From Milan you don't need a car to take this day trip to the
wonders of a botanical garden on
Lake Maggiore, Villa Taranto: you just hop on a train of the "LeNord" private train company,
and in a short time you are in a magic place of lakes, gardens and palaces.
This
is specially recommended in spring, when often you can leave the fog
and cold of Milan to reach sun-shining lakefront wiews in the mild climate of
the Lake Maggiore.
Of special interest is a visit during the azalea blooming
season, when Villa Taranto's gardens assume a wonderful set of different colors
from the endless number of azaleas and rhododendrons present in the garden
The "LeNord" trains depart right in the center of Milan, at
the Cadorna station, the ones you are interested in, the "diretti" (direct)
to Laveno stop also at the Bovisa-Politecnico station in Milan, and in the
small town of Saronno before reaching Varese, and then Laveno, a nice little
town on the Lombard side of Lake Maggiore.
The recommended trains you can use for this
trip depart from Cadorna at 7:50 and 8:50 AM (7:58 and 8:58 at Bovisa, 8:13
and 9:13 at Saronno and 8:46 and 9:46 from Varese).
Check the LeNord site for up-to-date scheduling information or if you want to
leave at different times.
Once in Laveno you walk few steps from the train station to
the ferry landing station, and in a few minutes you board the ferry to
Intra, where you find a boat that takes you to Villa Taranto on the other
side of the Lake.
For your trip back you can do the same itinerary backwards
leaving Villa Taranto at 3:45, 4:45 or 5:50 PM, and arriving in Milano at the
Cadorna station at 6:25, 7:25 or 9:11 PM.
Villa Taranto is accessible by boats of the Navigazione Lago Maggiore (stop Villa Taranto) Laveno leaving the jetty, near the railway station LeNord Laveno-Mombello. For information on schedules of vessels: www.navigazionelaghi.it
You can also hire a private guide for all the trip, call
Myriam Gulla at 0331-958121 or mobile phone 347-7856903 to make
arrangements.
VILLA TARANTO
was built at the end of the19'" century
and was sold to the Scottish captain Neil McEachaPIl. It is thanks to the
work of this Scottish gentleman, lover of beauty and nature, that
visitors today can enjoy the most beautiful botanical gardens in Europe.
Those of Villa Taranto are one of the most important botanical gardens in the world with thousands of species of plants and flowers from every place and harmoniously distributed over an area of approximately 16 hectares, crossed by 7 km of paths. The style is mainly English, although there are references which are typical of the Italian statues, fountains, pools, terraces, waterfalls and all that helps give a sense of magic to this spectacle of nature. Eucalyptus trees, azaleas, rhododendrons, magnolias, maples, camellias, dahlias, tulips, lotus flowers, heather, dwarf stars, hydrangeas, many tropical plants and rare species inhabit these spaces.
In 1939 McEachaPIl, having no heirs, decided to donate the entire
property, which he created between 1931 and 1936, to the Italian
nation.
In 1982 the gardens were opened to the public and
today are run by the "Ente Giardini Botanici Villa Taranto".
Remarkable is a visit in springtime, when azaleas and rhododendrons are in
full bloom and the gardens assume a multi-varied color.
VILLA TARANTO
