This tour from Motovarese KTM shop and rental of bike and Motorbike goes all around Lake Maggiore, starting from the western shore in the Region of Piemonte (since the 3 shores of Lake Maggiore are: one in Lombardy- the eastern shore, the western one is in Piemonte, and the northern part belongs to Switzerland), passing trough the villages of Arona (famous for the big statue of St. Charles), Stresa and Verbania (this route is really beautiful, but very famous and therefore often busy with cars and bikes).
You can also go on the Mottarone Mountain, then descend to Lake Orta: in the village of Orta S. Giulio we recommend taking the boat and visit the nearby island of St. Giulio (15 minutes by boat, price: about € 10), a very pretty and quiet place, where you’ll feel like “diving into the past” walking in the narrow streets close to the Nunnery and visiting the beautiful Chapel.
Leaving Verbania, on the same western shore, going north, you’ll reach Cannero (with its beautiful castles), then the villages of Cannobbio and Ascona, a nice Swiss holyday town, that, comes to life in summertime with the jazz music festival in July; Locarno- the nearby village- is known for a famous film festival in August.
Then continue the journey going south on the eastern shore (in Lombardy- back in Italy), from Zenna to Maccagno, then Luino (southwards). After Luino we recommend a visit to the furnaces in Caldè (see tour A 1).
Then continue to Laveno, where you can stop in the square, meeting point for motorcyclists on Sundays (from Laveno you can take the ferry back to Verbania).
Optional detours: on each shore there are some UNMISSABLE visits:
close to Laveno you cannot miss a stop in the amazing Eremo of “Santa Caterina del Sasso” (a Convent with its Church literally perched on a steep rock facing the water of Lake Maggiore; you walk to it from the car-park- see tour A.1);
close to Verbania (or from Laveno by boat) you cannot miss a visit to the Borromean Islands: to go to the 3 islands take the ferry from Intra (Intra-Islands-Pallanza); to visit all 3 you’ll need 3-4 hours (as said before, you can also go take the Laveno- Intra boat, then change boats and take the boat from Intra to the Island). The Isola Madre is a beautiful botanic garden, the Isola dei Pescatori (literally Fishermen Island) is a lovely village where you can eat good lake-fish-recipes, the Isola Bella is an amazing villa, reach of paintings with its lovely botanic garden.