Most people who travel to Italy do so to visit the major cities and to enjoy a cultural experience that involves visiting places of cultural, historical or architectural significance. However, if you step beyond the borders of the city, you will discover what a beautiful and geographically diverse country Italy actually is and see many spectacular sights. When visiting Italy, you should try to make the time to visit some of its stunning lakes in northern Italy. Not only they visually outstanding, but they are also the perfect place to enjoy a range of activities, such as water sports and wildlife photography.
Lake Como
This is a popular spot amongst the rich and famous and is often the location of choice for people who want to buy an Italian property as a second home. The lake is almost completely within the Lombardy region of Italian and is surrounded by quaint villages and interesting towns, such as Bellagio, Como, Menaggio, Tremezzo, and Varenna.
Lake Maggiore
This is another popular tourist destination as it is the second largest lake in Italy. The lake is approximately 65 kilometers long, running from the Ticino canton of Switzerland through both the Piedmont and Lombardy regions of Italy. Some of the notable towns on the shores of this lake include Arona, Baveno, Stresa, and Cannobio.
Lake Garda
This is the largest lake in Italy and it lies between Venice and Milan. This makes it the perfect spot to visit if you are planning on including both of these cities in your travel itinerary. Lake Garda touches three of the northern regions of Italy; Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Veneto. Some of the towns surrounding the lake that you might like to visit include Garda, Riva del Garda, Desenzano del Garda, Malcesine, and Sirmione.
Lake Iseo
If you want to visit a lake that is not overcrowded by tourists, then Lake Iseo is a good choice. Entirely within the Lombardy region, this lake oozes classic Italian charm. Iseo, Lovere, Marone, Riva di Solto and Sarnico are some of the noteworthy towns along the shores of Lake Iseo.
Lake Orta
Located in the Piedmont region of Italy, Lake Orta is one of the smaller northern Italian lakes and is often somewhat forgotten by tourists. However, it is not far from Lake Maggiore and is definitely worthy of a visit while you are in the area. Towns in the surrounding area include Ameno, Armeno, Omegna and Orta San Giulio.
Lake Lugano
This is often considered a lake of Switzerland as the majority of the lake lies in this country. However, both ends of the lake dip in and out of the Lombardy region of Italy. The lake is named after a Swiss town, but there are some fantastic Italian towns on its shores that you can also visit. These include Porlezzo and Valsolda.
Visiting some of the lakes is an interesting addition to your vacation itinerary when you are visiting northern Italy. Each lake is unique and you will enjoy different experiences at each of the lakes you visit.
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- Main Image: Santiago Imperatrice from Pixabay
