Lake Orta to Lake Maggiore

The highlight of our holiday was our stay at Hotel Cannero. It's difficult to put into words what a special place it is. The views from our hotel room were fabulous and the food and service impeccable.

Overall a great holiday. Such a beautiful area and the walks were lovely taking us to some stunning views. We went in early October and the weather was somewhat mixed with a couple of days of torrential rain. All the hotels were good with friendly and helpful staff but Hotel Cannero was particularly lovely. it is about a 15 minute walk into Stresa from Hotel Flora which we often didn't feel like doing in the dark evenings so had dinner at the hotel which was perfectly nice.We enjoyed looking around the Borromean Islands - Isola Madre was my favourite. We had an extra day at Stresa but I'm not sure that we needed this as the last day's transfer was quite late so we had rather more time there than we needed.We also had an extra day at Cannero.

But October travellers beware! - the boat schedule on Lake Maggiore changed on October 6th which meant that one of the walk options at Cannero was not possible. The pool and the rooftop bar at Hotel Giardinetto were closed. Also when the taxi dropped us off in the pouring rain at Gignese (our driver was slightly surprised that we chose to walk rather than accept his offer to take us on to the hotel) we had hoped to shelter for a while in the umbrella museum however this closed at the end of September - had we known this we probably would have taken up the driver's offer!

The routes we chose to take fit the description of Easy to Moderate which suits us well.  Certainly, the route from Cannero to Cannobio is the most challenging and so you might want to stress the length of up and down over uneven terrain.  Definitely not in the Easy category so perhaps you could enhance the guidance with a difficulty rating on each route versus just the overall trip.

This is the first Inntravel holiday we have been on. We thoroughly enjoyed it and will certainly book another.  All the hotels were excellent although Hotel Flora was on a very noisy street and the view from the dinning room was of the car park.  However, the breakfast was superb and the staff were friendly.  The walks were just right for us but there are quite steep inclines and descents.  As our flight home was cancelled, we got to spend an extra day at Hotel Cannero.  Unfortunately, we didn't book our flights through Inntravel so we had to organize our return flights and accommodation ourselves.  We would definitely book all our travel through Inntravel in future.  The extra day in Cannero meant we could do all three walks.  We did Cannero to Cannobio in the opposite direction so we could use the early morning ferry and return to Cannero at our leisure.  The GPS map got us out of Cannobio and the rest of the walk was straightforward.

The holiday ran smoothly – luggage and taxi transfers were efficient, walk notes were very detailed and 100% accurate, and the 3 hotels were very comfortable, with friendly and helpful staff. 

The walks themselves were of variable quality – the two from Cannero were very pleasant, taking us on mule tracks up through the chestnut woods to interesting places with some outstanding views. It is worth noting that on Walk B, where Inntravel advise returning by the same path due to landslips, there is a very pleasant alternative path down to Cassino and along the lake, which was pointed out to us by the hotel reception (who also have a much better map than the one provided in the pack). Day 1, from Pettenasco, contains some fairly nondescript sections, and includes a short section on a blind bend of a busy road – it is worth visiting the Isola en route back to the hotel. Day 2, from Gignino to Stresa, is, frankly, very disappointing – a long slog up winding roads, outweighs the brief glance over the lake one gets before being surrounded by villa residences, which seems disappointing given the existence of footpaths through wooded areas on the hillside. The Alpine Gardens have seen better days - they have a very good view of the lake, but there are no shortages of those in the days ahead.  The walk down is, as others have observed, very steep, and something of a strain on the joints;  overall, you should be prepared for steep climbs and descents on most walks, and in our opinion (as reasonably fit individuals!) these can at times be pretty demanding.

It is worth noting that the hotels at Pettenasco and Cannero are quite large.  The half-board 4-course meal at Pettenasco was very ordinary – we negotiated a 35Euro allowance on the a la carte menu for the second night. The half-board menu at Cannero was considerably better, although they will allow  a 25 Euro allowance if wished. At Stresa we stayed at the Hotel La Luna Nel Porto, which was smaller, and can recommend eating at Pappagallo.

