On the second largest lake in Italy, between Piedmont and Lombardy, there is a small island that experiences Christmas in a surprisingly different way. While almost all European cities cling to the usual rituals (tree, crèche, market), this enclave of Lake Maggiore This transforms the month of December into a show of lights that are reflected on the water as if the entire lake was participating in the party. The scene is so special that many visitors return just to see it light up at dusk.
The island that lights up at dusk
This is the Fisherman’s Islandthe only inhabited one in the Borromean archipelago. A tiny place (barely 100 meters wide and 350 meters long) that even the philosopher Montesquieu fell in love with, who defined it as “the most beautiful place in the world”, he remembers. National geographic. This floating miniature was for centuries the home of a community of fishermen who, even today, go out at dawn with their nets to work on the water. For three years, the island has been transformed every December into Luces Islandsa festival of light which illuminates facades, balconies and squares through a show entitled Lake Maggiore water textures. The lights (which, according to Grotta di Babbo Natale, are inspired by the traditional tones of fishing nets dyed since 1948 in a copper oven) transform the small town center into a rainbow that floats on the lake until January 6.
Every day, between 5:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Between 12 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., the island displays a choreography of colors on its two- and three-story houses, in the church of San Vittore (a construction from the year 1000 rebuilt between the 17th and 18th centuries) and in its small panoramic garden. Everything lights up except the cemetery which remains in darkness as a sign of respect.
How to see the show from the inside and outside
To experience the festival from the inside, the ideal is to sail at sunset along the Lake Maggiore. Tourist boats depart from Stress, Lido of Carciano And Bavenowhose piers are connected by lakeside promenades perfect for enjoying the night views, as recommended by local media.
The other option is to observe the island from a distance. Stresa offers some of the best views, especially from the promenade between Corsican Italy And Court of Umberto Iwhile the winding roads of Carciano And Someraro They offer elevated panoramic views of the archipelago. From BavenoAdditionally, you can see how the illuminated island seems to be floating in the Borromean Gulf.
Beyond the lights: palaces, gardens and exotic birds
When the lights go out, the lake offers a different kind of beauty. Around Beautiful island is found Borromeo Palacethe former residence of one of the most powerful noble families in Lombardy. Its rooms, terraced gardens and numerous works of art have made it a classic of cultural tourism in northern Italy.
At the neighbor’s Mother Islandthe romantic gardens are home to over 2,000 species of plants, as well as albino turkeys, golden pheasants and parrots that fill the air with color and sound. A blend of nature and aristocracy that contrasts with the maritime simplicity of Fisherman’s Island, but completes a perfect itinerary for a winter getaway.
Between floating lights, fishermen’s balconies and palaces overlooking the water, this small Italian island shows that Christmas can also be celebrated by a lake and under the reflection of a nighttime rainbow. A luminous tradition that makes Lake Maggiore one of the most unexpected (and most beautiful) settings of the European winter.
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