A Lake Maggiore tour usually means the Borromean Islands, a small group in the lake that includes Isola Bella and Isola Madre, reached by boat from Stresa. Two options stand out on Viator. The day trip from Milan, with a coach, a guide and a boat cruise, is rated 4.5 across 103 reviews, from about $161. The private islands tour from Stresa, with a licensed local guide, is rated 5.0 across 81 reviews, from about $348 per group.
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The verdict
The private islands tour is our pick if you can get to Stresa on your own. For five hours, a licensed local guide takes you around the Borromean Islands, and almost every review is five stars. The listing doesn’t say whether boat transfers are included; one reviewer mentions a private boat captain, so confirm with the guide before you book. Palace and garden tickets are extra.
The day trip from Milan is the answer if you are based in the city without a car. It covers the coach, a guide and a boat cruise. Be clear about the downsides: it is rated 4.5, with 64% five-star reviews, and one reviewer counts about two hours by coach to reach the lake. Reviewers describe cruising the islands and visiting the palace with its gardens, but the Borromeo Palace entrance fee is extra. One review says rain cut out the time in Stresa.
Neither option is listed as wheelchair accessible.
Neither price includes entry to the palaces and gardens on the islands, so add it when you compare. For other lakes near Milan, see our guide to the lakes in Italy.
Which one is for you?
Take the day trip from Milan if
- You are based in Milan without a car.
- You want transport, guide and cruise in one booking.
- You prefer the lower price, from about $161.
- You don’t mind long hours on a coach.
Take the private islands tour if
- You want the highest rating: 5.0 from 81 travelers.
- You are staying on the lake, or can reach Stresa.
- You want a licensed guide for your group only.
- You have the budget, from about $348 per group.
What each price covers
The day trip from Milan, from about $161
Included: an air-conditioned vehicle, a professional guide and a boat cruise.
Not included: gratuities, food and drinks unless specified, the Borromeo Palace entrance fee, and hotel drop-off.
The private islands tour, from about $348 per group
Included: a licensed local guide, on a private tour.
Not included: gratuities, admission tickets for palaces and gardens, and private transportation.
Where each one starts
- Day trip: the Zani Viaggi meeting point in the Central Station area, or the Milan Visitor Center, Largo Cairoli 18. Arrive 15 minutes early.
- Private tour: in Stresa, with pickup elsewhere on request.
Side by side
| Day trip from Milan | Private islands tour | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5 from 103 | 5.0 from 81 |
| Five-star reviews | 66 (64%) | 79 (98%) |
| Price | from about $161 | from about $348 per group |
| Length | 7 to 10 hours | 5 hours |
| Start | Milan | Stresa |
| Transport | Coach and boat cruise | Not included |
| Palace tickets | Not included | Not included |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before | Free up to 24 hours before |
What travelers say
On the day trip from Milan
Being able to visit 2 different islands was a treat.
Lori_D, October 2024, via Viator
We enjoyed the tour despite it raining all day.
Lynette_R, September 2024, via Viator
On the private islands tour
Micaela was a wonderful host—warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the Borromean Islands.
Ureka_I, July 2026, via Viator
This was one of the best tours we took during our trip to Italy.
John_K, March 2026, via Viator
The private islands tour is reviewed almost only with five stars: 98% of its 81 ratings. The day trip from Milan has a wider spread: 64% of its 103 ratings are five stars, and three stars or lower make up about 11% of the reviews.
How Lake Maggiore fits a trip to northern Italy
For another lake from Milan, compare the Lake Como day trip and the Lake Como boat tour, or head east for the Lake Garda day trip to Sirmione. In the city, the Last Supper tour and the Bergamo tour fill a shorter day.
For planning, read our day trips from Milan, our guide to the lakes in Italy and our pick of historic Italian gardens.
For the quieter lake next door, our Lake Orta tour page compares a private guided walk in Orta San Giulio with a private driver from Stresa, Baveno or Verbania.
Questions travelers ask
Which Lake Maggiore tour should I book?
If you can reach Stresa, the private islands tour, rated 5.0 from 81 reviews on Viator, from about $348 per group (checked September 2026). From Milan without a car, the day trip, rated 4.5, from about $161.
Is the palace ticket included in a Lake Maggiore tour?
Not in either of these. Both list palace and garden admission as extra.
Can I do a Lake Maggiore tour as a day trip from Milan?
Yes. The day trip runs seven to ten hours with a coach, a guide and a boat cruise. One reviewer counts about two hours by coach to reach the lake.
Does a Lake Maggiore tour visit the Borromean Islands?
The private tour is built around them. On the day trip, reviewers describe cruising the islands, with one saying they visited two.
Can I cancel a Lake Maggiore tour?
Both offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
Book the private tour if you can reach Stresa; book the day trip if you start from Milan without a car.
Editorial assessment by Italy2Love, September 2026. Inclusions and exclusions, meeting points, prices, ratings, review counts and cancellation terms read on both Viator product pages (product codes 2872LAKEMAGGIORE and 24114P2), September 2026. Reviews quoted with attribution to their authors and to Viator. Next review March 2027, or sooner on any change to either option.