Whilst the area itself is beautiful, and there are interesting places to visit, there were aspects that left us not entirely satisfied with the package provided by Inntravel, and many of these can be ascribed to their not having a local or regional representative who could react to changing situations, or identify alternative opportunities (as with Cannero Walk B).  Some of the walks need, in our opinion, to be revised and the information about places updated, and the dining arrangement at the Hotel Giardinetta very definitely need to be re-negotiated.  All in all, for what Inntravel were charging, we do not feel that they are providing value for money on this occasion.

Fantastic scenery and good hotels. If you have knee problems then maybe the walks are not for you, as most of them included quite steep ascents and corresponding descents. The views on the walks were worth the effort! Hotel Cannero the best for its setting and general atmosphere, and thanks to Monica, the taxi driver who solved all our transport problems about getting to Milan. Hotel Flora was outside Stresa a bit, but only a 20 minute walk into town which had loads of bars and good restaurants to eat in. We liked the Osteria del Amichi, a traditional Italian restaurant with excellent food, and the Osteria Mercato OK but not as good.

Hotel Giardinetto was fine, lovely rooftop bar and rooms with stunning lake views. Dinner service was generally slow and after dinner there was nowhere to go for a walk as the hotel is situated right on a busy road with no pavements.

The staff in all the hotels were very helpful and friendly, and while all the hotels had a swimming pool, the one in Hotel Giardinetto, an infinity pool overlooking Lake Orta was especially good.

We spent a day in Milan sightseeing before flying out, a city that's worth a visit.

The scenery from the hotels and walks was stunning .Both Hotel Giardinetto and Cannero were excellent and could have happily stayed in both longer. Hotel Flora was a big disappointment both for quality of room and location. We would have checked out if an alternative had been available.

The walks were well documented and easy to follow, we used the written and GPX notes. Parts of the walks were far more challenging than the grade1-2 because of the steep cobbled tracks which are very slippery for both ascent and descent. 
Recommend Trattoria Due Piccioni in Stresa. Ferry services on both lakes were excellent. Don't be tempted by the private boat options. Found customer service at Inntravel to be very helpful when dealing with some last minute issues with Hotel bookings.

This was a combined holiday and that may be why there were so many problems. Would not recommend it. Not up to usual Inntravel standard as far as we are concerned.

We were disappointed with the service and the dinners at Hotel Giardinetto in Pettenasco.  For us the most enjoyable area in the hotel was the rooftop bar which had a very good atmosphere, very efficient and friendly staff and excellent cocktails, and of course a great view. However, we were very pleased with Hotel Flora and absolutely delighted with Hotel Cannero. We thoroughly enjoyed the walk on the first day to Orta San Guilio, particularly Sacro Monta d'Orta with its many chapels.Unfortunately we found the walk from Gignese to Stresa a real struggle. The ascent was fine (and we enjoyed looking round the Umbrella Museum in Gignese) but the descent was very difficult. We are in our mid-70's and our knees were not at all happy!! While in Stresa we managed to visit Isola Bella and Isola Madre. We particularly enjoyed Isola Madre. We also enjoyed the Villa Pallavicino on the outskirts of Stresa. The ferry services are extremely reliable and punctual. Once we arrived in Cannero and discovered what a lovely village it is, and how hospitable the staff are at the hotel, and how delicious the dinners are we couldn't have been happier. It was very easy to travel to neighbouring towns by bus, and one of the highlights of the holiday was crossing over to Isola di Brissago on the ferry from Brissago itself and visiting the subtropical gardens there. I have to admit that we didn't do any of the suggested walks while we were at Cannero as we were still recovering from the walk from Giggnese to Stresa!!

