Lake Maggiore
| Lake Maggiore Verbano Lago Maggiore |
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| Location | Lombardy and Piedmont, Italy; Canton Ticino, Switzerland |
| Primary inflows | Ticino, Maggia, Toce, Tresa |
| Primary outflows | Ticino |
| Catchment area | 6,599 km² |
| Basin countries | Italy, Switzerland |
| Max. length | 66 km |
| Max. width | 10 km |
| Surface area | 212.5 km² |
| Average depth | 177.4 m |
| Max. depth | 372 m |
| Water volume | 37 km³ |
| Residence time (of lake water) | 4 years |
| Surface elevation | 193 m |
| Islands | Brissago Islands, Borromean Islands |
| Settlements | Locarno, Luino, Verbania, Arona (see list) |
Lake Maggiore (in Italian: Lago Maggiore or Verbano, the Roman Lacus Verbanus) is the most westerly of the three large prealpine lakes of Italy and the second largest after Lake Garda. It lies approximately at .
It has a surface area of about 213 km², a maximum length of 54 km and, at its widest, is 12 km. The lake basin has tectonic-glacial origins and its volume is 37 km³.
Its main tributaries are the Ticino, the Maggia, the Toce (by which it receives the outflow of Lake Orta) and the Tresa (which is the sole emissary of Lake Lugano). The rivers Verzasca, Giona, and Cannobino also flow into the lake. Its outlet is the Ticino which, in turn, joins the river Po just south-east of Pavia.
The lake’s jagged banks are surrounded by the Prealps of Piedmont and Lombardy. The western bank is in Piedmont (provinces of Novara and Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola) and the eastern in Lombardy (province of Varese), whereas the most northerly section extends thirteen kilometres into Switzerland, where it constitutes the lowest point above sea-level in that entire country.
The climate is mild in both summer and winter, producing Mediterranean vegetation, with beautiful gardens growing rare and exotic plants. Well-known gardens include those of the Isola Madre, Isola Bella and the Isole di Brissago, that of the Villa Taranto in Verbania, and the Alpinia botanical garden above Stresa.
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Towns and villages on the lake
| Switzerland | Piedmont | Lombardy |
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Islands
- Borromean Islands (three islands and two islets located between Verbania to the north and Stresa to the south)
- Isola Bella
- Isola Madre
- Isola dei Pescatori (or Isola Superiore)
- Isolino di San Giovanni (in front of Verbania)
- Scoglio della Malghera (between Isola Bella and Isola Pescatori)
- Brissago Islands (close to Brissago)
- San Pancrazio (or Grande Isola)
- Isolino (or Isola Piccola or Isola di Sant’Apollinare)
- Castelli di Cannero (three small islands just off the shore from Cannero Riviera)
- Isolino Partegora (in the gulf of Angera)
Events
The Spirit of Woodstock Festival is an annual open air festival at the end of July/beginning of August at Mirapuri.
External links
- CIPAIS Commissione Internazionale per la Protezione delle Acque Italo-Svizzere (Italian) limnologic reports on the Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano
- Official Tourism Gateway Lake Maggiore Official Tourism Gateway
- Ferry Services on Italian Lakes - Lake Maggiore
- Magazzeno Storico Verbanese (Italian) Historical bibliography on the region
- Waterlevels at Brissago from the Federal Office for the Environment
- Waterlevels at Locarno from the Federal Office for the Environment
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