Ver 2

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Continuing our trip we reach Verbania and the upper lake (on the left) .
If botany is your favourite hobby Villa Taranto (on the right) is the place for you .

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The Conte Orsetti built the villa in 1875 . It has been bought in 1931 by a Scottish sea captain , Neil Mac Echarn , who radically transformed the gardens , introducing many rare plants from distant parts of the world . In 1939 he donated the villa to the Italian State .

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Going on along the highway we arrive in Cannobbio (on the left) the last Italian town on the western bank of Lake Maggiore . Fine old buildings line the partly arcaded lake front .
On the right the remains of the great Vitaliana Castle built by Ludovico Borromeo between 1519 and 1526 .

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The castle was built on one of the three little islands lying halfway between Cannero and Cannobio . A sturdy tower stands on a second smaller islet . The charm of this Castle lies on the picturesque position and on the numerous legends which were set there .

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    The fascinating tradition of artisan workmanship (manufacturing products from wood , stone and wrought iron) is very widespread throughout the valleys and along the shores of the lakes .
     On the left you can see a precious angel's head carved in the wood .
     One very special type of activity is the production of musical instruments in Quarna (Orta Lake) , witch is celebrated in the ethnographic Museum of the town .
     Gignese (near Stresa) is the home of the umbrella manufacturing tradition (the only one of its kind in the world !) and the site of the Umbrella Museum .

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History lovers should go to see the famous Rocca of Angera (on the Lombard side of the lake in front of Arona) . This impressive fortified palace was rebuilt by the Visconti family in 1350 on the ruins of a Longobard fortress .

Later the palace was enlarged and refined by the Borromeo family . Inside , the Sala di Giustizia and the Sala degli Affreschi are well worth a visit .
We highly recommend the Doll Museum opened in the Rocca in 1988 ; the collection includes more than thousand antique dolls and different toys .

In the Isola Madre was opened in 1978 an interesting Museum of antique puppet-theatres (on the left) .
On the right you can see the particular activity of the carpenters from Piana di Fornero (Verbania Province) specialized in....Pinocchio !! They export the famous wooden puppet everywhere in the world ; they make also the little wooden pieces for the Monopoly game .

If you delight in gems of architecture , expecially those in lonely spots , steeped in legend , then head for Santa Caterina del Sasso , on the Lombard side of the lake in front of Stresa . The complex of Santa Caterina is the result of the legend of religious conversion in the distant 13th century , when a wealthy merchant called Alberto Besozzi was saved from drowning by St. Catherine of Alessandria .

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   The climate is ideal also to enjoy different sports and lots of physical activities . One can also try his hand at fun sports like water skiing and wind-surf .
On the other hand , golf is a more relaxing sport and here in the wide green areas surrounding the lake there are many   facilities for golfers .

Last but not least , local dishes include several qualities of lake fishes cooked in different ways and a big choice of sweets in the Stresa's pastry shops .

We thank the Tourist Local Agency for the wonderful pictures .

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