Location
Location
How to get there
Villa Orsi can easily be reached by car via Locarno, Ascona and Brissage across the Italien border. Continue through Cannobio to Cannero Riviera. The Swiss railway SBB brings you comfortably to Locarno, or by air travel to Zurich Kloten (237 km) or Milano Malpensa (80 Km) from where we arrange for you to be picked up. Upon arrival and departure your landlord will of course be present at the villa.
About Cannero Riviera
Cannero, who’s additional suffix “Riviera” provides a good hint as to what you may expect from the climate, is situated on a river delta that enjoys an almost perfect southerly exposition. Surrounded by steep mountains forged by glaciers, this delta is one of the very few plane pieces of land at the shores of the Lake Maggiore.
As a result of this position the vegetation is quite unusual for this longitude. Enjoying more hours of sunshine is manifested by the incredible variety of plants and trees that prosper at this location. They range from all kind of citrus trees such as lemons, tangerine, bitter oranges to exotic plants like bougainvilleas, all sorts of camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons and many more. Every year in March there is a fair “Agrumi di Cannero” where all fruits are displayed.
A variety of very nice hotels and good restaurants attract a very international clientele. The charming village with a Mediterranean touch offers shopping facilities and a lovely promenade along the shore of the lake.
Surroundings
Surroundings
Sports
For golfers, there are several nice courses in the vicinitiy. Two 9 hole courses in Verbania (23km) and, on cool 1000 meters above sea level in Pian di Sole (26km) with its stunning view over the Lake Maggiore as well as 18 hole courses in Stresa (39km), Ascona (26km) and Losone (24km).
Just behind the Villa the Tennis Club Cannero offers you a facility to play.
Leisure
Just 15km south of Cannero, Intra/Verbania offer some fancy shops, be it for cloth, shoes or fine food. A vast variety fo restaurants for almost any kind of food leave nothing to be desired.
On Sunday mornings, Cannobio turns into one big market and picturesque “Lungolago” invites you to linger and enjoy a coffee or bite in one of the many bars or restaurants.
Trips
The Lake Maggiore offers a variety of restaurants that can be reached by private boat. A dedicated App “Chacallonage” provides information including mooring facilities and contact details. Ristorante Milano in Pallanza, Hotel Camino in Colmegna as well as Ristorante La Piratera on Isola Madre are renowned for their cuisine.
With your own speedboat or the public ferries you can also get to the world-famous Borromean Islands just off Stresa, the Brissago Island with its beautiful gardens and much more.
Picturesque towns such as Stresa, Arona, Luino or Ascona are worth a visit as well as countless other attractions in the area.
Just a short trip away is Orta di San Giulio. A medieval town with a lovely island right in the middle of the lake. It is home to a monastery and the Basilica di San Giulio, built in the 9th century
An excursion to Locarno for shopping in the narrow lanes of the old town and along Piazza Grande can be combined with a trip to Ascona and a pedalo ride along its lovely lake promenade.
Events such as the Ascona Jazz Festival or the open air concerts of “Moon & Stars” offer delightful entertainment in the Summer months.
Day Trips
The monastery Santa Caterina del Sasso is built into a steep rock face just over the Lake Maggiore. It can be reached by passenger boats operated by Navigazione Lago Maggiore.
The botanic gardens of Villa Taranto in Intra are well worth a visit . The gardens were established 1931-1940 by Neil McEacharn who bought an existing villa and its neighbouring estates, cut down more than 2000 trees and undertook substantial changes to the landscape, including the addition of major water features employing 8km of pipes in order to create his own gardens. He set the name “Villa Taranto” in honour of his ancestor Etienne Jacques Joseph Alexandre MacDonald, named Duke of Taranto by Napoleon.
Luino is across the Lake Maggiore and can be reached by boat on an hourly basis. The town is famous for its Wednesday market which equally attracts travelling salesmen and shoppers.
Mergozzo at Lake Mergozzo is a hidden gem and offers a picturesque old town as well as a handful of innovative restaurants. The Villas of Pallanza just around the corner are also worth visiting.
