Italy/Switzerland: Lago Maggiore

In the sixties and seventies the Swiss shore was a meeting place for artists and the rich. The money is still there, but got older. Where hip galleries used to be now you encounter expensive pharmacies. But the azure coloured lake, Riviera-like shores and surrounding valleys never lost their attractiveness. The largest part of the lake is in Italy and nothing has changed there. The beauty of its islands like Isola Bella is timeless. Lakeside resort Stresa still dreams of the return of its belle epoque. And subtropical botanical gardens, hidden monasteries and proud castles dot the shores as they did before.