Hotel Cannero was fantastic - we were really glad we chose to stay for 2 extra nights as 3 nights would not have been sufficient to explore the area properly

A lovely trip as ever (we've used Inntravel 6 or 7 times now), excellent hotels and great food. This trip was up there with the best. The walking routes were good and matched our expectations in terms of difficulty. Hard to pick an outright winner re the hotels as they were all three very different but all were spot-on and we'd go back to any of them anytime if the opportunity arose. The usual good planning and booking process did not disappoint. Back again with Inntravel soon hopefully.

This was a great holiday. The hotels were what we have come to expect from Inntravel, little treasures. The scenery was beautiful and the people were warm and friendly. The walks were challenging in parts but brought us to some beautiful places we would not have discovered.

Fabulous walks with great views of the beautiful Lake Orta and Lake Maggorie. All hotels were of high standard but Hotel Cannero was exceptional and in a wonderful location.

This is a wonderful holiday with time spent walking around and between both lakes. The walking is not very challenging and not very long but was as described, giving plenty of time for a lazy gelato or Moretti. Using all trails and the local map provided plus the link via GPX to the OS map app made it was easy to extend the walks, or find new trails on our extended stay in Stresa due to car problems. The hotels were all excellent with wonderful views across the lakes, though I would suggest asking for an interior courtyard/pool room or lake view at Hotel Cannero. It would be difficult to chose a favourite hotel but Hotel La Luna Nel Porto was all round excellent being close to the historic part of town with a wonderful balcony and view over the lake, the staff were exemplary and what a breakfast plate! Hotel Flora also in Stresa is a little way out of town but the walk along the promenade into the centre makes up for this with plenty of lakeside bars and restaurants for Aperols and Negronis! Our favorite restaurants in Stresa were Trattoria Due PIccioni and the Osteria Mercato, both served up the most delicious local specialities and excellent regional wines, and good service the latter a bit more expensive but higher end presentation. For pasta and one of the best pizzas I had outside Naples try Pappagallo, there sharing pasta dish was especially delicious, good quality wine by the carafe. Near to Hotel Flora and a good choice if it is raining is the L'idrovolante, very good pasta and right on the lake by the Carciano ferry teminal and the lido where they have excellent gelato for dessert. This was the least expensive restaurant we tried during our stay. On day one walk in Miasino in the central square there is a lovely little cafe with excellent toilets, also great cakes, coffee and artisan gelato. Day two you pass a lovely little bar in Levo, very friendly owner and locals, good paninni and again a refreshing beer! Option B in Cannero takes you past a very rustic small bar, La Rondinella, where we spent a very pleasant hour or so in the shade talking to fellow walkers and enjoying a basic but welcome snack. Walking back I would suggest dropping down onto the beach and having an early evening apertivo at the Soleluna Beach bar before returning to the Hotel Cannero for an excellent dinner.

We had a very pleasant holiday. The weather (in mid May) was quite changeable with heavy rain at times, but we still managed to enjoy all of the walks. Highlights include the beautiful villa and gardens of Isola Bella ands the umbrella museum at Gignese (which is far more interesting than it might sound and worthy of what you might find in a V and A special exhibition). The Hotel Cannero is exceptional with excellent food, a lovely piano bar and superb service. Make sure that you experience the complimentary wine tasting. We also loved a little cafe called The Palace in Orta San Giulio where they roast their own coffee and have a great selection of cakes, wines and liquers. 

The fact that one of us is gluten free was no problem at all. Inntravel passed the information to all of the hotels and the chefs were keen to adapt almost every dish to accommodate this. 

This was a wonderful holiday in a beautiful part of Italy that we had not visited before. We were blown away by the stunning scenic beauty of The Lakes. The hotels were all incredibly welcoming, very comfortable and relaxing. The food was excellent and the walks just challenging enough to give you a sense of achievement but still allowing time and energy to stand and gaze around you to take it all in. A big highlight for me were the chapels of the Sacro Monte with sculptures and frescos telling the life of St Francis of Assisi. These artworks are hundreds of years old but could be contemporary film sets. We particularly loved the Hotel Cannero with stunning views across the lake plus lovely relaxing pool and sun terrace. The whole experience has been a complete joy! 

