The Grand Hotel Majestic is located in Pallanza, which faces the Island of St. Giovanni, the thirty-year summer residence of Arturo Toscanini. It is a fascinatingly beautiful Belle Epoque hotel distinguished by its incomparable architectural dignity, grand frescoed rooms and extensive lakeside English garden. Its construction became the impetus for the city’s booming tourism in 1870.

The optimal motivating attraction for nobles and the elite to choose to construct their luxurious villas in this region was primarily the agreeable situation amongst the exceptional panoramic peacefulness of the cape complete with surrounding mountains and mild climate.

From many of the hotel’s 99 rooms and 4 suites the dreamlike view of the lake’s serenity, surrounded by the mountains and the captivating beauty of the Borromean Island’s architectural and botanic artistry, can be marveled at. On the Isola Madre and the Isola Bella, just a few minutes away from the hotel by boat, the Borromeo Dynasty buit two luxurious domiciles in the 600’s surrounded by some of the most beautiful gardens of the Lake Maggiore. Of all the gardens in the world, these gardens are surpassed in the beauty only by the magnificent botanical gardens of Villa Taranto housing 20.000 plants species, 1.000 of which had never been cultivated in Italy before. The garden is within walking distance from the Grand Hotel.

Enchanted by the aquamarine panorama of the lake, as seen from the terrace of Majestic, Eleonora Duse had her tailor fashion a dress “…in the same color as the lake”. Among an array of illustrious artists who have been accommodated in the ambience of the Grand Hotel are Grazia Deledda and the composer Claude Debussy. To name a few, the boats of the Stuarts, the Queen of Romania, the monarchs of Italy, the noble families of Germany, Indian Princes and Maharaja were docked here…In short, the personalities symbolizing “bon vivre” of the 800’s have enjoyed the splendor of the hotel.

After some decades of decline, the Grand Hotel Majestic underwent a long restoration period and was returned the dignity of its past. Its rejuvenation brings the true value of its classical style to life and gives the impression of being immersed in an atmosphere of times gone by, all the while offering its guests adequate services with attention focused on today’s comforts.

Upon entering the Grand Hotel Majestic, you are enthralled by the class and elegance of it’s reception hall, clad with original wooden floors, bronze chandeliers and art deco’ lamps designed by Florentine craftsmen.

From here you can take a look up at the rooms on four floors, visible from the interior court with white marble columns. Just a few steps ahead you can take in the panoramic view from the terrace tables in one of the lounge bars.

A succession of elegant and comfortable sitting rooms unwind along the entire façade, giving guests views through the picture windows of the terrace and porches overlooking the lake. At each of the two ends of the building are two large drawing rooms that re-evoke the fabulous ballrooms of the palaces of the past.

The marvelous view can be taken while dining at one of our two restaurants: “Il Rossini” chic and appetizing, and “La Beola” serving local a la carte specialties from the Verbano.
The Hotel has two main function rooms, The Toscanini and The Intra, which are perfect for holding meetings and banquets in a truly unique atmosphere: decorated in period style, the rooms are elegant, stylish and bright, thanks to the wide windows that overlook the porch and the lake and afford a spectacular view.

Come nice weather, one can enjoy sitting on the porch under the arcades in the garden. The recreational program of the Grand Hotel Majestic offers excursions by boat or limousine to enjoy the sun at private beaches or to practice various sports in the vicinity like sailing, golf and horseback riding.

Beauty Farm is available to the hotel guests who would like to take an invigorating and toning swim in the pool, utilize the fitness center, or benefit from a relaxing massage.

The guests at the Grand Hotel Majestic can count on high quality accommodations and facilities, thanks to the recent meticulously carried out renovations and additions, which return an air of a poetic era: the magical beauty and splendor of this elite hotel renders it refined and in harmony with the magnificent Lago Maggiore, and a place where its guests can enjoy the most relaxing and revitalizing vacations.

