A visit to the Borromean Gulf offers not only splendid views over Lake Maggiore and the surrounding mountains – it’s also a chance to taste some of the area’s mouth-watering dishes. When you need a break from visiting gardens and museums, palaces and ancient villages, sit down at a lakeside restaurant and enjoy a meal of freshly-caught lake fish.

The Borromean Islands boast a number of restaurants whose speciality dishes have become world-famous. One classic example is fillet of perch alla Borromea: the fillet is first brushed with butter, then pan-fried with diced lemon, capers and mushrooms. Try it on one of the islands for the maximum taste experience! Also famous are fish rolls with sauces that vary from one restaurant to another. Freshwater fish is the star in the area’s restaurants, in a range of original recipes that will surprise you.

But it’s not all fish. A characteristic of Italy and of this area too is the tradition for each town to have its speciality cake or biscuit, and so Stresa offers its delicious Margheritine, Baveno its Fedorine, Mergozzo the scrumptious Fugascine buns, and the Intresine of Intra, biscuits made with butter and sprinkled with almonds and hazelnuts.

As in the rest of Italy, the area offers countless cafés, pubs with speciality beers, wine bars and ice-cream shops – something for all tastes.