New Series about Botanical Gardens, Villas, and Alpine Lakes.
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Passeggiando tra ville e giardini... del lago Maggiore
con Paola Bottigelli
June 4 at 2:00 p.m. via zoom
Seconda parte
con Paola Bottigelli
June 4 at 2:00 p.m. via zoom
Seconda parte
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Comments after first meeting:
Ronald : I remember all of the cats on Isola Pescatori Jacqueline : Grazie tante per la sua presentazione bellissima ! Joyce : Grazie per questo viaggio magico. Alessandra: Grazie Paola! una bellissima presentazione molto interessante. Alida: Molto grazie Franca e Paola! Mi dispiace ma devo andare. Joanna: Grazie per questo meraviglioso viaggio ! Debra: Grazie per un presentation fantastico. Cera molte bene!!! Ronald: Grazie Carmen: grazie Marija: Grazie! |
Next meetings:
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From my Granma diary:
Stresa, July 7, 1967
On a picture-perfect day with a bright blue sky above, we sailed on Lake Maggiore’s calm waters arriving by boat from the lakeside town of Stresa to Isola Bella, one of the lake’s three Borromeo Islands.
The Borromeo family still uses two floors of the palace as a summer residence, but has opened 25 of its 100 rooms to the public. Our guide Vittoria Colombo provided a wonderful informative tour of the elaborate and surprisingly extravagant interior of the palace. She was able to point out things we would have missed on our own but also added anecdotes that filled in background and history.
Stresa, July 7, 1967
On a picture-perfect day with a bright blue sky above, we sailed on Lake Maggiore’s calm waters arriving by boat from the lakeside town of Stresa to Isola Bella, one of the lake’s three Borromeo Islands.
The Borromeo family still uses two floors of the palace as a summer residence, but has opened 25 of its 100 rooms to the public. Our guide Vittoria Colombo provided a wonderful informative tour of the elaborate and surprisingly extravagant interior of the palace. She was able to point out things we would have missed on our own but also added anecdotes that filled in background and history.
Then Vittoria took us outside for another treat — the palace’s elegant gardens. Azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, citrus trees, olive trees, and many more grace the magnificent gardens amid grand architecture and statuary.
Carlo III of the House of Borromeo began building the palace in 1632 for his wife Isabella (for whom the island is named), but it was completed by his sons, and the palace’s spectacular baroque gardens were completed by his grandson Carlo IV in 1671.
The gardens have 10 overlapping terraces designed to resemble decks and the bow of a ship. The terraces are adorned with statues and staircases that complement the grandeur of the palace and were intended to convey power and wealth — and they certainly do.
Carlo III of the House of Borromeo began building the palace in 1632 for his wife Isabella (for whom the island is named), but it was completed by his sons, and the palace’s spectacular baroque gardens were completed by his grandson Carlo IV in 1671.
The gardens have 10 overlapping terraces designed to resemble decks and the bow of a ship. The terraces are adorned with statues and staircases that complement the grandeur of the palace and were intended to convey power and wealth — and they certainly do.
White peacocks live in the gardens of Isola Bella giving visitors a thrill to see them strolling freely on the grounds. I wish that we had been able to see one of them open their feathers, but they must have been a bit shy when we were there.
The statues adorning the Teatro Massimo amphitheater were created by Milanese sculptor Carlo Simonetta between 1667 and 1677. The top statue portrays a unicorn, a prominent feature of the Borromeo family coat of arms.
As if being on a small island bursting with beautiful foliage and flowers surrounded by the deep blue waters of Lake Maggiore wasn’t romantic enough, Isola Bella has a special Garden of Love. The red tulips planted at this time of year in the hedge designs seemed perfect for a garden of love, a nice ending to our tour of this beautiful and romantic place.
The statues adorning the Teatro Massimo amphitheater were created by Milanese sculptor Carlo Simonetta between 1667 and 1677. The top statue portrays a unicorn, a prominent feature of the Borromeo family coat of arms.
As if being on a small island bursting with beautiful foliage and flowers surrounded by the deep blue waters of Lake Maggiore wasn’t romantic enough, Isola Bella has a special Garden of Love. The red tulips planted at this time of year in the hedge designs seemed perfect for a garden of love, a nice ending to our tour of this beautiful and romantic place.