Grand Hotel Majestic is located in Verbania Pallanza just in front of Borromeo Gulf and Isolino San Giovanni. The hotel is one of the few hotels on the shores of Lake Maggiore.
It is very close to Pallanza town center, lovely church of San Leonardo and wonderful Villa San Remigio that can be rented for amazing civil ceremonies with stunning view on the lake.

We will come back soon telling some more about Grand Hotel Majestic.
All Italian Lakes Wedding Team would like to welcome management and staff of Grand Hotel Majestic and thank you for join our group.

Thanks to photographer Piero Gatti’s – Studio Foto Smile Baveno – images, we can show you this wonderful idea.
Piero Gatti is an experienced photographer who worked many times at Grand Hotel des Iles de Borromées and in general on Lake Maggiore. Hiring him means having by your side a skilled professional who knows every secret of these places.

Stresa Mayor recently agreed for the possibility of a “twin ceremony” . Legal ceremony to be held to town hall building of 1700 in Stresa main center before and an extra ceremony conducted by Mayor himself, directly to Grand Hotel des Iles de Borromées.

Celebrating a wedding to Grand Hotel des Iles de Borromées means breath Belle Epoque atmosphere among rich tapestries, antique forniture, mosaics, Murano chandeliers and wonderful plants and flowers.

If you would like to have your civil ceremony outside, stunning gardens of the hotel could be the right frame for an unforgettable service among statues, marble fountains and azaleas, magnolias and oleanders.

At the end of ceremony you could each Isola Bella with a motorboat for amazing wedding pictures.
In the meanwhile your guests could have a boat tour too visiting Borromeo archipelagos and taste a lovely aperitif on board.

And then back to the reception at the hotel! It will be arranged in one of the stunning function room. This is really a dream….one of the most famous venue on Lake Maggiore: Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées.

Valentina Lombardi is the Italian Lakes Wedding coordinator for Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore area. She follows Italian and foreign bridegrooms who wish to celebrate their wedding in Piemonte and Italian Lakes area.
Valentina is Italian; she has worked in event organization business for years before becoming a wedding planner.

For more information about civil legal weddings in Stresa, Lake Maggiore, please contact us.

Times changed but atmosphere you can breath there is still the same!
Stresa is one of the most famous touristy Northern Italy destination thanks to its wonderful nature and easy accessibility.
Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées is located right into a stunning secular park with precious marble statues. Its beautiful fountains at the entrance with its elaborated statue is one of the most famous places on Stresa lake sidewalk.

Hotel is just in front of the lake just fews steps from Stresa main center. The view from its rooms is simply spectacular: you can see beautiful Borromeans Islands ad Alps surrounding the lake.

Across the years the hotel has been constantly renewed, just keeping its Belle Epoque style. Common areas are decorated with wonderful plants and flowers, Murano chandeliers, colored mosaics.
At night atmosphere is even more elegant thanks to piano bar playing.

Marble restrooms, antique furniture, rich tapestries and Murano chandeliers create a rich and conformable atmosphere. Every stage of the hotel has a own gallery inspired by a certain period of italian art.

Function rooms are able to host up to 350 people. Fine and elegant restaurant can offer a gourmand cuisine with many traditional courses too. Very skilled staff, chef and modern equipments are able to guarantee a wonderful and qualified service.

Chef composed wedding menu suggestions for every kind of taste and need. As far as the organization of the event is concerned, hotel is able to provide suggestions on menus, photographers, florist and solve all little concerns related to the planning of the event.

Hotel has also two swimming pools, tennis court, indoor swimming pool, a bright gym, steam bath, hammam and wellness center that can assist bride and ladies during the preparation for the wedding with professional hair style and make up.

The ones who read Hemingway know that one of his most famous novel – Farwell to Arms – has been set on Lake Maggiore. Many other artists and intellectuals loved this place and have been inspired by deep waters surrounded by Alps and stunning vegetation. We can remember Flaubert, Wagner, Goethe, Oscar Wilde, G.B. Shaw and many others.

