo | English |
|---|---|---|
| Rome | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Venice | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Florence | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Milan | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Naples | 4/5 | Limited |
| Cinque Terre | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Sicily | 4/5 | Limited |
| Tuscany | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Bologna | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Verona | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Sorrento | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Turin | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Palermo | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Catania | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Bari | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Lecce | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Genoa | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Amalfi Coast | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Lake Como | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Positano | 3/5 | Widely spoken |
| Sardinia | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Pisa | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Capri | 3/5 | Widely spoken |
| Lake Garda | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Siena | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Puglia | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Dolomites | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Taormina | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Matera | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Lake Maggiore | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
Quick answers
Is Lake Maggiore good for solo travelers?
Good, with some effort (3/5). Italy's elegant lake of villas, gardens and the Borromean Islands, easy by train from Milan.
How do you meet people in Lake Maggiore?
Hostels in Stresa and Verbania, boat day-trips, cooking and wine classes, walking groups on the Lago Maggiore trails, and nearby Milan for nightlife. On SoloSquare you can also join small plans with other travelers who are there now.
Do people speak English in Lake Maggiore?
Common in tourist areas.
Is Lake Maggiore safe for solo female travelers?
Very comfortable for solo women. Late buses are rare, so book a taxi back from restaurants, and take care on empty lakefront paths.
More about Lake Maggiore
Going to Lake Maggiore solo?
SoloSquare is where travelers, nomads and locals in Lake Maggiore meet up for small plans: coffee, dinners, walks and day trips. Join one, or start your own in a minute.
Sources
- Navigazione Laghi (Lake Maggiore ferries)
- Trenitalia
- Stresa Tourist Office (Mottarone cable car closed)
- ASL VCO
Ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.