Lake Iseo

There is something magical about being on a lake, especially when you're in the north of Italy on Lake Iseo. The lake is dotted with picturesque villages along the shore, some like Pescheria, on an island in the middle of the lake. You can easily get around by boat, which leads out from the beautiful town of Iseo, located right along the shore with a marina, piazzas, little lanes, shops, and restaurants.

Lake Iseo offers a captivating escape for travelers seeking a taste of authentic Italy. It is often overshadowed by the larger, more well-known lakes, Como, Garda, and Lugano. Iseo hides a charm wrapped in its own serene atmosphere. Lake Iseo is not as famous or busy as those other lakes in the Italian Lake District.

Lake Iseo is located in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, surrounded by sixteen coastal municipalities, and seven hillside villages. The lake is 25 kilometers long, with a maximum width of five kilometers. That small size of the lake gives it a special charm where you feel like you can see the entire lake at once, embraced by the mountain all around you.

Iseo caters to all types of adventures. Hike or bike along well-maintained trails that hug the shoreline, taking in the ever-changing scenery. Rent a motorcycle, kayak, or paddleboard to explore the lake from a different perspective. For a touch of adrenaline, try windsurfing or kite surfing.

Getting to Iseo

You can reach Iseo conveniently by train, such as from the nearby city of Brescia just 30 minutes away, or from Milan, an 80-minute train ride. That costs less than 5 euro, and you will enjoy beautiful scenery along that short ride. The Iseo train station is located in town, just about a 300-meter walk down to the waterfront. You might spend the night in Iseo, but if visiting on a day trip, it is good to arrive early, by 8:30, which is easy to do if you stay in Brescia for a few days. This early start is very helpful in beating the crowds that show up later in the day, especially for getting on the excursion boat. By midday, a long line waits to buy tickets at the lakefront booth.

Arriving early, there is time for a preliminary stroll around Iseo town, then see more of it after the boat excursion. Iseo town is only about 500 meters wide. Still, in that typical Italian style of a compact lakefront village, it is beautiful, with a central piazza surrounded by porticos and sidewalk restaurants.

Iseo town is known for its beautiful lakefront promenade, historic center with narrow streets, beautiful architecture, and several historic sites and monuments, such as the Church of Sant'Andrea and the Oldofredi Castle. The castle was built in the 14th century and is now home to a museum dedicated to the history and culture of the surrounding area.

The lakefront promenade is a popular spot for walking and enjoying views of the lake, and there are several beaches where visitors can swim or sunbathe. The town has several parks and green spaces, including the Parco delle Chiatte and the Parco del Sebino. Bicycling is a popular sport here because it's a terrific way to get around and see the region, with bike routes along the shore and up in the hills.

Piazza Garibaldi

Piazza Garibaldi in the center of the town features a statue of the great hero of Italian unification, Giuseppe Garibaldi. Many Italian towns have a statue of Garibaldi, but this was the first one, unlike in most other places, here he is not sitting on a horse but standing facing the City Hall.

You would also find the piazza a good place for a morning snack, maybe just a cornetto, or sit down at a table for waiter service. In the morning, people mainly just have coffee and a roll. Then, later in the afternoon, it's time for some drinks, either a glass of wine or that favorite, the spiritz. Of course, dogs are always welcome at the table and seem happy to be here. Some shops are just opening as it's still early in the day, and the back streets are quiet.

A nice place to take a walk is behind the piazza, where you'll soon find Piazza Mazzini, a smaller plaza with an outdoor washbasin that is still functioning. It's an unusual survival of a widespread tradition, especially important in old days when many homes had no running water. As you wander through these narrow cobblestone streets, you'll be immersed in old-world charm, then be surprised by a whimsical gathering of colorful umbrellas hanging above.

Boat Ride

Purchase a ticket for the boat ride at the waterfront kiosk. If you get here early, by 9:00 a.m., it's not very busy and easy to get that ticket. Then wait online for a few minutes and get on board for the main adventure of the day: a cruise on the lake and a visit to a little village on the island in the middle of the lake.

Monte Isola is the largest island in Lake Iseo and the second-largest lake island in Italy, with a mountain 1300 feet high. It is located on the eastern side of the lake, near the town of Sulzano. The island is known for its scenic beauty, charming fishing villages, and historic churches. Visitors can explore the island on foot or by bike, and there are several hiking trails and scenic viewpoints that offer panoramic views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Monte Isola is also famous for its local cuisine, particularly its freshwater fish dishes.