Nowadays remembering this wonderful period, these lovely places on the coast are still a perfect destinations for glamour weddings. We would like to suggest you an elegant and charming event in one of these historical hotels on the lake.
Let’s go discovering them thanks to wonderful images taken by Claudio Fogli and Piero Gatti photographers. They both know very well the area and they have a long experience for weddings on best venues of the area.

Our trip discovering historical hotels on Lake Maggiore begins from Stresa. The most famous destination is Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées for sure. It faces lake shore right into a wide secular park. From its rooms you will enjoy a wonderful view on Borromean Islands and Alps. The hotel garden host a famous and wonderful marble fountain one of the most known places in Stresa.

Regina Palace Hotel is very famous too. It was opened in 1908 and recently renewed. Regina Palace is a leading liberty style hotel that was able to keep the same appeal and atmosphere of fin de siècle. A wonderful garden surrounds the hotel, the ideal set for stunning wedding pictures.

Grand Hotel Bristol is the only neoclassical building on Stresa Lake sidewalk. Hotel Bristol is very elegant and fine. It has all luxury and leading hotel features: boiserie, rich tapestries, crystal and marble chandeliers and even glass domes and wonderful carpets. Outdoor swimming pool is right into a rich park overlooking Isola Bella.

Lido Palace Hotel, opened in 1857, is located in Baveno – between Stresa and Verbania. Hotel has an amazing past, a magic view over Borromeo Islands and a tasteful cuisine. It combines modern structures comforts to traditional and romantic style that has delighted visitors for more than a century. Queen Victoria stayed here during her visit in 1879 and Winston Churchill choose it to spend his honeymoon.

Going North we would like to suggest a wonderful Hotel. It is one of the few with direct access to the lake. It is located in Pallanza just in front of little Island of San Giovanni. Grand Hotel Majestic is just few steps from Pallanza center walking distance or boat distance from town hall where you could set your lovely civil ceremony.

You will enjoy a lovely aperitif in the garden of the hotel or on one of the terraces and a gourmand dinner to follow in beautiful Toscanini Room that can host up to 150 people. This room takes its name from famous Maestro that spent some time here and also took the occasion to direct a little orchestra. A very elegant destination!

Here we finish the first part of our trip discovering historical hotels on Lake Maggiore. We will be back telling you about some others finding our other wonderful places on this lake.

After more than 300 years, Grand Tour tradition – the long and legendary travel across Europe that young British aristocrats used to do – continues. We hope that you fell in love with the poetry hidden behind these wonderful hotels on Lake Maggiore. They are not just hotels but they have many stories to tell and live.
These are exclusive and fine destinations for the ones who want to know real Italian elegance!

Valentina Lombardi is the Italian Lakes Wedding coordinator for Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore area. She follows Italian and foreign bridegrooms who wish to celebrate their wedding in Piemonte and Italian Lakes area.
Valentina is Italian; she has worked in event organization business for years before becoming a wedding planner.

For more information about wedding venues and hotels on Lake Maggiore, please contact us.

All images © Italian Lakes Wedding and:
Photo 1, Palazzo Borromeo: Piero Gatti – Foto Smile, Baveno
Photo 2, Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées
Photo 3, Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromeès: Piero Gatti – Foto Smile, Baveno
Photo 4, Hotel Regina Palace: Claudio Fogli – Foto Pony, Pallanza
Photo 5, Grand Hotel Bristol: Claudio Fogli – Foto Pony, Pallanza
Photo 6, Lido Palace Hotel: Claudio Fogli – Foto Pony, Pallanza
Photo 7, Grand Hotel Majestic: Claudio Fogli – Foto Pony, Pallanza
Photo 8, Grand Hotel Majestic: Claudio Fogli – Foto Pony, Pallanza

It has been some months that Stresa mayor gave his availability to conduct civil legal ceremonies on wonderful Isola dei Pescatori of Borromean Islands directly. We have already mentioned this lovely archipelagos in some of our previous articles we posted, telling you about wonderful Botanic garden to Isola Madre and extraordinary Borromean Palace to Isola Bella. Isola dei Pescatori (fishermen’s Island) is the third one of this group.

