Romantic, fish-shaped Isola Pescatori is that scenic rarity: an inland island village, one of just a handful in Italy. Suspended in time yet neither gentrified nor forlorn, Isola Pescatori (fisherfolk island) which almost 50 people still call home, is a traditional working village of timeless red tiled houses huddling together on the island’s highest ground.

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It has been inhabited for over 1000 years. 

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The island goes by the alternative name of Isola Superiore.

 

Though there are still plenty of tiny boats bobbing in the quaint little harbour or hauled up on what is known as the island’s coda (tail), they are mostly used for taking their owners to and from the mainland and very little actual fishing takes place nowadays.

Nevertheless the accoutrements of island life and beguiling pieces of flotsam and jetsam still litter alley-ways in an appealingly shabby way and in its soul Isola Pescatori is clearly still a fishing island.

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The only wheeled vehicles on the island are wheelbarrows which are used for transporting articles from the boats to local’s homes and restaurants. The island’s entire fleet of wheelbarrows is also marshalled on those several days a year when the buzza arrives. This occurs after heavy rains when tons of driftwood are washed down from the mountains and washed up on the lakeshores. Islanders still eagerly collect all the wood they can find and cart it home on their wheelbarrows to help heat their houses during the winter.

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During the summer, a constant surge of tourists throngs ashore and you’ll find yourself battling high season crowds on the main Stresa-facing promenade which is lined with stalls selling knickknacks and tourist tat.

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Cross over to the other side of the island or move to the shady narrow lane which runs down the island’s main spine and which features a couple of interesting crafts shops, and you’ll be better able to appreciate the island’s charm.

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Even in mid-summer you should be able to find quiet nooks and crannies to explore. Better still, time your visit for the early morning before the stall holders arrive from the mainland or the evening when the last public boats have departed.

To do this you either have to stay overnight on the island in one of the handful of hotels and guest houses, or book a private water taxi.

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A couple of restaurants (La Peschiera and Verbano) provide water taxi service from and back to Stresa in the evening when the public boat service has stopped. A romantic dinner in either of these establishments is an unforgettable experience and the highlight of many a Lago Maggiore holiday. The contrast with midday when the tourist tidal wave washes over the island, is remarkable. As the last tourist heads back to Stresa, peace and quiet reign supreme. As you stroll along the lakeside promenade curling around the island, often the only living creatures you’ll encounter, are cats and seagulls.

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Look carefully into one of the private lakeside gardens on the Stresa facing side; through a wrought iron gate you might spot a sizeable colony of tortoises, taking advantage of the island’s mild temperature.

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The dazzling early morning light on the northern shore is quite magical and, if you have the opportunity, breakfast at Hotel Verbano or Hotel Belvedere on the veranda close to the water’s edge is a fabulous experience. To do justice to the island, you will need at least a couple of hours, more of course if you eat at a local restaurant.

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The shoreline along the coda makes a great place to stop for a picnic under the shade of plane trees.

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Don’t miss the lovely church, a national monument, dedicated to San Vittore and its diminutive cemetery; also look out for the old village school which is now an occasional venue for art exhibitions.