You can take a boat cruise along the entire length of the lake where there are as many as 23 different places that the boat will stop, which could take about 3 hours cruising from one end of the lake to the other. However, on this cruise, we're just going from Iseo town to the island of Monte Isola, then to the western shore, then back to the island, then back to Iseo.

The first stop is usually at Sensole, a small hamlet on the island of Monte Isola. The boat then continues around, making numerous other stops. There are 12 villages and hamlets scattered around Monte Isola, but the boat only stops at a few.

Next stop is the main destination for the boat ride, the little hamlet of Peschiera Maraglio, on the island of Monte Isola, where most passengers get off. However, the boat is going to go around the island, reaching the lake's west shore, make a few more stops, and then it will come back to Peschiera, so if you have the time, it is fun to stay on board for now to see the entire little circuit the boat can make in this part of the lake. When the boat returns to the little port of Peschiera in about 15 minutes, get off and walk around. But for now, (inside tip) continue on the voyage.

Next stop is at Sulzano, returning to the east shore of the mainland. Sulzano is a village you could reach by train from Brescia (the next stop after Iseo), and from there it would only take 5 minutes by boat to reach the island, 600 meters from shore, much closer than the town of Iseo is to the island. However, you don't want to miss the village of Iseo, but it is possible to save Iseo for the end of the boat ride if you start in Sulzano (another inside tip).

The pastel-colored buildings along the shores of the island and the mainland are so attractive and Italian-looking that they really feel like the shores of the Mediterranean rather than Northern Italy.

The boat sometimes makes another stop on the mainland at Sale Marasino, with just a few people getting on, probably locals. This is not only a ferry boat for tourist excursions, but it is also a basic way that locals get to the island. After all, there are no bridges that go to the island, so they take the ferry. Next stop is back on the island of Monte Isola at the small hamlet of Carzano, not a very hot tourist destination, so again, only a few people get on or off.

The boat continues along this relatively narrow yet picturesque passage and then around the island to the northwest end, arriving at Siviano, the island's largest village. It is an attractive place but not as picturesque as Peschiera, which we'll get back to shortly.

The ferry continues to the other side of the lake along the west shore, then stops at the larger city of Tavernola Bergamasca, with many people getting on. This town of Tavernola has a lakeside promenade, an old clocktower, a Romanesque church, and other attractions.

Continuing along, we pass a couple of small private islands, including Isola di Loreto, with its own little castle in neo-Gothic style.

We've just made the complete circuit around the island of Monte Isola. You would find it attractive to stay on board the boat for this, rather than getting off at that first stop back at Peschiera. If you've got the time, there's no extra charge for staying on the boat, so enjoy the scenic ride.

Peschiera Maraglio

Now you arrive back at Peschiera, perhaps the main attraction of the entire visit to Iseo, with its delightfully picturesque waterfront promenade lined with boats on one side and little cafes on the other.

Peschiera is a quiet place, and no private cars are allowed, but watch out for mopeds that locals are allowed to drive. If a bicycle is more your speed, you can rent one here for an hour or the whole day if you want to explore the island, which has small roads that go around it and up into the hill.

Most visitors are happy just to walk along the shores of this quaint Peschiera village for an hour or two, maybe have a meal or a drink, and then catch the ferry back to the main town of Iseo. There's a Tourist Information Office in the village where you can get free maps and brochures. They can also help you find accommodations if you want to spend the night. There are several small hotels and guesthouses here.

On the map, you can see Peschiera's location at the island's southern end, which is three kilometers long and has several small roads.

There are still some fishermen based in this little village of Peschiera, whose name means fishpond with several different varieties of fresh lake fish available in some of the restaurants. They even display how they dry the fish, but those are just little wooden models.

It's almost time to depart this heavenly island, but first you will be tempted to sit at a garden terrace and have a drink or perhaps a gourmet meal in a picture-perfect setting in the gardens of Castello Oldofredi. It's a deluxe hotel, and you don't have to be a guest to enjoy this delightful terrace restaurant with a casual snack bar. It's located adjacent to the ferry dock so you can keep your eyes on the water and time your last sip of your drink so that you get over to the dock just in time to get on the boat.

Depart from Peschiera

Ferries leave about every 20 minutes, so you don't have to worry about getting to the dock at a particular time. Just go to the dock and wait; a boat will soon appear, or check the posted schedule if you want to be precise.