The small harbor of the island is well protected from wind, preserving a few left fishermen boats made exclusively of wood. The main street of the island is very picturesque, short, narrow and full up with shops, small cafes, restaurants and beautiful stone houses.

Must be very interesting living here, where everything looks so friendly and easygoing. Some terraces are decorated with fishing nets or equipment telling us who is living in. Houses, decorated with lots of greenery, are congested making a kind of wall, which protect the inner street from cold northern winds.
Ancient Church of San Vittore is definitely worth a visit whilst you are there.

Italian Lakes Wedding Team will be pleased to help you arranging a wonderful event on this spot of Lake Maggiore. Groom and guests could reach islands with a ferry boat leaving from Stresa or Baveno or other lovely town on lakeshore. Right after will come the bride on a decorated boat for her own. Everybody will wait for her on Island pier.

After a romantic and rich ceremony, bride and groom will enjoy a touristy trip on the lake to take their wedding pictures directly on the boat or the wonderful islands and corners of Borromean archipelagos. Guests could enjoy a bot trip too, admiring and knowing better this lovely lake. They will also have a nice aperitif directly on the boat.

Receptions venues are many for sure! We have just told you about the beach resort for a casual wedding, 1700 and 1800 villas on the shores on the hills above Stresa, Pallanza and Ghiffa with great view on the Lake. Soon we will also tell you more about famous luxury hotels located in Stresa and Pallanza that are dated back to 1800!

For the ones who are looking for an intimate reception, we suggest to stop to Isola dei Pescatori to taste a delicious dinner in one of the good restaurants of this Italian corner of Lake Maggiore. Here you will taste the best fish cuisine of the area.

But if you are looking for something really unique we will be happy to help you arranging a reception directly on one of the boat of Compagnia di Navigazione del Lago Maggiore (Navigation Company of Lake Maggiore). Thanks to an excellent catering service we could arrange for you a very original dinner for groups up to 100 guests. An itinerary special event where you will taste good food and great wines while listening great music and enjoy an unforgettable view!

Discover the hidden charm of the Isola dei Pescatori and lovely Lake Maggiore, you will fall in love with them. This is just fascinating, the ideal wedding destination!

Valentina Lombardi is the Italian Lakes Wedding coordinator for Lake Maggiore area. She follows Italian and foreign bridegrooms who wish to celebrate their wedding in Piemonte and Italian Lakes area.
Valentina is Italian; she has worked in event organization business for years before becoming a wedding planner.

For more information about civil legal wedding on Isola dei Pescatori, Lake Maggiore, please contact us.

All Images © Italian Lakes Wedding and:
Photo 1: Claudio Fogli – Foto Pony, Pallanza
Photo 2: Giorgio Gnemmi, Artefoto
Photo 3: Claudio Fogli – Foto Pony, Pallanza
Photo 4: Raffaello Mazzoleni, Artefoto
Photo 5: Claudio Fogli – Foto Pony, Pallanza
Photo 6: Photo27.com – Milan
Photo 7: Piero Gatti – Foto Smile, Baveno
Photo 8: Photo27.com – Milan
Photo 9: David Christian Lichtag

Keeping on exploring most beautiful venues on Lake Maggiore we would like to talk you about two interesting venues to arrange a unique and special event on lake shores: a beach wedding!
On Piemonte side of Lake Maggiore there are two beach resorts that are just perfect to arrange a fantastic beach wedding: Lido di Baveno and Lido di Stresa. Both venues are casual but also elegant and fine.

But what is really special on this venues is the possibility to organize a legal catholic ceremony or a legal civil ceremony on the open air just on the beach.
Isn’t it just wonderful?

