Lauren & Ryan

Things To Do

The Wedding Website of Lauren Wiener and Ryan Marx

We can't wait for you to experience Stresa! We had a wonderful visit this past April and are excited to share some restaurants and activities we really loved. This list is by no means exhaustive, Stresa is peppered with hidden gems!

The Borromean Islands

Piedmont 28838, Italy

The Borromean Islands are the 3 islands in Lake Maggiore that are directly opposite Stresa, Isola Madre, Isola Bella, and Isola dei Pescatori. The islands are named after the aristocratic Borromean family, who took ownership of the land in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Borromean family transformed Isola Bella and Madre into grand, luxurious residences which have since been converted to museums, while Isola dei Pescatori, was left to continue its traditional way of life and currently has a number of shops and restaurants. The Borromean Islands are easy to reach from Stresa. There are a few places to buy ferry tickets in town- we went to the small yellow storefront with a "CHANGE" sign on the building. You can buy ferry tickets to one specific island or to hop-on hop-off all 3 islands. You can also purchase admission tickets to tour the palace and gardens on Isola Madre and Isola Bella (admission tickets can be purchased on the islands as well).

Albergo Ristorante Verbano

2 Via Ugo Ara, Isola Superiore, Piemonte 28838, Italy

Ristorante Il Verbano is located on Isola dei Pescatori, one of the Borromean Islands in Lake Maggiore. With the most stunning backdrop, they offer four different tasting menus if you'd like to go on a real culinary journey (you can also order a la carte).

Osteria Mercato

9 Piazza Capucci, Stresa, Piemonte 28838, Italy

We died and went to heaven over a bowl of pasta and a bao bun at Osteria Mercato. You could close your eyes and point to anything on this menu and you would not be disappointed. They also do an excellent job of flagging allergens for those with dietary restrictions.

Ristorante "Lo Stornello"

35 Via Cavour, Stresa, Piemonte 28838, Italy

After a travel day, we arrived in Stresa at 9:30pm hungry and sleepy. We stumbled into Lo Stornello for a late dinner and decided to just let the waiter take the wheel. It was a delicious and cozy welcome to town.