With Lake Como dealing with the effects of overtourism (the Mayor of Como recently told the Times of London that up to 300,000 visitors can descend upon the area in one summer day), the attractions of another exquisite Italian lake, nearby Lago Maggiore, have come into sharper focus, as travelers cast a wider net to experience sublime settings without some of the tourist commotion. 

The visitor numbers for Lake Maggiore were up 10.2% in 2023 over the previous year, and while destinations like Stresa can be busy in summer (there’s a famous music festival), it’s a big lake (the country’s second-largest) with many quieter towns and villages along the shore, as well as in the nearby countryside.