Ceremony in this case will have breathtaking feel that you and your guest will remember forever!
Without any transfer you and your guests will taste your aperitif on the beach and a lovely dinner menu – with fish and typical courses on the region – will be served in the rooms inside or under the wonderful marquee on the beach with lake view.
With right details these two venues will add a touch of exotic to your party.

We imagine for you a flower arch for the ceremony and many rose petals e and lanterns on the bride’s path to altar. Then beautiful centerpieces with water, candles and flowers such as roses or orchids that recall lake theme.
Another detail to think of is that, giving the right time notification, your party can be enlarged up to very late at night with dances and open bar.
Coastal lights will be the frame for your wedding cake cut with dozen of torches on the beach and floating candles on the water.
A real beach wedding, a surprise for a unique wedding on Lake Maggiore.

The most famous villa in the area is Villa Rusconi Clerici. It is just on the lake shore. Villa Rusconi Clerici was built during 1800, finely preserved, with its stunning view on Borromean islands and gulf.

Villa Rusconi Clerici has an amazing garden where you could also celebrate your open air symbolic ceremony, just on the lake shore with a simply magic atmosphere! Reception can be held side of the garden in the big pavilion built in liberty style.

Pallanza host Villa San Remigio, too, one of the most beautiful historical villas of Lake Maggiore.
It is now maybe the best venue for legal civil ceremonies on Lake Maggiore.

Side of the Villa San Remigio there is a wide terrace to enjoy a stunning view on the lake. The balcony has a rock gallery underneath that is often used as winter garden. This is one of the most scenographic spot for your wedding pictures!

Valentina Lombardi is the Italian Lakes Wedding coordinator for Lake Maggiore area. She follows Italian and foreign bridegrooms who wish to celebrate their wedding in Piemonte and Italian Lakes area.
For more information about Weddings at the Villa Rusconi Clerici and Villa San Remigio in Verbania Pallanza please contact us.

All Images © Italian Lakes Wedding and:
Photo 1: Claudio Fogli – Foto Pony
Photo 2: Estella & Diego – Photo27.com
Photo 3: Raffaello Mazzoleni – ArteFoto Omegna
Photo 4: Mauro De Luca

Isola Bella is the most famous of the Borromeo Islands and when you see it today you can hardly imagine it as the tiny fishing village it once was. In 1670 Count Vitaliano Borromeo started the building of a monumental baroque palace, and began landscaping the majestic scenery of the gardens for which the Island became so famous. The original name of the island was Isola San Vittore, but was son changed to the more suitable Isola Isabella, after Carlo’s wife and over the years it was shortened to Isola Bella. Local legend relates that the ladies of Borromeo’s household asked the Count to build on the island so that they would not have to listen to prisoners screaming in the dungeons of his mainland castle.

Today the island is famous above all for the magnificent Palazzo Borromeo and its gardens. A visit to the palace is a journey through the splendors of the past. The stately Borromeo residence contains priceless masterpieces: tapestries, furniture, and paintings by great masters. The Palace itself is full of ornate rooms which remind you of a past full of grand receptions and sumptuous feasts. The most curious part of the Palace are the grottoes; the walls are adorned with a mosaic of shells and pebbles. Don’t miss the splendid views of the Alps in the Medals Room. In 1935 the palace was a location of meeting between Mussolini and British and French diplomats. Unfortunately, the meeting failed in its attempt to scare Germany out of starting World War II.

After visiting the Palace, you exit into the magnificent gardens which are made up of no less than 10 terraces which slope down towards the lake. The stepped terraces remind one of painters’ interpretations of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The entry to the garden is only via the palace: the gardens bloom with every variety of trees and rare flowers which, in their succession of ornate terraces, provide a classic, inimitable example of the celebrated “Italian garden” of that period. As well as the rare and exotic plants which provide the gardens with colors from March to October, there are interesting features such as the open-air theatre and the “Piano della Canfora” which houses a 150 year old laurel tree.

Discover the hidden charm of Italian landscapes! The Isola Bella offer the perfect atmosphere to host your wedding.