We had a lovely time. Orta was very pretty and the Hotel Giardinetto food was excellent, possibly the best. However, we didn't rate Stresa. It was like visiting Torquay at a party conference week although Hotel Flora was delightful and the welcome exceptional. Somewhere with more culture and fewer touristy knick knack shops would enhance the holiday - for example, in Cannero, why wasn't Leoncavallo mentioned, or the Lemon Garden? It's nice to have something in addition to the walks. Cannero was heavenly but a room with a lake view is essential (and the pool is NOT heated.)

We got to our first hotel at Pettenasco early evening and the views over Lake Orta and the Swiss Alps behind were breath taking. Amazing but equally rivalling the views when we went from one end of Lake Maggiore to the other. The hotels were lovely and comfortable and the staff very helpful. We were a little concerned with our ability to navigate our way on the walks but the guidance notes were excellent and we had no problems. The weather was hotter than the 17 to 19 degrees we expected and reached 23 to 28 degrees so we choose the walks in the forests for shade.

The trip combined the best of everything. The accommodation was of a high standard and generally well located, the walks were challenging but hugely enjoyable, the scenery breathtaking, and the food and drink never failed to reach the highest standards. We'll soon be booking the next one!

Lake Orta was fabulous, the hotel at waters edge and our balcony overlooking the lake with foothills of the Alps as a backdrop. Lake Maggiore was almost as good, with a great ferry service.

All of the walks we did had stunning views

The three locations each had their own character and charm. Orta San Giulio was quite busy at lunchtime, but we found a delightful Cafe/Tea Room in a historic courtyard just north of the main square - the Bar Idea Dolce. We especially loved Hotel Cannero and found Cannero itself such a peaceful place. 

We would suggest if choosing between Lake Orta to Maggiore and Maggiore to Lugano we would recommend Orta to Maggiore.

High Dolomites was spectacular and in particular Hotel Urthaler. Loved the high mountains, cooler temperatures for walking in July/August, beautiful alpine flowers on Seiser Alm and hot chocolate at Refugio Alpe di Tires. We want to go back.

Recommend room upgrades and hotel upgrades wherever offered despite the extra cost.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers booked three walking holidays: Lake Orta to Lake Maggiore, Lake Maggiore to Lake Lugano and The High Dolomites

This is our 6th walking holiday with Inntravel. We had another lovely break, with good food, good hotels and nice walks. Overall it would be probably be our third favourite after a marvelous one on Corfu last year and our first in Spain 20 years ago now! We enjoyed the luxurious element of this hotel package but missed out on the Inn part of the Inntravel experience as we used to get quite personal service when it was only a few people staying at some of the locations. Don't get me wrong, everyone was friendly enough but due to all the hotels being larger larger, it was less personal and for the first time ever didn't spot one Inntraveller on our journey, which made the Inntravel experience so appealing in the past. Most reviewers have cited Hotel Cannero as the best hotel. Although it was very attractive, it was very traditional and our air con wasn't working in our upgraded superior room so we switched for night 2 and 3. The best hotel for us was the first in Orta, the Giardinetto. It was modern, great views over dinner, wonderful food and a chance to dip in the lake too. The weather was hot but not excessive and the walks were nicely pitched not too hard yet challenging enough. The notes were generally good and came in a nice new folder. In summary, great walking, great hotel locations, and good food. The social side was less strong than on previous visits. We hope to see you next year!

We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday, especially the wonderful scenery and comfortable hotels. A mix of walks, taxis and ferries all combined very well. We really appreciated not having a car! All the hotels were enjoyable in their different ways. 

We are used to only using cards in the UK and had no Euros - this meant that we couldn't eneter the Umbrella Musem (cash only!), even in pouring rain. And the airport bus only took cash. Beware! 

