The excitement of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games also reached Isola Bella. On Wednesday, 14 January, the Olympic Flame crossed the Borromeo Gulf, transforming Lake Maggiore for one day into an international stage of sport and beauty.
The torch travelled aboard the historic Piroscafo Piemonte of 1904, the oldest steam-powered vessel in Italy, returned to navigation for the occasion and part of the fleet of the Government Management of Lake Navigation.
Upon arriving at Isola Bella, the Flame passed through some of the most iconic rooms of Palazzo Borromeo, from the main staircase to the Tapestry Gallery, home to precious Flemish textiles.
The route then continued through the gardens, from the Atrium of Diana to the summit of the Teatro Massimo and the Garden of Love, in a harmonious dialogue between Baroque architecture, nature, history, and Olympic values.
The relay on Isola Bella was entrusted to four torchbearers: Federica Cesarini, Olympic rowing champion; Michele Frangilli, Olympic archery champion; and two members of the local community, symbolizing an ideal embrace between sporting excellence and the territory.
TERRE BORROMEO
The Serra Elisa on Isola Bella is renewing its plants and is temporarily closed.
