Monte Isola

Monte Isola covers 4. 5 square kilometers in the middle of Lake Iseo, the largest lake island in southern and central Europe. Eleven villages and hamlets line the shore and climb the slopes: Peschiera Maraglio and Sensole on the south, Siviano on the north, with smaller settlements between.

The Madonna della Ceriola sanctuary stands at 600 meters at the summit, documented in 1410 but built older, holding a twelfth-century wooden sculpture of the Virgin and Child. No private cars are allowed on the island; mopeds, bicycles and feet are the way around. The Comune still keeps the small island of San Paolo and the privately owned Loreto as part of its territory.

Fishing nets are still woven here by hand for use across the lakes of northern Italy, and wooden boats are still built by a handful of craftsmen in Peschiera Maraglio. In summer 2016, Christo and Jeanne-Claude floated their orange piers from Sulzano to the island, drawing 1. 2 million visitors in sixteen days.

From Milan (BGY), about 1 hour by car.

Verona (VRN) is about 1h 33m away.

By car from the centre of Brescia 48 minutes.

There is a railway station in the comune, so you can arrive without a car.

Coming from Verona or Milan?

Coming by train into Brescia? Monte Isola is about 47 minutes away by road.

Every town within reach of Milan airport.