Personal highlight was the Sacro Monte d'Orta site. All the walks were well documented.

Lovely trip, our second time with Inntravel and they are now our totally trusted go to walking holiday travel provider. Thanks to the superb Inntravel staff and partners who provide an excellent service but also anticipated problems before we were even aware of them and put in place solutions so we didn't have to worry about anything. 

Another fabulous holiday with Inntravel! Less walking than we usually do but was enough in the heat! Beautiful hotels with fabulous scenery.

We had a wonderful holiday thank you. The weather was very warm when we visited (30-32 degrees in the middle of the day) so we were pleased that we had not chosen a holiday with very long or difficult walks. Many of the paths you suggested were in the shade and we enjoyed beautiful views and great peace and quiet.
We ate in a restaurant called Catarina bistrot (via Maria Vittoria) on the evening we arrived in Turin (optional add on). Delicious, somewhat modern twist on local recipes. Not very expensive and really friendly service.
There is now a cafe in the Alpine garden where we only had a drink but there seemed to be a good choice of food - a couple of hot/fresh dishes and pannini.
We also ate at osteria mercato (Piazza Capucci 9) in Stresa. A lovley outdoor eating space with freshly cooked delicious food. Moderately priced.

We loved Lake Orta and the walk you recommended there was really enjoyable. Sadly it rained when we were due to walk to Stresa so had to take the taxi for that. We enjoyed Stresa but didn't like our hotel. We also didn't realise that we could have stopped off on the way to Cannero to see some of the other gardens etc. Perhaps a bit of a suggestion on this would be helpful? Cannero and Cannobio were wonderful, the hotel very special and a perfect end to a very good holiday.

This was a wonderful holiday. Particular highlights were the first and last hotels, with their beautiful lake view. The Hotel Cannero in particular was superb: a spacious room, friendly and helpful staff, marvellous food, a lovely terrace for drinks and relaxation. It could not have been better.

We had a glorious time walking in the hills around Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore. Woodland and hill walks in the Spring were a delight and traditional Italian hill villages were attractive with interesting wild flowers along the routes. Food and service at the hotels providing full board was excellent and all the breakfasts were memorable. We went by train using the highspeed line between Paris and Turin / Milan; this was a wonderful way to start the holiday.

Even though our trip was much wetter than the postcard pictures of Lakes Orta and Maggiore, it made for perfect walking temperatures and only one interrupted walk day. All of the Inntravel arrangements went just as described and for us first-time visitors to Italy it was the most amazing experience. The first day's walk near Lake Orta was the perfect introduction to the terrain and the small towns of the Lakes region. We also appreciated that the ferry schedule basically forced us to take an afternoon cafe break before returning to our home base :). In Stresa we had an excellent dinner at Granoduro Ristorante just outside the city center. We were very hungry earlier than normal dinner hours and they were so great in treating us early eaters well. Our walks in Stresa were threatened by thunderstorms, so we spent one day at Villa Parancinio, where the zoo was kind of weird but the gardens were lovely. There are not enough superlatives to describe our stay at Hotel Cannero and both days of walking (though the walk from Cannero to Cannobio was very, very uphill in spots). We highly recommend the wine tasting opportunity at the hotel if it fits your schedule. We found the small markets in all the towns well stocked for daily lunch/hike provisions on those days we had a late start and wouldn't be back in town in time for lunch. 

Great scenery (5 of the 6 of us had never been there before)

Food was good & hotels comfortable.

 I first walked with you in 2002 and walked every year since save 4 - and 2 of these because of Covid. 

My friends (now late 70s or early 80s) who walk with me agree. 

