Travel in Lombardy without a car:
One day trip to Villa Taranto
 on Lake Maggiore

One day trip to Villa Taranto on Lake Maggiore

From Milan you don't need a car to take this day trip to the wonders of a botanical garden on Lake Maggiore, Villa Taranto: you just hop on a train of the "LeNord" private train company, and in a short time you are in a magic place of lakes, gardens and palaces.

This is specially recommended in spring, when often you can leave the fog and cold of Milan to reach sun-shining lakefront wiews in the mild climate of the Lake Maggiore.

Of special interest is a visit during the azalea blooming season, when Villa Taranto's gardens assume a wonderful set of different colors from the endless number of azaleas and rhododendrons present in the garden

The "LeNord" trains depart right in the center of Milan, at the Cadorna station, the ones you are interested in, the "diretti" (direct) to Laveno stop also at the Bovisa-Politecnico station in Milan, and in the small town of Saronno before reaching Varese, and then Laveno, a nice little town on the Lombard side of Lake Maggiore.

The recommended trains you can use for this trip depart from Cadorna at 7:50 and 8:50 AM (7:58 and 8:58 at Bovisa, 8:13 and 9:13 at Saronno and 8:46 and 9:46 from Varese).

Check the LeNord site for up-to-date scheduling information or if you want to leave at different times.

Once in Laveno you walk few steps from the train station to the ferry landing station, and in a few minutes you board the ferry to Intra, where you find a boat that takes you to Villa Taranto on the other side of the Lake.

For your trip back you can do the same itinerary backwards leaving Villa Taranto at 3:45, 4:45 or 5:50 PM, and arriving in Milano at the Cadorna station at 6:25, 7:25 or 9:11 PM.

You can also hire a private guide for all the trip, call Myriam Gulla at 0331-958121 or mobile phone 347-7856903 to make arrangements.

VILLA TARANTO

was built at the end of the19'" century and was sold to the Scottish captain Neil McEachaPIl. It is thanks to the work of this Scottish gentleman, lover of beauty and nature, that visitors today can enjoy the most beautiful botanical gardens in Europe.

In 1939 McEachaPIl, having no heirs, decided to donate the entire property, which he created between 1931 and 1936, to the Italian nation.

In 1982 the gardens were opened to the public and today are run by the "Ente Giardini Botanici Villa Taranto".

Remarkable is a visit in springtime, when azaleas and rhododendrons are in full bloom and the gardens assume a multi-varied color.

 One day trips from Milan without a car:
 Milan on foot
 Milan - Chiaravalle Abbey
 Bergamo Alta
 Bologna
 Isola Comacina on Lake Como
 Lecco and Bellagio by boat
 Como and Bellagio by boat,
 Isole Borromee on Lake Maggiore
 Arona, Angera on Lake Maggiore
 Arona, Rocca di Angera on Lake Maggiore
 Villa Taranto on Lake Maggiore
 Mottarone on Lake Maggiore
 Lake Maggiore, Arona to Stresa by boat
 Stresa - Locarno, a day boat trip
 The Garda Lake - a day boat trip
 Pavia, the city
 Pavia, the Certosa
 Portofino in winter
 

© 1997-2010 Enrico Massetti
TangoItalia - Food, Wine, Travel, and... tango in Italy.