The Lago Maggiore Express

Sunday, November 16, 2008

The Lago Maggiore Express

9:03 PM |

Dana Kaplan, Stresa Sights |

Edit Post

This is a great day trip for spring, summer, or autumn, and no car required, and one of the most popular excursions to do from Stresa. The Lago Maggiore Express offers the opportunity to enjoy incredible Alpine scenery, charming mountain villages, beautiful churches, regional cuisine, a leisurely lake cruise, and two countries, all with relative ease and comfort.

Does it sound impossible? It’s not. Here’s the basic itinerary:

Begin the day with a cappuccino at the Stresa train station and a 45-minute Trenitalia trip on the red line north to Domodossola.

In Domodossola switch to the Swiss SSIF green line. This smaller train winds its way through Valle Vigezzo and the rugged Centovalli, hundred valley, region, going over deep chasms on spectacular arched bridges, crossing rivers, traveling through meadows and chestnut woods. It makes stops in the picturesque towns of Druogno, Santa Maria Maggiore, Malesco, and Re, each of which has its own delights.

Because there are several trains throughout the day you may disembark and embark in these towns at will. Your one ticket allows the full circular trip in any configuration you choose.

The train continues through the Ticino region of the Swiss Alps before arriving in Locarno, on the northeastern tip of Lago Maggiore. Take a pause for an aperitivo in this Swiss city before meeting the boat at the Locarno embarcadero for the lake portion of the trip on the Navigazione Lago Maggiore sightseeing ship.

In the autumn the train runs a reduced schedule, focused on the fall foliage.

One ticket, countless choices to customize the trip, a little bit of everything for everyone, and no driving for anyone makes this one great day trip.

This can be booked in full at the boat docks, the train stations, and at tourist agencies in town.

An easy place to learn more, look at time schedules, check up-to-date prices, and book this tour is at Tomasucci Travel in Stresa, at their office or online: http://www.stresatravel.com/Tomassucci_Web/lake_maggiore_express.htm#.VzMEpPmDGko