Any irritation is minor

The two walks we did from Cannero ( Cannero to Cannobio, Villages around Cannero) were lovely, Gorgeous views of the lake and interesting villages and sights en route. We had an extra day in Pettenasco and found further routes directly from the hotel into the hills and surrounding villages which could be further options for Inntravel to offer in addition to the one walk provided walk to Orta San Gulio. The Inntravel travel arrangements and walking notes were to the usual Inntravel high standards of accuracy and ease of use. In Stresa I would recommend use of the scheduled public boat services to the Borromeo Islands for flexibility rather than the tour operators whose many salesmen are easily identified by their white naval caps.

This is the first time that we have travelled with Inntravel and we were very pleased with our holiday. We were very impressed with the organisation and the quality of service that we received. The walks were very enjoyable and varied. They were the right length for the terrain with well thought out routes, and easy to follow notes. The contextual information made things interesting. The zoological garden in Stresa and the gardens on the Borromean islands are well worth a visit. A holiday highlight was the church at Carmine Superior where there is a window on the west wall enabling you, for a euro, to see the restored 15th Century frescoes. Both Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore are well worth visiting with exceptional scenery, and the centres chosen worked really well for us. Piedmontese food and wine is very high quality. In Stresa the restaurant recommendations (both Inntravel and Hotel du Parc) were very helpful. Hotel Cannero, in particular, included very good and varied four course meals. We will holiday with Inntravel again.

It was one of our best holidays in recent times. The orgnsiation was outstanding and we shall certainly use Inntravel again.

Returning to Inntravel after three years covid-induced absence, we chose the Italian lakes in September.  Despite a hotter and drier season than usual the sweeping hills were deeply green; only close to was it revealed that already the gentians and harebells had finished flowering and the deciduous trees had lost many leaves.  Enough remained to shade the paths giving views over water sparkling beneath blue skies and the verdant hillsides speckled with red-tiled roofs.  Most lakeside towns and villages combined a historic warren of picturesque narrow streets with later villas, some in very quixotic architectural styles, catering for well-heeled tourists and second-homers.  This is an intensely-touristed region but the routes to which we were directed retained feelings of tranquillity and individuality.  (We confess we did not walk from Stresa, choosing to revisit the gardens of the Borromean Islands and the Villa Taranto after many years’ absence.)

We liked the three hotels: the Giardinetto with its incredible quirky plan – the kitchens have the best lake views, and the route between the main dining areas means climbing one staircase and descending another; the Park at Stresa converted from a garden villa; and the Cannero where the welcome was warm and the food excellent.  We also greatly enjoyed the journey home, stopping three nights in Milan, and lunching as we changed trains in Paris.

A great holiday which we enjoyed. There were 4 of us in the group. Hotels and walks were excellent.

We ate at restaurant Grano Duro in Stresa, which was excellent and very reasonable and only a 7 minute walk from the hotel. No website, email to book.

Parco Pallavicino has beautiful gardens and is an easy walk from the town centre in Stresa.

We also ate at La Bruma in Belgirate, which was also excellent but more expensive. Great position.

La Rondinella bar in Oggiogno was not open on the Wednesday, although still appeared to be operational.

We always have great holidays with Inntravel, but this one was just perfect - the hotels, the walks, the scenery, the food, the people, the swimming, the wine-tasting (courtesy of Signore Giovanni at Hotel Cannero) - every aspect was fantastic. Each of the three hotels was very different to the next, but all were excellent in their own way - we wouldn't have changed a thing.

Restaurant tips for Stresa:

1) We stopped for a beer at Bar-Restaurant Cardini on the walk from Ginese to Stresa as suggested in the walking notes (although I don't think the notes mentioned beer specifically). I quickly recognised that it was one of the places I'd read good reviews about at home, but I'd ruled it out because it was a taxi ride from Stresa. The location and owner, Patritcia, were so nice that we booked there and then for the following evening (fortunately she'd just had a cancellation). Our evening meal there was fantastic - one of the most memorable meals we've ever had. (We like good quality food, but not too fancy.) The pasta parcels with ricotta, pear, butter sauce and toasted almonds were particularly noteworthy. We walked there and back from Hotel Du Parc - about 35-40mins each way (uphill there). The walk was a lovely part of the evening, but others might choose to take a taxi. I suspect booking for Cardini is advisable.

