With the boat station so nearby and so many small towns to see, we visited some of the places around the lakes

Baveno itself, Stresa, and Pollanza are all worth a visit. None of them have “bucket-list” sights. All of them have a charming Italian atmosphere and beautiful lake-side promenades to stroll and (on the day we chose) relax in warm sunshine.

We also visited Villa Taranto on our independent excursions enjoying every moment in these beautiful gardens.