The Brissago Islands

The two islands lie close to the western shore of Lake Maggiore, and the larger was bought in the 1880s by a private owner who began planting it with species from warm parts of the world. The lake keeps frosts rare, so bamboo, palms, eucalyptus, tree ferns and citrus grow outdoors here in a way they cannot a short distance north. The canton has run the park since the middle of the twentieth century and arranges the planting by region of origin, so a path takes you from Asia to South America in a few minutes. The smaller island is left wooded and unplanted. The walks are short, and most of a visit is spent looking closely at plants.

History

Roman remains have been found on San Pancrazio, and in the 13th century Humiliati nuns built a monastery there; after the order was suppressed in 1571 the islands were left empty. Richard Fleming of the Saint Leger family and his wife Antoinette bought them in 1885, and she created the botanical garden and between 1886 and 1914 hosted the painter Giovanni Segantini and the composer Ruggero Leoncavallo, among others (Wikipedia, Brissago Islands).

What you'll find

• The subtropical planting - palms, bamboo, tree ferns and citrus growing outdoors.
• The beds by origin - species grouped by the part of the world they came from.
• The shore paths - water on every side and the mountains rising behind Ascona.
• The smaller island - left wooded and unplanted, seen from the water.

When to go

The park opens from spring to late October and is shut in winter. April and May bring the strongest flowering and the clearest air; July and August are hot, humid and busiest. Boats run to a fixed timetable, and the last sailing back sets the length of a visit, so check it before you cross.

What to expect

It is small, and once the paths are walked there is not much more; two hours is enough. Everything on the island costs more than it does on shore. Boat times rather than your own pace decide the visit, and a missed connection means a long wait. In high summer the humidity is heavy and mosquitoes are active near the water.

Nearby

Ascona and Locarno along the lake, with the Verzasca and Maggia valleys behind them.