Hello everyone,
Yesterday in Milan it was really a beautiful day. In the morning, there were only a few thunderstorms that definitely brought some coolness and refreshment, but it didn't stop me from heading towards Lake Maggiore. The lake is practically 70 km away in a straight line, but to reach it via the main roads, you have to cover about 100 km. That's why it's an ideal destination, especially for Milanese people, to spend the weekend or even longer vacations, or like in my case, to go on a beautiful day trip.
We can say that the luck, for those who live in a chaotic and polluted big city like Milan, is to have numerous lakes just a few kilometers away, where you can somehow unwind. Unfortunately, the sea is far away from Milan, so it's difficult to reach it in a day.
Today, I want to visit the Island of the Fishermen, and I'm going there by car because I think it's the fastest way. Taking the train would require taking a bus afterwards, and it becomes very complicated. Of course, to reach the island, you have to board a ferry in Carciano, and this journey takes about an hour and a half. But I always find traveling by ferry so enjoyable.
The Island of the Fishermen is the northernmost of the three main Borromean Islands. It's not very big, in fact, a sign I read said it's only 350 meters long, and it's considered the smallest of the Borromean Islands. But from my point of view, it was the most characteristic and authentic of all the islands on Lake Maggiore. It's a pity that over time it has been depopulated. Intrigued, I did some research on the internet to understand how many inhabitants still live on the island, and the depopulation is truly striking. The population has decreased from about 200 people to around 25 people who permanently reside on the island, and I can understand that it's a real problem because they constantly have to travel to the mainland.
Naturally, as you can imagine, the main economy of this island used to be fishing, which was a widespread practice until a few years ago. Fortunately, while visiting, I realized that some people are still carrying on this tradition, and it's really a wonderful thing. Although nowadays, the majority of the island's economy is mainly based on tourism, and it's fortunate that tourism keeps this place alive because it's very charming and picturesque. It's nice to see that every passing day, it becomes an increasingly popular tourist destination with many visitors coming here every day.
Taking a stroll in this place, coming from a big city like Milan, I realize that it's difficult to live here. You may miss many essential services that are available in larger towns. In fact, I noticed that many houses have now become vacation homes. Fortunately, as I mentioned before, this place is kept alive by tourists, and that's not a negative thing. However, for example, if I decided to move here tomorrow, it would be very expensive because not only are the houses costly, but the rent is also geared towards tourists.
Naturally, being a lover of good food, especially fish, I wanted to stop and eat in a typical restaurant overlooking the lake. It immediately caught my attention because of its beautiful location. I decided to have a dish of tagliolini pasta with lake fish ragù, a dish I had never tasted before, and it impressed me a lot from the very first forkful. So, if you visit this place, make sure to stop by the only restaurant there, as you will find freshly caught fish from the lake.
As you can see in a photo I shared in this post, some houses that were used by the fishermen have been transformed into souvenir museums, all thanks to the tourist success this island has had.
In conclusion, I can say it was a beautiful experience. It was already my second time returning to this place, and I must say I was as satisfied as the first time. Above all, I will remember the dish I ate for a long time because it was truly delicious. I think there's nothing better than getting to know a new place through its local cuisine. Moreover, I've had few opportunities to taste lake fish in my life.
Here I share the map with you, it might be useful for a better understanding.
See you soon, guys. I hope you enjoyed me introducing you to this place, and I hope you visit it as soon as possible if you come on vacation to Lake Maggiore!