On my visit, there were quite a few passengers on board, but it was not overly crowded, with seats for everybody. I was here late in the season, on the last Sunday of October, which is perfect timing because the area is not so crowded as during the summer, and there is a good chance the weather will be delightful. The lakes of Lombardy have a particularly mild climate, so coming in the off-season is ideal.

We are completing the journey around this part of the lake, stopping again at Sensole, then coming back to our home base of the town of Iseo, where we see that perfect waterfront promenade with no cars allowed in that peaceful area.

As you disembark the boat, you'll notice the boat dock is much more crowded than in the morning, with a line extending into the piazza. I was there at midday on a Sunday, and rush hour had begun. It's not that much of a crush after all; it's the end of October. If you want to come in the summertime, it will be a lot busier. So perhaps plan your schedules so that you come during a weekday rather than on the weekend, then be patient while waiting online. But we are done with all that and ready to return to Iseo town for some explorations.

Return to Iseo Town

From the boat dock, you step into a lovely waterfront plaza, then return to Piazza Garibaldi, have lunch or a light bite, and then take a walk in the little back lanes. With Spritz, you get a free snack, typical of most of the better cafes of Italy. With that small meal, you might not have to spend time and money on lunch. Instead of sitting for a big meal, take a little walk in the charming back lanes of Iseo, where you might run into the neighborhood cats who will come out and greet you.

Capital of the lake, Iseo is a lively commercial and tourist town with numerous restaurants, elegant shops, and various entertainment opportunities. However, it has kept the ancient medieval village layout with its characteristic structure of alleys, tower houses, and dramatic brick arches tunneling under buildings connecting the various lanes.

Piazza Garibaldi

Vicolo Portelle is one of the main side streets branching off from Piazza Garibaldi, which is just around the corner where you will be surrounded by restaurants. A hand-written menu in Italian on a blackboard out front and a wall of books in the aisle as you enter is a sure sign this is going to be a nice place to have a bite or a spritz, that will be served with a snack.

We are in a literary paradise, The Cafe Letterario Eden, a community gathering place for locals where visitors are also welcome and can sit outdoors under the portico or out in the piazza.

When you walk around the bend on the edge of the piazza to via Marolte, you'll come upon a beautiful small church, Chiesa di Santa Maria del Mercato, so called because it's next to the market square, built in the 14th century with Gothic and Renaissance elements and frescoes, altars and decorative details inside.

Back on the piazza, we're having our final look at this beautiful town center. It's really been a rewarding visit, with the town, the promenades, the boat ride, and the island in the middle of the lake. You'll probably see packs of friendly little dogs on leashes, taking a stroll with the mistress and greeting their friends who work at the piazza.

Departure

Having completed a grand visit, we will make that short walk back to the station and take another train ride. You might return to wherever you began the day, in my case, Brescia, or better yet, continue north by train for 30 minutes to Pisogne, another charming town on the shore of Lake Iseo.

 

There's something special about the beautiful scenery, riding along by train on the shores of a lake, with greenery in the foreground and mountains in the back, and the tranquil water in the middle, sometimes with an olive grove on the hillsides. Occasionally, your view is blocked by the homes built right up to the water's edge, or the train deviates inland for a while. But then, like magic, the lake reappears.

 

Pisogne

I planned to ride along the lake for about half an hour, enjoying more of this glorious scenery, and then get off at the little village of Pisogne and see what that has to offer.

The marina is a sure signal that you are arriving at Pisogne, and then the people start getting up and gathering their things. Everybody is getting off the train, which should be a warning that you should get off too, join the crowd, and exit the train.

It is not worth staying on the train beyond Pisogne, hoping to see more scenery, because the route quickly goes beyond the lake, leaving you with nothing much to look at our do. If you make the mistake of staying onboard (no, I didn't, I wouldn't do that, no, no, not me) all you get are little glimpses of some fields and hills and then end up at the small town of Darfo, which is not a tourist destination, but a very plain village with nothing to see.

Pisogne, on the other hand, is a cute little town with a waterfront for recreation and narrow pedestrian lanes, but I did not stay very long because I was running out of time for "some" reason. After a quick look around, I got back on the train heading back to Brescia. Save Pisogne for next time, and perhaps visit the other famous village of Lovere, on north end of the lake.