Italy’s 40-mile-long Lake Maggiore is known for its Borromean Islands, dotted with 16th-century palazzos and verdant botanical gardens, and its picturesque shoreline towns, including Verbania, Arona and Stresa. In 1918, Ernest Hemingway spent some days in Stresa recovering from World War I—an experience that would inspire his 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms.

Quieter than nearby Lake Como, Lake Maggiore has kept its identity alive despite being a popular tourism destination. Locals have a strong bond with the lake, shown in annual events like “People of the Lake and River,” a festival that celebrates lake life through theater performances, educational workshops and chef-prepared local dishes.