Skip menu

Villa Ducale

Overview

A neoclassical building surrounded by greenery 

When it was built in 1771, the Villa Ducale in Stresa stood out among the humble residences of fishermen and peasants dotted around this village on Lake Maggiore at the time. The building, still standing in a 13,000-square-metre garden, stands out for its neoclassical elegance, commissioned by its first owner Giacomo Filippo Bolongaro. 

Having passed through several hands until 1942, the Rosminian Fathers undertook to renovate the building that had been severely damaged by fire, the villa was a cultural landmark for northern Italy in the 19th century. Novelist Alessandro Manzoni liked to hold philosophical conversations there with earlier homeowner Antonio Rosmini. 

Traces of its ancient splendour can be found inside the villa, with inlaid floors and mosaics alongside frescoes featuring mythological subjects, which you can find by climbing the grand staircase made from pink granite and wrought iron. Originally laid out in the Italian style, the outdoor gardens have been enriched over the years with exotic plants, including a splendid Magnolia Grandiflora and an imposing Cedar of Lebanon, also known as the “tree of the gods”. 

The villa, which is open to the public, is also home to the International Centre for Rosminian Studies and houses a very valuable library of over 110,000 books.

Villa Ducale

Corso Umberto I, 15, 28838 Stresa VB, Italia

Related articles

Lakes
10 lakes in Italy for an active holiday

10 lakes in Italy for an active holiday

Lakes
The charm of Spring on the Great Lakes of Northern Italy

The charm of Spring on the Great Lakes of Northern Italy

Leisure
Zip lining, an adrenaline-filled flight surrounded by nature

Zip lining, an adrenaline-filled flight surrounded by nature

Sport
Cortina d’Ampezzo

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are approaching: here's what to expect

Mobility
High-speed rail in Italy: all the cities to visit by train

High-speed rail in Italy: all the cities to visit by train

UNESCO
Prehistoric pile-dwelling sites in the Alps

Prehistoric pile-dwelling sites in the Alps

Tours and experiences
italy underground heritage

Underground Italy, discovering the submerged heritage of caves, catacombs and ancient tombs

Tours and experiences
travel by vespa or cinquecento

Vespa travel in Italy or on a vintage Fiat 500 for an authentic Italian holiday

Art and culture
Piedmont weekend Monferrato

Piedmont: A weekend of nature and dance in Monferrato

Magazine
Where to study fashion in Italy

Where to study fashion in Italy: a useful map of the top schools in the fashion system

Museums and monuments
Must-See Gardens of Northern Italy

Must-See Gardens of Northern Italy

Sport
Skiing in the paradise of the Dolomites: the Dolomiti Superski area

Skiing in the paradise of the Dolomites: the Dolomiti Superski area

Romance
Wedding in winter in Northern Italy

7 destinations for winter weddings in northern Italy

Mountain
Husky on the snow

Dog sledding in Italy: 6 destinations for excursions with sled dogs

Food and wine
3 biggest food festivals in italy

Italy’s 3 biggest food festivals: deliciousness and tradition

Leisure
Geocaching in nature parks to prolong the holiday mood

Geocaching in nature parks to prolong the holiday mood

Nature
Nature and animals: limelight on biodiversity in wildlife parks

Nature and animals: limelight on biodiversity in wildlife parks

Food and wine
7 vegetarian restaurants in Italy to try at least once in your life

7 vegetarian restaurants in Italy to try at least once in your life

Food and wine
three young starred chefs

3 young Michelin-starred chefs for 3 multi-sensory experiences for true gourmets

Villages
Photo by: Codegoni Daniele/Shutterstock.com

Villages and Wine Routes

Ops! An error occurred while sharing your content. Please accept profiling cookies to share the page.