Isola Bella and Isola Madre

About the garden

Built over different periods, the grand Italian baroque garden of Isola Bella forms a coherent pyramid shape that culminates in the great statue of the Unicorn Ridden By Love. Divided into 10 sloping terraces, it is adorned with ponds, fountains and statues dating back to the second half of the 17th century, representing personifications of rivers, winds and seasons. The particularly mild climate has enabled the growth of a vast variety of plant species. Among the azaleas and rhododendrons, grapefruit, bitter orange espaliers and orchids stands a large camphor tree that is over 200 years old.

Spanning over 20 acres, Isola Madre is the largest of the Borromean Islands. The gardens are the very soul of the island, and since 1800, they have been progressively transformed from vast farmland into an English botanical garden. Isola Madre is not only renowned for the spectacular flowering of its azaleas in May but also for its collection of rare plant species from diverse latitudes, including maples, banana trees, palm trees, camellias, proteas and eucalyptus.