To the tourist, who for the first time arrives in Stresa, is offered a breathless sight. At the beginning a superb window of the lake front, delineated with lines of palm trees, with flourishing gardens and facades of majestic hotels. Then, turning to look at the lake, enchanted, as if emerged from the same waters the spectacular Borromean Islands (Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori). It is enough the splendour of these visions to make one understand how Stresa has been able to become one of the maximum meetings of international tourism. The town, already at the middle half of the 19th century was the most elegant place to stay, the most visited by the international upper middle class.
Others again are the reasons of so much fame and prestige. Here art and nature are mixed together in a way that one respects the other, here the hospitality is to boast to generation and the cultural initiative, that happens in the course of the year, they are the necessary corollary of it. Symbol of the vitality of Stresa is the animated Plaza of the wharf, the vast and tree lined Piazza Marconi.
Here the neo-classic parish of Sant'Ambrogio faces the square. To the right of the church there is the famous Villa Ducale of the year 1770, also this is in neo-classic style. The notoriety derives from it having been the residence of the philosopher Antonio Rosmini, whom here also entertained Alessandro Manzoni. Now the villa is an active Centre of "Studi Rosminiani". Nearby, famous to the international congressmen, one can find the modern and well equipped Palace of Congresses. Another destination of notable tourist flow is Villa Pallavicino of the 19th century. The interest for which is completely naturalistic, in that the large blooming park is rich in secular trees and has been transformed in an original zoological garden, where various species of animals live, including exotic animals like ostriches and kangaroos. In the outskirts of Stresa, at Gignese, that offers the panoramic view of the central basin of Lago Maggiore, one can visit the Alpinia Garden, rich in mountains and officinal plants, and the curious Umbrella Museum , that collects parasols and umbrellas of every epoch. Finally, it serves to remember that to the modern funicular connects Stresa to the ski slopes of Mottarone, another balcony on the Verbano.
Between the recurrent manifestations, signalled to a prestigious level is: the Competition of music for young people "Premio Franco Verganti", in April; the Cattedra Rosmini, at the end of August; the Musical Weeks International Festival, in August and September; the European Philatelist Show, in the first ten days of September.