2) Great plate of mixed fried fish followed by pizza at Taverna del Pappagallo

An exquisitely beautiful area, well chosen hotels which were all delightful, and plenty of things to do when the excessive heatwave made walking a less attractive option!

The Hotel Cannero is quite outstanding from the point of view of location, accommodation, food, and quite remarkable service. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone.  

The holiday was very efficiently organised from start to finish. The lakes Orta and Maggiore are beautiful and surrounded by stunning scenery. The walking routes are well managed and frequent waymarks are very helpful. A special mention for the Hotel Cannero for the service, food and accommodation which sits in a beautful position.

2 fabulous hotels that I would return to any time. Hotel Cannero is outstanding.

We were blessed with wonderful weather although a bit hot for walking. We loved the balcony overlooking Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore. The Hotel Cannero is a gem and the staff are all so friendly and helpful. Having the GPS was a reassurance although as the walking notes were (as usual) of very high standard were not needed. It is good to have the timings on walk notes as this allows you to know if your pace is on track. We added a day in Stresa and used the whole day for the islands. We added an extra day in Cannero and had aimed to do another trip but weather was so good and hotel so comfortable we enjoyed a relax before the flight home. Thank you again for a wonderful experience. We are already planning next year.

This was a lovely and fun trip with friends. The written instructions were very accurate. We also downloaded the GPX files to a free app called GPX viewer. This was very easy to use and worked on all 6 walks. Another person in our group downloaded the GPX files to AllTrails and there were glitches with that app. Most of the Inntravel trails followed the Club Alpino Italiano trails that were very nicely marked with the red and white slashes. We are from the US and observed that the Italian trails were in much better condition and better maked than the trails near our homes. Hotel Giardinetto and Hotel Cannero were both excellent and the staff very helpful. Although it was only mid-May, the weather was hot so carry plenty of water. We were happy to see that the pools at both hotels were open. We also took a swim in Lake Orta which was cold but felt wonderful on the hot afternoon. My favorite walk/hike was in Cannero when we did the loop trail that went through Oggiogno. This ancient hamlet is charming and we made a point to visit the chestnut drying huts and grape press.  

The whole trip 'Lake Orta to Lake Maggiore' was a wonderful experience.  The views were outstanding and we had some fabulous and varied food.  We especially enjoyed our trip over to Switzerland getting the bus to and from Brissago, walking to Ascona and the boat back to Brissago.  We took up your recommendation in Belgirate to have lunch at La Bruma, another feast for the senses!  We also enjoyed the boat trips to various islands and it was a good way to finish the days walking!  Thank you Inntravel.

Hotels:  Hotel Giardinetto was excellent, especially the upgraded room with balcony directly over the lake.   4-course meal with choice of each course, excellent.

Hotel du Parc:  Comfortable and entirely adequate, 3* rather than 4* as indicated, excellent breakfast.

Hotel Cannero:  Very good, lovely position at lakeside, large (upgraded) room with limited lake view. 4-course meals, no choice for hors d'oeuvres, most nights excellent food very beautifully presented, but one option less good, and on one night virtually every option contained peppers despite the hotel knowing that one of us is intolerant of peppers and capsicums.   When this was pointed out they did offer a different sauce but unsatisfactory.   Excellent breakfast.

Fun piano bar at Hotel Cannero.  Inntravel did a great job on everything.

This was our first holiday with InnTravel and it totally exceeded our expectations. Everything was well organised and went to plan. The walk routes were well explained and easy to follow. They were all beautiful but we particularly enjoyed the walk into Switzerland and its stunning views.

We had very enjoyable meals at Mamma Mia and Osteria degli Amicis in Stresa.

We are already looking forward to booking our next trip with Inntravel.