Italy is full of beautiful places that would be worth a visit but some of these are practically unknown because they are dominated by much more important cities and points of interest.
Today I want to introduce you to a little jewel of Lombardy, in northern Italy.
In Lombardy there are 4 of the top 10 lakes in Italy by extension and in particular the destination I want to talk about is located in Lake Iseo. Yes, you got it right: in the lake.
I speak of Montisola (or Monte Isola) the largest Italian lake island and one of the largest in Europe. Certainly the highest with its 600m at its highest point (around 1970 feet).
The name of the island comes from its height and geographical conformation. In fact, Monte Isola means Mountain Island!
The particularity of being an island so high in the middle of a lake, however, is not the only reason to visit Monte Isola. On the island there are several small villages that follow one another on a good part of its coast offering breathtaking views and the opportunity for a full immersion in nature. It was not by chance that it was chosen among the top three tourist destinations for 2019 according to “European Best Destinations”.
I go there often but these days, taking advantage of a wonderful February day with mild climate, I decided to take some pictures to show you this pearl of the lake. I hope you like them!
There are several things that can be done on the island and the best way to discover them is to take a nice walk all around it. The path that follows practically the entire coast is not challenging and is suitable for all types of physical preparation. It is about 8km (5 miles) to meet, which seem to be many but, enraptured by natural beauty, they flow quickly.
My advice is to travel the route clockwise in order to visit the various villages that follow one another on the coast: Peschiera Maraglio, Sensole, Menzino, Siviano and Carzano. There are also other villages in the inland areas in a hilly area.
There is no better time to visit it because it always offers magical glimpses but for obvious reasons better to do it on sunny days. During the winter there can be a lot of wind which is sometimes annoying.
In addition to the naturalistic glimpses on the island, you can find small beaches that are built on the lake shore. The waters of the lake are very clean at this point and the seaside resorts are labeled with a blue flag which in Italy means safe water. It is still a lake so if you decide to go for a swim do not go too far because it could be dangerous because of the many currents that cross in the waters.
Walking around the island will also immerse you in local life. There are around 1700 inhabitants here and the vast majority of them live and work on the island and it is really interesting to immerse yourself in their daily lives. The size of the island is really small and consequently also the roads that connect the various countries are very narrow. To move easily on the island cars cannot be used because in some places it would be impossible to pass and the only solution is the healthy bicycle, the agile scooter or, if you want a roof on your head while moving, some microcars such as the fantastic “Ape cars” by Piaggio or other similar vehicles. Everything here is downsized, even the garbage trucks!
Since the scooters are the most used means of transport near every island harbor there is a garage so people that need to go on mainland can park safely the scooter.
There are normal cars and even a bus transport system but there is only one road that can be traveled with these means for which it is impossible to go into the villages.
On the island you can also meet the typical animal species of the lake including beautiful swans that are used to people so they can be approached but always with attention. Swans are interesting photographic subjects and we always try to get as close as possible but be careful if you are a family with puppies. The swans when they have reproduced carry the puppies on their back and when they are able to swim easily they move in formation with the mother in the head, the puppies in the middle and the father to close the line checking the situation. Approaching when there are puppies can be dangerous: adult swans want to protect the puppies and become very aggressive at first by emitting a guttural breath and then hurling themselves without fear against the threat. They are strong and leathery animals so if you have come too close, move away as soon as you hear them making strange sounds!
The island is also a perfect home for cats because the dangers are very few for them. The almost total absence of cars and the absence of wild predators allows cats to live peacefully and to proliferate. To meet the need to control their proliferation, colonies of cats have been established. One of these, called “Gatti al sole” (Cats in the Sun) is right on the main promenade of the island and you will surely meet it preceded by road signs that are not often found and that indicate to be careful when crossing … cats!
Monte Isola also offers local culinary delights including sardines, cousins of marine species. The Monte Isola sardines, Slow Food presidium, are fished in the cool period preceding spring (around February / March) and are then dried in the sun to obtain stocks to be used all year round. The particular climate of the lake which is neither humid nor too dry also favors the drying of Monte Isola salami which is often served with polenta in both dried and non-dried versions. Also on the island, in some ways self-sufficient, there are farms that produce meats, meats and cheeses that can be enjoyed purely in the on-site restaurants.
Thanks to the excellent exposure to the sun there are many cultivation of olive trees from which the extra virgin olive oil of Monte Isola is obtained and a very small wine production.
For those who love walking in the mountains I recommend tackling one of the various paths that from the different villages on the coast leads to the top of the island where the fantastic Madonna della Ceriola Sanctuary is located. From here you have a 360 ° view of Lake Iseo and the mountains from which it is surrounded. To go up you need a minimum of preparation but it is not a transcendental path. Depending on your level of athletic training, the ascent can last from 40 minutes to 2 hours. In the tourist season there is a small bus that allows you to avoid much of the climb but my advice is to go there on foot rather taking many breaks admiring the glimpses that open during the journey.
A couple of curiosities!
There are two other small islands visible from Monte Isola. These are the Island of San Paolo and the Island of Loreto both private. The first island in the past was managed by a congregation of friars and now belongs to the Beretta family (owner of the famous Beretta firearms factory). The second belongs to an Italian entrepreneur and a few years ago it was rumored that George Clooney (lover of Italian lakes) wanted to buy it but it ended in nothing.
The small islands cannot be visited but you can see them up close with one of the many boat tours that are offered in the tourist season.
In 2016 the lake around Monte Isola was the protagonist of a work by the couple of artists Christo Vladimirov Javacheff and Jeanne-Claude who installed hundreds of meters of floating material anchored to the bottom of the lake to allow people to cross it on foot. It was a remarkable installation that attracted many tourists from all over the world and was called The Floating Piers.
The island has all the services of a normal country such as a public transportation system, a fire station, a gas station, and its own post office. But the postman comes from the mainland so you could find him with his scooter on the boat that takes you to the island!
There are also two small shipyards that exploit the knowledge of the islanders’ boats. Lake Iseo is home to many shipyards, some of which are extremely renowned.
To get to the island you need to take a boat from one of the countries on the mainland. My advice is to leave the car in the village of Sulzano and take the ferry that crosses the lake in a few minutes to Sale Marasino.
All possible routes are available on the lake transport website.
It is possible to bring your own bicycle and dogs are allowed on board only if the owners have a muzzle with them (make sure you have it if you have your dog with you or they could deny you boarding. In that case you could buy a muzzle in the ticket office of the ferry).
On the island there are many B&B and hotels. For sure if you need some days of peace you can find a very relaxing place on the island. Anyway you can for sure have only one great day here, the island is not enormous!
. To be honest I had also to zoom in the map on the lake to find out that it is right in the middle and quite big as well.
