Verbania

The little town of Baveno has snow-capped mountains as a backdrop, boasts mineral water springs and the lovely Borromean Islands, which can be reached by regular boats from Baveno harbour. The Borromeans are composed of three small islands and two islets, where you’ll find a glorious mix of baroque palaces, pretty villages, botanical gardens and breathtaking lake views.

The nearby town of Stresa offers fashionable art galleries, high quality restaurants and plenty of musical and cultural events throughout the year. For an afternoon of celebrity-spotting, head for an aperitif at the Grand Hotel des Isles Borromeo, which also has an excellent beauty spa. For breathtaking views of the lake, your best bet is to take the Mottarone cable from Stresa up to the top of Mount Mottarone, where on a clear day you can see right across to Lake Orta, Lake Mergozzo and Lake Varese.

Lake Maggiore is a sportsperson’s paradise with sailing, canoeing, yachting, water-skiing and scuba diving. There are an abundance of hiking trails around the lake, horse riding activities, tennis courts and 18-hole golf courses nearby.

Villa Verbania is within walking distance of all the shops, restaurants and services in Baveno that you might need during your stay. Milan’s Malpensa international airport is less than an hour away and Linate international airport is about an hour and a half’s drive. Stresa is a five minute drive or 30 minute walk along the lakefront.

The Property. Villa Verbania is a 17th century mansion, which has been refurbished to the highest standard. It sleeps up to 16 guests, 12 in the main villa and four in the adjacent guest house. The furnishings are a delightful blend of both stylish, contemporary pieces and antiques that have been with the family for hundreds of years.

There are four double bedrooms and two, shared bathrooms on the first floor and two double bedrooms and a shared bathroom on the second floor. The second floor bedrooms have a panoramic balcony with lake views whereas the first floor also features a comfortable, upstairs sitting room and an office space beneath one of the bedrooms. All of the bedrooms are equipped with ceiling fans and hairdryers.

The sitting room and dining rooms both have marvellous views over the terrace and across to the lake. The spacious kitchen is fully equipped with everything you might need to rustle up some delicious, authentic, local dishes or why not treat yourself and let a private chef do all of the hard work for you? Since many of your evenings here will probably be spent in the stunning internal courtyard where you can dine al fresco in complete privacy, feel free to try your hand at the barbecue.

The villa offers immaculate, mature, terraced gardens and a large swimming pool with a furnished pool side area.